| Effective Term: | 2025/02 |
| Institute / School : | Institute of Health and Wellbeing |
| Unit Title: | Paramedic Work Integrated Learning 1 |
| Unit ID: | HCPAR6902 |
| Credit Points: | 15.00 |
| Prerequisite(s): | Nil |
| Co-requisite(s): | (HCPAR5001 and HCPAR5011) |
| Exclusion(s): | Nil |
| ASCED: | 069905 |
| Other Change: | |
| Brief description of the Unit |
This unit introduces the student to clinical practice in a state operated ambulance service. In a supernumerary capacity, students will be supervised and under the direction of service nominated Paramedic crews throughout their practicum placement at service nominated locations. At the discretion of the Paramedic in charge and when safe and appropriate, students deemed competent will have the opportunity to practice skills and general patient care. They will be under the direct supervision of their Clinical preceptor at all times and will be permitted to perform tasks at a level commensurate with their training. The Paramedic Internship 1 requires students to undertake the equivalent of 80 hours of day, afternoon or evening shifts. A logbook will be utilised to record experiences and skills. A reflective journal will also be maintained to demonstrate the critical reflection of the student experience. It is a requirement of the cours that students undertake clinical placements with Ambulance Victoria (AV), in both rural and metropolitan areas. It is a requirement of AV that all students must be both medically and physically fit for placement on their operational vehicles. Applicants are advised that comprehensive assessments by AV's approved health provider and a police record check must be undertaken prior to commencement of study, details of which will be sent out prior to the beginning of the Academic year. |
| Grade Scheme: | Graded (HD, D, C, P, MF, F, XF) |
| Work Experience Indicator: |
| No work experience |
| Placement Component: | Yes - days |
| Supplementary Assessment:Yes |
| Where supplementary assessment is available a student must have failed overall in the Unit but gained a final mark of 45 per cent or above, has completed all major assessment tasks (including all sub-components where a task has multiple parts) as specified in the Unit Description and is not eligible for any other form of supplementary assessment |
| Course Level: |
| Level of Unit in Course | AQF Level(s) of Course | | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | | Introductory | | | | | | | | Intermediate | | | |  | | | | Advanced | | | | | | |
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| Learning Outcomes: |
| Knowledge: |
| K1. | Analyse the position of an Advanced Life Support (ALS) paramedic and identify challenges that a student paramedic must overcome before they can successfully operate within the role. |
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| K2. | Detail all aspects of ambulance culture including organizational and historical cultural issues and describe how this affects paramedics working in emergency services culture. |
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| K3. | Compare and contrast rural and metropolitan ambulance services in particular health influences, challenges and patient/community expectations. |
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| K4. | Identify and describe the routine operational tasks and skills that are expected within the everyday operation of an ambulance. |
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| K5. | Demonstate the policies, procedures, guidelines and legislation that govern the delivery of patient care and outline the rights and responsibilities of paramedics in this context. |
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| Skills: |
| S1. | Employ all clinical skills and actively participate in patient care within your scope of practice and as deemed appropriate by the supervising paramedic. |
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| S2. | Under direct supervision and utilizing the current Clinical Practice Guidelines, formulate appropriate patient management and treatment plans specific to each patient’s health crisis. |
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| S3. | Contribute to the documentation of patient care on the patient care record and identify the legal implications of accurate and timely record management. |
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| S4. | Act in a highly professional manner at all times to staff, colleagues, patients and other stakeholders and continue to develop excellent communication techniques whilst on clinical placement. |
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| S5. | Inspect and test clinical equipment at the commencement of the placement and be familiar with the application and location of the equipment. |
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| Application of knowledge and skills: |
| A1. | Appraise the role and importance of the pre hospital emergency ambulance service provider within the healthcare system. |
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| A2. | Apply theoretical knowledge and practical skills to actively participate in patient care at a standard commensurate with your scope of practice. |
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| A3. | Evaluate your contribution to each placement experience and develop reflective practice/journaling to improve performance and enhance learning outcomes. |
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| Unit Content: |
•Students are at all times expected to undertake placement duties under the direct supervision of a qualified Ambulance Paramedic. Regardless of previous experience, unless extraordinarily extenuating circumstances exist this is considered without exception. Under normal circumstances, students are not permitted to perform any procedure which is outside of the “scope of practice” for the student’s current skill set. This is the Clinical placement component of Semester one of the Graduate Diploma of Paramedicine
•Clinical practice - across a variety of patient conditions in diverse clinical settings.
•Professional expectations of students undertaking clinical placement.
•Develop structured clinical approach.
•Principles and practice over a range of clinical applications including specific skills in management of Trauma and Medical patients in the pre-hospital setting.
•Pharmacology specific to relevant Clinical Practice Guidelines.
•Medication calculation.
•Medication administration. |
| Graduate Attributes: |
| | Learning Outcomes Assessed | Assessment Tasks | Assessment Type | Weighting | | 1. | K1, K2, K3, K4, K5, S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, A1, A2, A3 | Clinical Placement with approved pre hospital emergency ambulance service (Ambulance Victoria). Evidenced by completed Paramedic Clinical Placement Booklet. | Clinical Placement evidenced by Paramedic Clinical Placement Booklet | S/U | | 2. | K1, K2, K3, K4, S1, S2, A1, A2, A3 | Reflect on experiences whilst on clinical placement. Demonstrate an awareness of gaps in knowledge and skill then identify strategies for improvement. | Clinical Reflective Critique | 10-30% | | 3. | K1, K3, K4, K5, S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, A2, A3 | From clinical placement choose cases of interest related to the given topics and reflect on the Clinical Practise Guidelines (CPG’s) and/or work instructions utilised for the assessment and management of that particular patient. | Case Study Reflections | 70-90% |
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