BEH1011 - Clinical concepts of paramedic practice

Leader: TBA

Offered

Peninsula First semester 2008 (Day)

Synopsis

This unit introduces fundamental clinical concepts underpinning paramedic practice and includes a clinical placement that provides a context for paramedic practice. Students will develop essential analytical, information seeking and communication skills, and will apply these skills in a supervised practice setting. The unit develops basic life support skills and builds understanding of the principles of patient care and transport in the pre-hospital setting. Essential clinical skills will be developed in the clinical laboratory prior to a one week supervised clinical placement with emergency or not emergency ambulance services.

Objectives

By the completion of this unit, the student should be able to:

1. define the fundamental clinical concepts underpinning paramedic practice;
2. demonstrate the knowledge and practical skills required to care for and safely transport a patient with a non-emergency condition;
3. apply a clinical problem solving model to develop and implement patient care requirements at a basic life support level;
4. demonstrate an understanding of the scope of practice of the paramedic using the Victorian Ambulance Clinical Practice Guidelines, companion guidelines and supplemental resource documents;
5. recognise and manage dangers at an incident and have knowledge of methods of access and egress, scene management and risk control under routine and emergency situations;
6. demonstrate and understanding of the principles of occupational health and safety in the workplace with particular emphasis on safe lifting techniques and principles of standard precautions and their application in an ambulance setting;
7. demonstrate the skills required to receive and transmit information using various technologies;
8. explain the roles and functions of the health care team as they relate to patient transport and emergency care;
9. demonstrate ability to communicate with patients in order to obtain a relevant patient history and systematic physical examination;
10. demonstrate written communication skills and the ability to describe processes using appropriate scientific style and language and
11. describe features of the work environment, scope of practice, teamwork and operational requirements that underpin emergency medical service (EMS) and ambulance systems.

Assessment

Written exam (3 hour): 60%
Written assignment (2 x 1000 words): 40%
Essential practical skills: Pass/Fail

Co-requisites

Must be enrolled in Bachelor of Emergency Health(Paramedic)