M6015 - Master of Specialist Paramedic Practice - 2017

NOTE: This course has had one or more changes made to it since publication on 1 October 2016. For details of changes, please consult the Handbook change registerHandbook change register (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/2017handbooks/2017-change-register.html).

The Master of Specialist Paramedic Practice will support current and experienced paramedics in improving their clinical practice and knowledge related to the delivery of emergency health services. In this course you will be prepared for clinical leadership, education and research positions. You will extend your clinical practice by initially undertaking specialist aeromedical and retrieval training, extended care, or paramedic intensive care. You will complete training in advanced clinical leadership and decision-making as well as advanced techniques enabling you to provide the highest level of pre-hospital care for your specialist area of paramedic practice. You will explore clinical practice within an integrated emergency medical system and consider the issues and trends that influence scope of practice and service delivery. You will complete study in clinical research methodology for emergency health and have the option of undertaking a clinical project or other electives from the electives suite in order to facilitate clinical practice at an advanced or extended-care level.

Specialisations

Aeromedical and retrieval

This specialisation is designed to provide paramedics with the necessary education and training for the specialist aeromedical and retrieval role as well as leadership, education and research positions. You will initially undertake specialist aeromedical and retrieval education and training as well as education in advanced integrated healthcare practice before going on to completing specialty elective study. The aeromedical and retrieval specialisation will provide you with the necessary education and training to successfully complete an aeromedical and retrieval internship/program with your specified retrieval service provider in order to provide specialist aeromedical, retrieval, rescue and coordination roles in the providers' area of clinical practice.

Extended care

This specialisation is designed to provide paramedics with the necessary education and training for the specialist extended care paramedic role as well as leadership, education and research positions. You will initially undertake specialist extended care paramedic education and training as well as education in advanced integrated healthcare practice before going on to completing specialty elective study. The extended care specialisation will provide you with the necessary education and training to successfully complete an extended care internship/program and provide an extended range of out of hospital assessment, referral, prescription and management services in the community.

Intensive care

This specialisation is designed to provide paramedics with the necessary education and training for the specialist intensive care paramedic role as well as leadership, education and research positions. You will initially undertake specialist intensive care paramedic education and training as well as education in advanced integrated healthcare practice before going on to completing specialty elective study. The intensive care specialisation will provide you with the necessary education and training to successfully complete an intensive care internship and provide the highest level of paramedic care for cardiac, respiratory, medical, trauma, paediatric and obstetric as well as environmental emergencies.

These course outcomes are aligned with the Australian Qualifications Framework level 9 and Monash Graduate AttributesAustralian Qualifications Framework level 9 and Monash Graduate Attributes (http://monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/alignmentofoutcomes.html).

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

1. demonstrate safe practice and clinically justifiable decisions based on advanced theoretical and practical knowledge and cognitive skills
2. apply an appropriate ethical and professional construct as an emergency care provider to the field of community based emergency health
3. demonstrate personal and professional development through critical review of their own clinical practice, and identification of suitable learning experiences to meet their developmental needs
4. identify local and global networks that support and enhance community based emergency health practice
5. exercise initiative, clinical competence and expert judgement in a community based emergency health setting using a patient-centric, systematic clinical approach, that utilises effective communication techniques and advanced clinical problem solving
6. provide advanced analytical skills in the application of a specific field of specialist paramedic practice in the community
7. evaluate current research, and critically apply the results in their specialist area of paramedic practice for the benefit of the community
8. identify, describe, design and evaluate enhancements to community based emergency health practice and clinical practice guidelines using the best available evidence and appropriate frameworks.

The course is structured in two parts: Part A. Advanced healthcare and specialist studies and Part B. Specialist elective studies. All students complete Parts A and B.

Note: If you are eligible for credit for prior studies you may elect not to receive the credit.

