Program Overview

Unit Overview

The unit PARA317 - Paramedicine in Practice: Lifespan Health is designed to assist students in achieving advanced assessment management skills and care principles for groups whose presentations, needs, and management vary from the general population.

Unit Rationale, Description, and Aim

Paramedics encounter situations that require expedient, insightful, and competent decision-making to achieve optimal outcomes for people and communities. This unit utilizes a paramedic clinical decision-making framework to apply individualized management plans for populations across the lifespan.

Learning Outcomes

To successfully complete this unit, students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate appropriate clinical assessments and therapeutic, social, and cognitive skills required to provide culturally safe care for individuals across the lifespan.
2. Integrate appropriate clinical assessments, therapeutic, social, and cognitive skills into a paramedic decision-making framework.
3. Evaluate the application and adaptation of paramedic decision-making frameworks, associated therapeutic skills, and professionalism used to care for individuals throughout the lifespan.

Unit Content

Topics will include:

• The older adult
• Reproductive systems
• Obstetrics
• Neonatal
• Paediatrics
• Approaches and reasoning: people-centered, culturally safe care for lifespan health
• Applying care: development and application of management and care principles
• Experiences and outcomes: the individual's experience of selected lifespan health and interactions with healthcare

Assessment Strategy and Rationale

A range of assessment items will be used to ensure students achieve the unit learning outcomes, attain graduate attributes, and meet professional capabilities required in paramedicine. Assessments include:

1. Practice Portfolio (ungraded hurdle)
2. Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) (ungraded hurdle)
3. Work Integrated Learning (WIL) Portfolio (ungraded hurdle)

Learning and Teaching Strategy and Rationale

This unit provides teaching and learning strategies that engage students with materials, concepts, and experiences to support achievement of the unit's aims and objectives. Strategies include face-to-face delivery, online learning materials, practical classes, and supervised clinical placement.

National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards

The unit aligns with the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards, including:

• NSQHS 1: Governance for Safety and Quality in Health Service Organisations
• NSQHS 2: Partnering with Consumers
• NSQHS 4: Medication Safety
• NSQHS 5: Comprehensive Care
• NSQHS 6: Communicating for Safety
• NSQHS 8: Recognising and Responding to Acute Deterioration

Paramedicine Board of Australia Professional Capabilities for Registered Paramedics

The unit aligns with the Paramedicine Board of Australia's Professional Capabilities for Registered Paramedics, including:

• PBA Domain 1.1: Practise ethically and professionally
• PBA Domain 1.2: Provide each patient with an appropriate level of dignity and care
• PBA Domain 1.3: Assume responsibility and accept accountability for professional decisions
• PBA Domain 2.1: Communicate clearly, sensitively, and effectively
• PBA Domain 2.2: Collaborate with other health practitioners
• PBA Domain 3.1: Make informed and reasonable decisions
• PBA Domain 3.2: Use clinical reasoning and problem-solving skills
• PBA Domain 3.3: Draw on appropriate knowledge, resources, and skills
• PBA Domain 3.4: Identify ongoing professional learning, development needs, and opportunities
• PBA Domain 4.1: Protect and enhance patient safety
• PBA Domain 4.4: Maintain records appropriately
• PBA Domain 4.5: Monitor and review the ongoing effectiveness of practice
• PBA Domain 4.6: Audit, reflect on, and review practice
• PBA Domain 5.3: Understand the key concepts of the bodies of knowledge relevant to paramedicine practice
• PBA Domain 5.4: Conduct appropriate diagnostic or monitoring procedures, treatment, therapy, or other actions safely
• PBA Domain 5.6: Formulate specific and appropriate patient care and treatment actions

Representative Texts and References

• Bryant, B., & Knights, K. (2015). Pharmacology for health professionals (5th ed.). Elsevier Australia.
• Bullock, S., & Hales, M. (2018). Principles of Pathophysiology (2nd ed.). Pearson Australia.
• Curtis, K., & Ramsden, C. (2019). Emergency and trauma care for nurses and paramedics (3rd ed.). Elsevier Australia.
• Hall, J.E. (2015). Guyton And Hall Textbook of Medical Physiology (13th ed.). Elsevier.
• Samuels, M., & Wieteska, S. (Eds.). (2017). Advanced paediatric life support: A practical approach to emergencies (4th ed.). John Wiley & Sons Inc.
• Talley, N.J., & O'Connor, S. (2018). Talley & O'Connor's Clinical Examination (8th ed.). Volumes 1 and 2. Elsevier.
• Tortora, G., & Derrickson, B. (2016). Principles of anatomy and physiology (15th ed.). Wiley and Sons.
• Townsend, R., & Luck, M. (2019). Applied paramedic law and ethics (2nd ed.). Elsevier.
• Weiner, G.M., Zaichkin, J., & Kattwinkel, J. (Eds.). (2016). Textbook of neonatal resuscitation (7th ed.). American Academy of Pediatrics.

Locations

• Brisbane
• Melbourne

Credit Points

10

Year

2026