units

PAR4420

Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences

print version

This unit entry is for students who completed this unit in 2016 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.

Monash University

6 points, SCA Band 2, 0.125 EFTSL

Postgraduate - Unit

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered.

Faculty

Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences

Organisational Unit

Department of Community Emergency Health and Paramedics

Coordinator(s)

Mr Andrew Burns, Mr Ben Meadley

Offered

Alfred Hospital

  • First semester 2016 (Day)
  • First semester 2016 (Online)
  • Second semester 2016 (Day)
  • Second semester 2016 (Online)

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.

Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:

  1. describe the structure and function of the heart through the application of their knowledge of normal cardiac anatomy and physiology;
  2. describe the natural history of ischaemic heart disease and cardiovascular pathology related to acute myocardial infarction;
  3. interpret common electrocardiographic (ECG) rhythms and waveforms;
  4. recall the pharmacology of relevant drugs used in the emergency management of cardiac conditions;
  5. 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;
  6. describe the benefits of pre-hospital advanced cardiac life support and the related role of the MICA Paramedic;
  7. discuss the epidemiology of cardiac disease;
  8. describe the role of coronary care units in the management of patients with emergency cardiac conditions;
  9. discuss how community emergency health practitioners might relate to and coordinate with hospital coronary care units;
  10. demonstrate the characteristics of an interactional professional within the context of managing patients with cardiac emergencies; and
  11. implement evidence-based practice to the management of emergency cardiac conditions.

Assessment

Concept map (5%)
ECG workbook (15%)
Literature review (2,000 words) (30%)
Final exam (MCQs, SAQs and case studies) (3 hours) (50%) (Hurdle)

Chief examiner(s)

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.

This unit applies to the following area(s) of study

Emergency health - paramedic practice

Prerequisites

Co-requisites

Must be enrolled in courses 3876, 3877 or 3878.