Program Overview
PARA216 - Paramedicine Theory: Medical 1
Year
2024
Credit points
10
Campus offering
The unit is offered at multiple campuses, including Ballarat, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, and North Sydney.
Unit Description
This unit introduces students to the essential pathophysiology and theoretical aspects of paramedic management related to medical presentations of illness. Students will learn to use theory to drive their clinical practice and to understand how practice is guided by a continual process of assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation within a clinical decision-making framework.
Learning Outcomes
To successfully complete this unit, students will be able to:
- Outline the aetiologies, epidemiology, pathophysiology, presentations, acuity, risk, and management principles of medical presentations in the context of paramedicine
- Analyse medical presentations and the associated management strategies used to provide patient-centred care for medical aetiologies encountered within the scope of paramedicine
- Apply a paramedic decision-making framework underpinned by evidence-based management principles in order to provide a people-centred care approach for people affected by medical aetiologies
Professional Capabilities for a Registered Paramedic
The learning outcomes of this unit are matched to the relevant capabilities, in order to align student development with the requirements of a paramedic.
National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards (Second Edition)
The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care Standards developed in this unit are:
- Clinical Governance
- Partnering with Consumers
- Medication Safety
- Comprehensive Care
- Communicating for Safety
- Recognising and Responding to Acute Deterioration
Content
Topics will include:
- Cardiology
- Haematological
- Respiratory
- Infectious
- Immunological aetiologies For the selected aetiologies, students will develop an understanding of relevant concepts and skills relating to:
- Epidemiology
- Biopsychosocial considerations
- Clinical reasoning
- Pathophysiology and presentations
- Differential diagnosis
- Risks and implications
- Acuity
- Evidence-based practice
- Theoretical management and care concepts
- Associated pharmacotherapy
- Health care systems and pathways
- Continuum of care and patient experiences
Learning and Teaching Strategy and Rationale
This unit provides teaching and learning strategies that engage students with materials, concepts, and experiences that will support achievement of the aims and objectives of the unit, as well as relevant Graduate Attributes and professional capabilities.
Assessment Strategy and Rationale
A range of assessment items consistent with University assessment requirements and policy will be used to ensure students achieve the unit learning outcomes, attain the graduate attributes, and meet the professional capabilities required in paramedicine.
Overview of Assessments
- Assessment Task 1: Concept Map (20%)
- Assessment Task 2: Written Assessment (40%)
- Assessment Task 3: Examination (40%)
Representative Texts and References
- Bryant, B., & Knights, K. (2015). Pharmacology for health professionals (5th ed). Chatswood, NSW: Elsevier Australia.
- Bullock, S., & Hales, M., (2018) Principles of Pathophysiology (2nd ed.). Melbourne, VIC: Pearson Australia.
- Curtis, K., & Ramsden, C. (2019). Emergency and trauma care for nurses and paramedics (3rd ed.). Chatswood, NSW: Elsevier Australia.
- Hall, J.E., (2015). Guyton And Hall Textbook of Medical Physiology. (13th ed.). Chatswood, NSW: Elsevier. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier.
- Talley, N.J. & O'Connor, S. (2018). Talley & O'Connor's Clinical Examination. (8th ed.). Volumes 1 and 2. Chatswood, NSW: Elsevier.
- Tortora, G., & Derrickson, B. (2016). Principles of anatomy and physiology (15th ed). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley and Sons.
- Townsend, R., & Luck, M. (2019). Applied paramedic law and ethics (2nd ed.). Australia and New Zealand. Sydney: Elsevier.
- Walraven, G. (2017). Basic arrhythmias. (8th ed.). Pearson: Boston.