Undergraduate - CourseBachelor of Emergency Health (Paramedic)

This course prepares students for potential employment as paramedics in ambulance and community-based emergency health services (CBEH). Paramedics provide unscheduled health care for individuals experiencing a health emergency in the community, and initiate care and determine appropriate referral of patients to enable continuing care needs. A paramedic is also required to work with other emergency services to respond to mass casualty incidents in a range of situations.

These course outcomes are aligned with the Australian Qualifications Framework level 7, the Bologna Cycle 1 and Monash Graduate AttributesAustralian Qualifications Framework level 7, the Bologna Cycle 1 and Monash Graduate Attributes (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/alignmentofoutcomes.html).

Upon successful completion of this course it is expected that graduates will be able to:

• demonstrate personal and professional development through the fostering of appropriate ethical and professional behaviours as an emergency health care provider
• describe population based health issues and illness in society and demonstrate cultural and social awareness related to community based emergency health
• identify local and global networks that support and enhance community based emergency health practice
• demonstrate clinical competence in the community based emergency health setting using a patient-centric, systematic clinical approach, that utilises effective communication techniques and clinical problem solving
• identify, describe, design and evaluate enhancements to community based emergency health practice using the best available evidence and appropriate frameworks, and
• review, analyse, consolidate and synthesise a variety of resources in order to respond to community based emergency health issues based on science, knowledge and evidence.

Special requirements

Students must refer to the information available on the special requirements outlined below. It is the responsibility of the student to ensure they have the correct documentation.

Police checks

Students must have a current Police check regarding their suitability to undertake placements. Refer to the faculty's police checkspolice checks (http://www.med.monash.edu.au/current/police-checks.html) webpage.

Working with Children checks

Students must have a current Working with Children check regarding their suitability to undertake placements. Refer to the faculty's working with children checksworking with children checks (http://www.med.monash.edu.au/current/wwc-check.html) webpage.

Medical and fitness assessment

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

Immunisation and infection requirements

In accordance with the National Health and Medical Research Council recommendations, this course requires that students comply with the faculty's Immunisation and vaccination policy and proceduresImmunisation and vaccination policy and procedures (http://www.med.monash.edu.au/current/immunisation/). These are designed to provide maximum protection against the increased risk of some vaccine preventable diseases for students, patients and workers in a health care setting.

This policy, and the associated procedures require that students have certain specified vaccinations, and have their blood borne virus status determined, before they commence a clinical placement. Students who have not complied with this policy may not be able to undertake clinical placement, with the attendant academic consequences.

Prospective students are provided detailed information on the effect of blood borne virus infection on the scope of practice of health care workers. Students who test positive to a blood borne virus (including HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C) will be required to consult a specialist medical practitioner approved by the faculty to provide advice on any necessary restrictions on work practices to protect patients and others from infection.

Clinical practice units

This course requires students to undertake off-campus rural and metropolitan 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 costs and purchase arrangements upon commencement.

This course consists of compulsory units, including one unit taken over the summer semester between second and third year.

First year

Semester one

• BEH1011 Clinical concepts of paramedic practice
• BEH1041 Human development and health across the lifespan
• BMA1901 Human structure and function 1
• IPE1011 Foundations of health in primary clinical care

Semester two

• BEH1102 Clinical concepts of paramedic practice 2
• BEH1032 Evidence based practice, research and population health within community based emergency health services
• BMA1902 Human structure and function 2
• BEH1042 Law, ethics and professionalism

Second year

Semester one

• BEH2141 The paramedic in the community
• BEH2152 Pharmacotherapy in community-based emergency health services
• BEH2201 Paramedic management of mental health
• BEH2131 Paramedic management of cardiovascular conditions

Semester two

• BEH2012 Paramedic management of respiratory conditions
• BEH2022 Paramedic management of trauma conditions
• BEH3022 Research and contemporary challenges in community based emergency health

Summer semester

• BEH2032 Paramedic clinical practice 1

Third year

Semester one

• BEH3011 Paramedic management of medical conditions
• BEH3121 Paramedic management of toxicological and environmental conditions
• BEH3161 Paramedic management of maternal and neonatal health

Semester two

• BEH2071 Community health care and paramedic practice
• BEH3012 Clinical education, leadership and emergency preparedness
• BEH3032 Paramedic management of critical care specialty situations

Full Year

• BEH3030 Integrated clinical practice

• Emergency health

Bachelor of Emergency Health (Paramedic)