Decision Making in Paramedic Practice, 1st Edition

Decision Making in Paramedic Practice offers a wealth of knowledge about the importance of decision-making in healthcare practice to reduce clinical risk and improve outcomes for patients. The text explores the role of the modern paramedic and of the paramedic as a critical thinker. It offers a unique perspective on clinical decision-making, highlighting important aspects such as the balance between intuition and experience as well as professional issues.

Each chapter includes:

• Case studies, scenarios and real-life examples
• Practice tips and checklists
• The latest theory, evidence, and research
• Discussion of ethical considerations, keeping the correct balance of confidence and competence, and how to deal with dilemmas in practice.

It will be essential reading for paramedic students and all ambulance clinicians undertaking continuing professional development.

Chapters

1. Paramedic practice: The changing patient profile in urgent, emergency and critical care
2. Professional issues
3. The evolution of the paramedic as a critical thinker
4. Decision making theory - human factors, dilemmas and conundrums
5. The Garden Path Test: Putting decision making into practice - intuition, hypotheses, and deduction
6. The Cognitive Continuum - enhancing your decision-making skills
7. Case based discussion (case studies, reflection, action learning)