Paramedic Principles and Practice. A Clinical Reasoning Approach

Part 1: PARAMEDIC PRINCIPLES

SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION TO PARAMEDIC
PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE
1. Introduction

SECTION 2: FOUNDATION KNOWLEDGE
2. Perfusion
3. The autonomic response
4. The inflammatory response
5. Pharmacokinetics & pharmacodynamics

SECTION 3: FOUNDATION CONCEPTS

6. Evidence based practice in paramedicine
7. The clinical reasoning process

SECTION 4: COMMUNICATION AND NON-TECHNICAL SKILLS

8. Interpersonal communication & Patient focused care

SECTION 5: THE AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS

9. The paramedic role in healthcare
10. Characteristics of ambulance patients

SECTION 6: PATIENT AND PARAMEDIC SAFETY

11. Patient safety and paramedicine
12. Paramedic health and wellbeing

SECTION 7: LEGAL, ETHICAL AND PROFESSIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

13. Legal and ethical considerations in clinical decision making

PART 2: PARAMEDIC PRACTICE

SECTION 8: THE PARAMEDIC CLINICAL APPROACH

14. The structured clinical approach
15. The patient-centred interview

SECTION 9: THE PARAMEDIC APPROACH TO THE PATIENT WITH A RESPIRATORY CONDITION

16. Airway obstruction
17. Asthma
18. Acute pulmonary oedema
19. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
20. Pneumothorax
21. Pulmonary embolism

SECTION 10: THE PARAMEDIC APPROACH TO THE PATIENT WITH A CARDIAC CONDITION

21. Chest pain
22. Arrhythmias
23. Cardiac arrest

SECTION 11: THE PARAMEDIC APPROACH TO THE PATIENT WITH A MEDICAL CONDITION

24. Hypoglycaemia & hyperglycaemia
25. Stroke
26. Overdose
27. Anaphylaxis
28. Seizures
29. Pain
30. Acute abdominal pain
31. Sepsis
32. Gastrointestinal and urinary tract bleeding

SECTION 12: THE PARAMEDIC APPROACH TO THE TRAUMA PATIENT

33. Head injuries
34. Chest injuries
35. Musculoskeletal injuries
36. Traumatic spinal injuries
37. Burns
38. Mass casualty

SECTION 13: THE PARAMEDIC APPROACH TO THE PATIENT WITH AN ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

39. Hypothermia & hyperthermia
40. Decompression injuries
41. Envenomation
42. Spider Bites
43. Marine Envenoming
44. Tropical medicine

SECTION 14: THE PARAMEDIC APPROACH TO COMPLEX CASES: SPECIFIC CHALLENGES TO PARAMEDIC REASONING AND MANAGEMENT

45. The socially isolated patient
46. The dying patient
47. Older patients
48. Indigenous Australian patients
49. Maori patients
50. Family Violence

SECTION 15: THE PARAMEDIC APPROACH TO THE PATIENT WITH A MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION

51. Mental health conditions
52. De-escalation strategies

SECTION 16: THE PARAMEDIC APPROACH TO OBSTETRIC, NEONATAL AND PAEDIATRIC PATIENTS

53. Imminent birth
54. Neonatal resuscitation
55. Paediatric patients

Appendix 1: Medications commonly encountered in paramedic practice  

Written by expert academics and educators Brett Williams and Linda Ross this essential resource encourages readers to see the links between the pathophysiology of a disease how this creates the signs and symptoms perceived by the patient and how these need to be managed in the out-of-hospital environment. Additionally Paramedic Principles and Practice 2e will arm readers with not only technical knowledge and expertise but also the non-technical components of providing emergency care–including professional attitudes and behaviours clinical competence teamwork and communication skills.

Case studies are strategically used to contextualise the principles and step readers through possible scenarios that may be encountered and importantly reveal the process of reaching a safe and effective management plan. The case studies initially describe the pathology and typical presentation of a particular condition and progress to more-complex and less-typical scenarios where the practitioner faces increasing uncertainty.

• New chapters, including: Paediatric patients; Child abuse and intimate partner violence; Geriatric patients; Tropical conditions; Mass casualty; Interpersonal communication and patient-focused care; Evidence-based practice in paramedicine; Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics
• New case studies on major incidents and major trauma
• Focused ‘Implications for’ boxes specific to considerations including geriatrics, cultural diversity, communication challenges
• ‘Summary of therapeutic goals’ included with each case study
• Learning outcomes added to open each chapter
• Considered revision of pathophysiology across all chapters

Key Features

• The only paramedic-specific text designed for Australian and New Zealand students and paramedics
• Progressive case studies that bridge the gap from principles to practice
• More than 40 essential pathologies covering common paramedic call-outs
• Covers both technical and non-technical skills to develop the graduate into expert clinician
• Includes an eBook with the purchase of the print book

 Additional resources on Evolve

• An eBook on VitalSource

 Instructor/and Student resources: 

• Image collection
• Simulation scenarios
• Additional multimedia resources including 12-lead ECGs and chest sounds

By Brett Williams and Linda Ross