Problems of the psychiatric patients-direction by means of emergency medical service and alternative possibilities

Treatment, direction, transport and placing psychiatric patients in hospitals have been proved as the most problematic activity of Emergency Medical Service (EMS). The range of health facilities is limited. Psychiatric cases belong to the most difficult diagnoses which ambulance crew can meet. Even if they can profit from the attendance of a patient family members they work under time pressure and cannot prolong the treatment of the patient as there can be other casualties in emergency. Non-indicated admission to mental hospital can harm the patient. On the other hand, omitting professional psychiatric intervention of indicated patient can cause his death (depression, suicidal tendency). The aim of this work consists in the analysis of community care for psychiatric patients within EMS compared to its potential and suggestions of possible ways in their alternative placing in the framework of labelling prevention. The attitude of EMS staff to psychiatric patients and their knowledge of community treatment were under observation. The students of a study course of Paramedic were chosen as a reference group. The thesis is based on quantitative study, via questionnaire technique. The potential of community treatment use within EMS is low but it exists. Respondent comments on the necessity of helpline teams which could assist relatives in case of sudden death (especially children) were inspiring. Some research outputs are surprising, e.g. hardly any negative attitude to psychiatric patients. Valuable asset of this work lies in the fact that all findings can be implemented into EMS and can also be used in further research into this problematics, e.g. how much the emergency dispatch uses helpline system or how often an ambulance crew contacts crisis centers