Part A. Advanced healthcare and specialist studies

These studies will extend your clinical practice in your chosen specialisation (aeromedical and retrieval training, extended care, or paramedic intensive care) through advanced training. You will gain knowledge of advanced techniques that will enable you to provide the highest level of pre-hospital care in your specialist area of paramedic practice. You will explore clinical practice within an integrated emergency medical system and examine the issue and trends that influence scope of practice and service delivery. These studies will prepare you for clinical leadership, education and research positions.

Part B. Specialist elective studies

These studies will further advance and broaden your knowledge and skill development. You can select the units to suit your own interests with options including: a clinical practicum in extended care or clinical care paramedicine; advanced specialty study units from outside your specialist stream; units from other specialities including ethics and law or radiography interpretation; or research units. Students wishing to use this master's course as a pathway to a higher degree by research should chose the research units.

The course comprises 72 points structured into two parts: Part A. Advanced healthcare and specialist studies (42 or 48 points), Part B. Specialist elective studies (24 or 30 points).

Units are 6 credit points unless otherwise stated.

Part A. Advanced healthcare and specialist studies (42 or 48 points)

Students complete a. and b. below.

a. One of the following units:

• MAP5000 Research in advanced health professional practice (12 points)
• MAP5003 Essentials of advanced healthcare practice and research (12 points)

b. The following units for their specialisation:

Aeromedical and retrieval (30 points)

Students complete:

• PAR5200 Introduction to aeromedical and retrieval concepts
• PAR5210 Aeromedical and retrieval professional practice
• PAR5230 Aeromedical and retrieval coordination
• PAR5240 Aeromedical retrieval rescue
• PAR5220 Aeromedical and retrieval clinical 1 - Advanced life support/critical care or PAR5250 Aeromedical and retrieval clinical 2 - Intensive care

Extended care (30 points)

• PAR5400 Principles of advanced care paramedic practice
• PAR5410 Pharmacotherapy and clinical toxicology in advanced care paramedic practice
• PAR5320 Extended care paramedicine 1
• PAR5330 Extended care paramedicine 2
• PAR5340 Extended care paramedicine 3

Intensive care (36 points)

• PAR5400 Principles of advanced care paramedic practice
• PAR5410 Pharmacotherapy and clinical toxicology in advanced care paramedic practice
• PAR5420 Intensive care management of cardiac conditions
• PAR5430 Intensive care management of respiratory conditions
• PAR5440 Intensive care management of trauma and environmental conditions
• PAR5480 Intensive Care Management of medical conditions

Part B. Specialist elective studies (24 or 30 points)

Students complete electives from the following lists to take the total to 72 points.

Paramedic-specific elective units

• PAR5450 Advanced care paramedic management of paediatric and obstetric patients
• PAR5460 Transition to practice in the intensive care simulated environment
• PAR5470 Transition to intensive care clinical practicum
• PAR5370 Extended care paramedicine clinical practicum
• other advanced specialty study units from Part A outside of the student's specialisation

Other specialty coursework units

• ASC5002 Socio-cultural perspectives of addiction
• FOR4001 Medical evidence
• FOR4003 Ethics, medicine and the law
• MPH5267 Principles of health care quality improvement
• MPH5286 Applying and practicing the principles of patient safety and quality improvement
• RAD4502 Principles of general radiography image interpretation

Research units

• MAP5000 Research in advanced health professional practice (12 points)
• MAP5010 Advanced health practice research project (12 points)

Students may exit this course early and apply to graduate with one of the following awards, provided they have satisfied the requirements for that award during their enrolment in the master's course:

• Graduate Certificate of Specialist Paramedic Practice after successful completion of 24 points of study with a minimum of 18 credit points at level 4 or above, from the clinical units in Part A of the aeromedical and retrieval specialisation
• Graduate Diploma of Specialist Paramedic Practice after successful completion of 48 points of study with a minimum of 36 credit points at level 4 or above from the clinical units in Part A of the intensive care specialisation or from the clincal units in Part A of the extended care specialisation.

Students can choose to complete a research stream that will provide a pathway to a higher degree by research.