Postgraduate - UnitPAR4420 - Emergency management of cardiac conditions

This unit entry is for students who completed this unit in 2013 only. For students planning to study the unit, please refer to the unit indexes in the the current edition of the Handbook. If you have any queries contact the managing faculty for your course or area of study.

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6 points, SCA Band 2, 0.125 EFTSL

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Level	Postgraduate
Faculty	Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences
Organisational Unit	Department of Community Emergency Health and Paramedics
Offered	Alfred Hospital First semester 2013 (Flexible) Alfred Hospital Second semester 2013 (Flexible) Alfred Hospital Summer semester A 2013 (Flexible)
Coordinator(s)	Matt Johnson

Synopsis

This unit will cover the theoretical underpinnings required to develop in the student an appropriate level of knowledge, understanding and skill related to the management of patients with chest pain. Specific topics include cardiac anatomy and physiology, the natural history of ischaemic heart disease, cardiovascular pathology, interpretation of electrocardiographic rhythms and waveforms and pharmacology of drugs used in the treatment of acute myocardial infarction. This unit also provides the student with supervised hospital clinical placements.

Outcomes

By the completion of this unit the student will be able to:

describe the structure and function of the heart through the application of their knowledge of normal cardiac anatomy and physiology;
describe the natural history of ischaemic heart disease and cardiovascular pathology related to acute myocardial infarction;
interpret common electrocardiographic (ECG) rhythms and waveforms;
recall the pharmacology of relevant drugs used in the emergency management of cardiac conditions;
integrate the theoretical knowledge and clinical skills to the management of cardiac emergencies in 'real time' work simulation using a clinical problem solving and clinical decision making model;
describe the benefits of pre-hospital advanced cardiac life support and the related role of the MICA Paramedic;
discuss the epidemiology of cardiac disease;
describe the role of coronary care units in the management of patients with emergency cardiac conditions;
discuss how community emergency health practitioners might relate to and coordinate with hospital coronary care units;
demonstrate the characteristics of an interactional professional within the context of managing patients with cardiac emergencies; and
implement evidence-based practice to the management of emergency cardiac conditions.

Assessment

Examination: 50%
Portfolio (5,000 word equivalent): 50%

Chief examiner(s)

Dr Paul Jennings

Off-campus attendance requirements

Students will be expected to complete at least 6 hours of internet learning or and a minimum of 6 hours of private study and self-directed learning per week. If completed on-campus sessions, students will be expected to attend the equivalent of 6 hours of lectures, seminars and tutorials per week and complete a minimum of 6 hours of self-directed learning.

Co-requisites

Must be enrolled in Master, Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate of Emergency Health