Self-Perceived Competence of Ambulance Nurses in the Care of Patients with Mental Illness: A Questionnaire Survey

Abstract

Ambulance nurses in prehospital emergency care must assess, treat, and triage patients with mental health issues. This study aimed to investigate the self-perceived competence of ambulance nurses in prehospital emergency care of patients with mental illness. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was done, a question-index value (Q-IV; range: 0–1.0) was defined as a summary of the proportion of positive responses (%). Correlations of self-perceived competence with education and professional experience were also examined. Overall self-perceived competence was good (mean Q-IV, 0.80). For six of the nine questions, women rated their abilities slightly lower than men. Women rated themselves as fairly good in providing “information about types of effective help available” (Q-IV, 0.55) and in “suggesting tactics for helping a person with mental illness feel better” (Q-IV, 0.56). Men rated their competence as fairly good in “directing patients to appropriate sources of help” (Q-IV, 0.58). Self-perceived competence did not correlate with education level or professional experience. In conclusion, these results indicate that in encounters with patients who have mental illness, ambulance nurses perceive their overall competencies as good, with some sex-based differences in self-perception for specific knowledge areas. Education level and professional experience did not correlate with self-perceived competence.

Factors Influencing Occupational Stress Perceived by Emergency Nurses During Prehospital Care: A Systematic Review

“…A curriculum for a specialist nurse should reflect the actual knowledge, expertise, and skills required in the profession-specific environment. 67 Treatment guidelines and working protocols, as well as contact with more competent colleagues, are workplace-based strategies that contribute to safe patient care and strengthen the ability to successfully deal with critical incidents. 45 Finally, the main protective agents for stress reduction highlighted in this review are interventions carried out jointly with both managers and peers working in the service.…”

Is the Triage System Welcomed in the Tertiary Hospital of the Limpopo Province? A Qualitative Study on Patient’s Perceptions

“…In addition, triaging of patients could be biased towards patients who seek emotional support and whose emotions might deteriorate rapidly, at the expense of trauma patients whose vital signs might remain within normal ranges for limited periods, even after major traumatic injuries. For example, a gap in triaging mental health care users was reported in a study by Önnheim, Johansson, Ivarsson, and Hagström, primarily perpetuated by specialist nursing curricula on managing medical illnesses and mental symptoms were frequently overlooked [ 23 ].…”