| Jessica Zoe Houston (jessicahoustonstudent@gmail.com) |
| Department of Biomedical Science, Charles Sturt University |
| December, 2018 |
| Jessica Houston just completed her Honours degree in Science at Charles Sturt University, Bathurst NSW, Australia. She also received a Bachelor degree in Complementary Medicine from Endeavour College in Melbourne. She aims to start her Doctorate in arts-based research and health science in 2019. Her interests are in paramedicine, psychology, women and motherhood as well as LGBTQI mental health in rural areas of Australia. |
Abstract |
| Objectives This project aims to amend the paucity of knowledge in this subject area and proposes an alternative way of researching perceptions about mental illness among paramedics. It will offer a unique contribution towards a fuller understanding of paramedics’ perceptions of mental illness. Understanding current perceptions of paramedics will, in turn assist policy-makers and educators in knowing how to respond to people with mental illness and in determining what educational and other interventions should be taken to strengthen this aspect of practice. Another expected outcome to inform further research, paramedic education and paramedic policy development. Methods This project draws from the methodology ‘postmodern emergence’ and photo- elicitation. Photo-elicitation is considered to connect ‘core definitions of the self to society, culture and history.’ Two semi-structured interviews were conducted with each research participant. After the first interview, I the researcher made a photograph in response to dialogue from that meeting. The second interview will involve showing the photograph (photo- elicitation) to the participant as a way of generating and expanding ideas about paramedic perception of mental illness. Results Analysis of the collected materials (transcripts, photographs and research journal notes) occurred in a way that is reminiscent of Carter: ‘a double movement of decontextualisation and of recontextualisation, in which new families of association and structures of meaning are established.’ This is similar in intention to Somerville’s method of dismantling and re-assembling her journal notes, transcripts, photographs, in order to ‘create a new product from the research’. Both these formulations were used to facilitate the emergence of new associations (inventions) and ‘knowing’ about the perception of mental illness amongst paramedics. What emerged were ‘families of association’ that related to paramedic practice, including: aporia and phronesis across all levels of paramedic practice, nuances and complexities of mental illness classification in paramedicine and the pertinence of communication and autonomy for individuals with mental illness in emergency care. Conclusion This study identifies and explores varied perceptions of paramedics in relation to their management and treatment of individuals with mental illness. Factors such as aporia and phronesis across multiple levels of paramedic practice, nuances and complexities of mental illness classification in paramedicine and the pertinence of communication and autonomy for individuals with mental illness were discussed and considered here. Further inquiry into paramedic management of mental illness from a practice-theoretical perspective would be a valuable topic for future research. |