Paramedic Principles and Practice in the UK

Table of Contents

The Key to improving your clinical practice Acknowledgements 1�Introduction Part 1 PARAMEDIC PRINCIPLES Section 1: Principles of Paramedic Practice 2�The paramedic role in healthcare 3�Characteristics of ambulance patients Section 2 The Paramedics Clinical Approach 4�The structured clinical approach 5�The clinical reasoning process 6�The patient interview Section 3 Patient and Paramedic Safety 7�Patient safety and paramedicine 8�Paramedic health and wellbeing Section 4: Paramedic Education 9�Paramedic education Section 5: Legal and Ethical Considerations 10�Legal and ethical considerations in clinical decision making Section 6: Clinical Reasoning and the Paramedic Model of Practice 11�Developing a philosophy of practice PART 2 ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE Section 18:� Essential Concepts of Paramedic Practice 55�Perfusion 56�The autonomic response 57�The inflammatory response

PART 3 PARAMEDIC PRACTICE Section 7: The Paramedic Approach to the Patient in an Altered Conscious State 12�Hypoglycaemia 13�Cerebrovascular accidents 14�Overdose 15�Seizures Section 8: The Paramedic Approach to the Patient in Respiratory Distress 16�Airway Obstruction 17�Asthma 18�Acute pulmonary oedema 19�Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 20�Pneumothorax 21�Pulmonary embolism 22 �Pleural effusion 23�The paediatric patient with a noisy airway Section 9: The Paramedic Approach to the Patient Suffering a Cardia Emergency 24�Chest pain 25�Arrhythmias 26�Cardia arrest Section 10: The Paramedic Approach to the Patient with a Severe Allergic Reaction 27�Anaphylaxis Section 11: The paramedic Approach to the Patient Presenting with Pain 28 �Pain 29�Lower back pain 30�Renal colic Section 12: The Paramedic Approach to the Trauma Patient 31�The structured clinical approach to trauma patients 32�Head injuries 33�Chest injuries 34�Musculoskeletal injuries 35�Traumatic spinal injuries 36�Burns Section 13: The Paramedic Approach to the Patient Presenting with Environmental Injury 37�Hypothermia 38�Hyperthermia 39�Decompression injuries 40�Snake bites 41�Spider bites 42�Marine envenomation Section 14: The Paramedic Approach to the Unwell Patient: Specific Challenges to Paramedic Reasoning 43�Acute abdominal pain 44�Sepsis 45�Bleeding from the gastrointestinal and urinary tract Section 15: The Paramedic Approach to Complex Cases: Specific Challenges to Paramedic Reasoning and Management 46�The social isolated patient 47�The dying patient 48�The patient on out-of-hospital dialysis 49�Indigenous Australian patients 50� Maori patients Section 16: The paramedic Approach to the Patient Displaying Abnormal Behaviour 51�The patient displaying abnormal behaviour 52�De-escalation in the pre-hospital environment Section 17:� The Paramedic Approach to Obstetric and Neonatal Emergencies 53�Imminent birth 54�Neonatal resuscitation Appendix 1:� Professional roel guide Appendix 2: Medications commonly encountered in community emergency health Glossary Index

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