Psychiatric Patients Week 5

Question 1

Causes for mental illness

Answer 1

1. Loss
2. changes in relationships (e.g., a divorce or breakup)
3. feeling alone or like you don’t have a support system
4. switching or stopping mental health treatments
5. discrimination
6. losing a job or failing a class
7. natural disaster, violence, or terrorism
8. substance use
9. medical diagnosis

Question 2

Non-medical factors that influence mental health outcomes

Answer 2

• Access to health services
• Culture, race, and ethnicity
• Disability
• Early childhood development
• Education, literacy, and skills
• Employment, job security, and working conditions
• Food insecurity
• Gender identity and expression
• Housing
• Income and income distribution
• Indigenous status
• Personal health practices and resiliency
• Physical environments
• Sexual orientation and attraction
• Social inclusion/exclusion
• Social support networks

Question 3

Most Common Mental Health Disorders seen by paramedics

Answer 3

1. Anxiety/Depression-Mood disorders
2. Bipolar Disorder
3. Schizophrenia
4. Dementia
5. Excited delirium

Question 4

Symptoms of anxiety

Answer 4

Anxiety disorders are much different than stress. They linger for long periods of time, and may not have an identifiable trigger. Where stress is short term and a response to a threat

S&S:
Restlessness
Tenseness
Sweating
Nervousness
A feeling of unease or dread

Question 5

What is depression and its symptoms?

Answer 5

Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent, feeling of sadness and loss of interest these symptoms last approximately two weeks at minimum in duration
S&S:
Anxiety
Hopelessness
Mood swings
Suicidal ideation
Uncontrollable emotions
Weight change
Insomnia

Question 6

Taser dart removal procedure

Answer 6

STEP 1: cut away the clothing (if possible/necessary) Wipe the surrounding skin with an alcohol wipe
STEP 2: grasp the dart with the non-dominant hand to steady it
STEP 3: grab the probe between the dart body and the skin with the hemostats
STEP 4: stretch the skin with the non-dominant hand
STEP 5: using the hemostats, pull the probe out with a quick jerk in a vertical direction while simultaneously applying counter-traction to the skin with the thumb & index fingers of your other hand
STEP 6: inspect the probe(s) carefully to ensure it is intact
STEP 7: inspect the site(s) of the wound carefully to ensure there is nothing still embedded.
STEP 8: unless the police request the probe, safely dispose of it in a sharps container

Question 7

When not to remove taser darts

Answer 7

Located in:
- Head/ Face
- Neck (above the clavicles)
- In the nipples
- Groin (scrotum or genital area)
- Bone
- If Pt. <16yrs of age
- Pt. refuses let you remove/ pt. does not have capacity to consent to the removal of probe
(Secure darts in place / Police will disconnect wire)