title: Psychosocial care for persons affected by emergencies and major incidents: a Delphi study to determine the needs of professional first responders for education, training and support.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The role of ambulance clinicians in providing psychosocial care in major incidents and emergencies is recognised in recent Department of Health guidance. The study described in this paper identified NHS professional first responders' needs for education about survivors' psychosocial responses, training in psychosocial skills, and continuing support.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ambulance staff participated in an online Delphi questionnaire, comprising 74 items (Round 1) on 7-point Likert scales. Second-round and third-round participants each received feedback based on the previous round, and responded to modified versions of the original items and to new items for clarification.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred and two participants took part in Round 1; 47 statements (64%) achieved consensus. In Round 2, 72 people from Round 1 participated; 15 out of 39 statements (38%) achieved consensus. In Round 3, 49 people from Round 2 participated; 15 out of 27 statements (59%) achieved consensus. Overall, there was consensus in the following areas: 'psychosocial needs of patients' (consensus in 34/37 items); 'possible sources of stress in your work' (8/9); 'impacts of distress in your work' (7/10); 'meeting your own emotional needs' (4/5); 'support within your organisation' (2/5); 'needs for training in psychosocial skills for patients' (15/15); 'my needs for psychosocial training and support' (5/6).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ambulance clinicians recognise their own education needs and the importance of their being offered psychosocial training and support. The authors recommend that, in order to meet patients' psychosocial needs effectively, ambulance clinicians are provided with education and training in a number of skills and their own psychosocial support should be enhanced.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK. j.drury@sussex.ac.uk
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Drury
authors.forename: Verity
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kemp
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Newman
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Novelli
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Doyle
authors.forename: Darren
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Walter
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Williams
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003376:Counseling / Q000193:education*; D003697:Delphi Technique; D004634:Emergency Medical Technicians / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training / Q000592:standards; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D011613:Psychotherapy; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: prehospital care, first responders; prehospital care, major incident / planning; psychiatry; psychology, patient support; psychology, staff support