Monash University Handbook 2010 Undergraduate - Course

This course prepares students for potential employment as paramedics in ambulance and community health services. Paramedics provide pre-hospital care for sick and injured people aimed at stabilising and/or improving the patient's condition in preparation for and during transport to hospital.

A graduate of the Bachelor of Emergency Health (Paramedic) will be expected to demonstrate the generic attributes of a Monash graduate, the specific attributes expected by the industry and the profession, and to have the ability to adapt to change and develop their career as leaders while making a contribution to the community-based emergency health services. The objectives of the Bachelor of Emergency Health (Paramedic) have been classified according to the themes of the course. The five themes within the course are:

• personal and professional development
• population health and illness in society
• foundations of the paramedic clinician
• community-based emergency health in integrated health and emergency systems
• science, knowledge and evidence.

On successful completion of the course the student will be expected to demonstrate all attributes within these themes.

Special requirements

Medical and fitness assessment

Students must complete a medical and fitness assessment. This is a prerequisite for clinical placements offered by Victorian ambulance services.

Police checks and Working with Children checks

Organisations that host clinical and community placements require students to have current Police and Working with Children checks regarding their suitability to undertake such placements. All enrolled and prospective students are advised that they will be required to obtain Police and Working with Children checks prior to undertaking their course. Working with Children checks are valid for five years and are available free. Police checks must be applied and paid for annually.

This course requires students to undertake off-campus rural and metropolitan clinical placements.

Clinical practice units

This course requires students to undertake off-campus clinical placements. In the clinical setting students will have an opportunity to apply theory to practice under supervision. Attendance is mandatory for the clinical component of each unit.

Where a student's skill or knowledge is found to be inadequate, access to the clinical component of the unit will be denied. A student may be withdrawn from a clinical practicum if required skills and knowledge are deemed inadequate, or on other grounds deemed appropriate by the head of school.

Clinical expenses

Students are responsible for all travel and accommodation expenses during clinical placement. Uniforms and accessories are required for clinical placements and students will be notified regarding purchase arrangements upon commencement.

Students are required to complete eights units at first year, six units at second year, one unit over the summer semester and eight units at third year.

Students must complete all units, depending on whether credit has been granted.

First Year

First semester

• BEH1011 Clinical concepts of paramedic practice
• BEH1021 Professional communication
• BMS1901 Human structure and function 1
• IPE1011 Foundations of Health

Second semester

• BEH1022 Pharmacotherapy in CBEH
• BEH1102 Clinical concepts of paramedic practice 2
• BMS1902 Human structure and function 2
• NUR1202 Legal issues and concepts

Second year

First semester

• BEH2011 Professionalism and community based emergency health systems
• BEH2021 Population aspects of CBEH services
• BEH2501 Community health, culture and society
• BEH2041 Human development and health across the lifespan

Second semester

• BEH2012 Paramedic management of cardio-respiratory conditions
• BEH2022 Paramedic management of trauma and environmental conditions

Summer A semester

• BEH2032 Paramedic clinical practice 1

Third year

First semester

• BEH3011 Paramedic management of medical conditions and mental health
• BEH3021 Paramedic management of health conditions at life stages
• BEH3031 Paramedic clinical practice 2
• BEH3051 Paramedic management of mental health

Second semester

• BEH3012 Clinical leadership and emergency preparedness
• BEH3022 Research and contemporary challenges in CBEH
• BEH3032 Paramedic management of critical care specialty situations
• BEH3042 Advanced paramedic clinical practice 3

Bachelor of Emergency Health (Paramedic)