Primary Care for Paramedics

Book excerpt: As the demand for primary healthcare in the UK increases, a growing number of paramedics are taking on roles within general practice. Moving into a new area of practice can be daunting, but with this manual at your side, you will have the knowledge and confidence to approach any patient consultation in primary care. Written and edited by over 20 clinicians within paramedicine and primary care, this essential reference text sets out the core clinical skills expected for paramedics in primary care. Alongside a comprehensive range of topics related to primary care, including assessment, diagnosis, investigations and management of a number of different presentations, it also covers aspects of consultation techniques, decision making and professional issues. Clinical chapters are concluded with case studies to help put theory into the context of the primary care setting and consolidate learning. Exploring the scope of the paramedic role and its fundamentals within the world of primary care, this is a clinical reference for paramedics already practising in primary care, whilst also equipping prospective paramedics with the required theoretical underpinning and context necessary to build meaningful knowledge and understanding in this field.