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Training needs among nonmental health professionals working with service members: A qualitative investigation
- Source :
- Military Psychology. 31:71-80
- Publication Year :
- 2018
- Publisher :
- Informa UK Limited, 2018.
-
Abstract
- Though many service members will not directly seek mental health care due to stigma and other factors, they may interact with the healthcare system in other ways including contact with first responders, nurses and allied health care professionals. However, little attention has been spent in this regard on the educational needs of these professionals whose contact with service members and veterans may provide the opportunity to assist veterans in need with overcoming barriers to accessing mental health care. This qualitative study investigates the educational training needs of first responders and health care professionals in contact with military families and trauma survivors to determine whether, and what type, of additional training is needed. A sample of 42 first responders and health care professionals including emergency medical technicians, police officers, fire fighters, speech language pathologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and nurses, were recruited to participate in one of six focus groups. Sessions were audio-taped and transcribed verbatim. Data analysis was guided by a thematic analysis approach. Thematic analyses suggest there is a significant knowledge gap with unmet educational needs of these professionals such as information on the invisible wounds of war, military culture, and screening and referring patients who present symptoms falling outside professionals' scope of practice. Findings point to a need and desire for more robust education for first responders and health care providers around mental health concerns of military populations, including topics such as trauma, military culture, and screening tools. Efforts to develop curricula addressing these concerns are warranted.
- Subjects :
- 050103 clinical psychology
Scope of practice
business.industry
education
05 social sciences
Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
Focus group
Mental health
Article
humanities
030227 psychiatry
03 medical and health sciences
0302 clinical medicine
Nursing
Military Family
Health care
0501 psychology and cognitive sciences
Thematic analysis
Psychology
business
Curriculum
General Psychology
Social Sciences (miscellaneous)
Qualitative research
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 15327876 and 08995605
- Volume :
- 31
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Military Psychology
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....c61010eaa06142fb48b5a3fa3f5303b7