BSc (Hons) Paramedic Science drafted draft

Program Overview

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Introduction

Delivered by dynamic, experienced and supportive tutors, this Paramedic Science degree not only prepares you for today’s profession. It also advances your skills and knowledge, preparing you for ever-changing health care practice.

We equip you to respond to changes in paramedic care, and adapt to deliver new practices.

Our course originated from the need for ongoing recruitment of paramedic graduates by local services. In partnership with Health Education East of England and East of England Ambulance Service Trust (EEAST), we designed a degree that transforms you into a highly competent Paramedic, equipped for the out-of-hospital environment.

To ensure you learn how to deliver safe, effective care, you work alongside paramedic educators during your practice placements, which make up 50 percent of your studies.

We regularly support mentors and students whilst in practice with face-to-face meetings and the additional option of online tutorials in between.

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You have plenty of opportunities to hone interpersonal skills too by practicing in public places or at events – carrying out blood pressure checks and teaching CPR for example.

When you complete the degree, you are eligible to apply for registration as a paramedic with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), qualifying you to practice professionally.

Further information about the University's relationship with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) is available in the PSRB register.

Program Outline

Course modules

Visit the Paramedic Science modules page for detailed information of the content of each module.

Our assessments vary in nature module to module, depending on learning outcomes, learning and teaching strategies, and the type of the module. However, they include Practice Assessment Document, Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCE s), and examinations.

Full downloadable information regarding all University of Suffolk courses, including Key Facts, Course Aims, Course Structure and Assessment, is available in the Definitive Course Record.

Information and useful resources for Paramedic Educators are available here.

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Preparation for Paramedic Practice

The aims of this module are to provide students with a sound foundation on which to develop key transferable skills including communication; information technology; problem solving; numeracy; working with others; and, risk management and reflection. These skills will give the student confidence and raise their self-esteem enabling them to work and learn effectively within both the higher education and the workplace environments. It will also explore what it means to be a registered professional, and introduce the role of the student paramedic, exploring the physical, mental and practical applications of the role in preparation for practice.

Anatomy and Physiology

This module aims to provide students with an introduction to human anatomy and physiology. The emphasis of this module will be based upon normal biological function.

Paramedic Practice: Meeting Psycho Social Needs

This module instils an appreciation and understanding of the social, psychological and behavioural issues which affect individuals in contemporary society. It is designed to enable the student to explore these issues in relation to the role of the paramedic.

Patient Management: Care of the Individual

The focus of this module is the development of the essential knowledge, skills and value based attitudes necessary for the student paramedic to contribute to management and assessment of individual patient’s in a range of practice settings.

Patient Management: Priorities of Care

This module builds on skills and knowledge gained during the Year 1 module Patient Management; Care of the Individual, and develops students’ ability to make clinical decisions for more complex cases.

Pharmacology for Paramedic Practice

This module develops students’ understanding of the principles of pharmacology and the related legal and ethical issues. It explores cell biology, pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics and their relevance to health care practice.

Research Methods for Paramedics

The overall aim of this module is to extend students’ knowledge and appreciation of research issues, from an examination and understanding of methodology and means of application, to an understanding of research in the broad context of paramedic practice.

Interprofessional Learning: The Service User

This module builds on knowledge gained from the Year 1 IPL module by continuing to promote awareness of the student’s role in the IPL team. It also enables the student to work towards the critical insights required to succeed in the Year 3 IPL module.

Application of Anatomy, Physiology and Pathophysiology to Paramedic Practice

The human body relies on a series of anatomical and physiological processes in the maintenance of homeostasis. Understanding such processes is crucial for the Paramedic student in the understanding of pathophysiology and subsequent patient management.

Patient Management: The Complex Environment

This module enables students to practice as an independent paramedic, able to implement their own professional judgment in demanding and complex environments drawing on knowledge and skills gained throughout Patient Management: Care of the Individual, Patient Management: Priorities of care, and through successful completion of Years 1 and 2 practice assessments.

Transition into Registered Paramedic Practice

This module explores the role of the registered paramedic by enhancing students’ professional knowledge and further explores their professional and legal obligations when delivering and managing care in the care environment.

Dissertation

This module provides an opportunity for the student to produce an individual study project developed from an aspect of paramedic practice in which they are particularly interested. It enables students to further develop skills acquired throughout the programme such as enquiry based learning, problem solving, critical thinking and reflection.

Collaborative Learning and Coaching

The key aims of the module are to provide Paramedic students with a range of methods of promoting collaborative learning in the practice setting and to develop coaching skills. This will enable them to manage different situations and challenges with both colleagues and students in the work place upon registration. Students will be able to consider the selection, implementation and evaluation of a range of skills and strategies that can used to enhance learning in both a uni and multi professional context. Whilst there is a focus to developing work based coaching abilities, this will be placed within the wider context of enabling learning in the work place.

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Career opportunities

On completing the course, students can progress in to a range of careers including working in a helicopter ambulance, trauma teams, heart response teams, primary care, paramedic on oil rigs, control units and hospital liaison roles. Paramedic Science graduates are very employable as the skills gained will span the patient journey.

The more experienced a graduate is, the more they can contribute to different areas. Students learn how patient pathways are changing, looking more at medical prescribing which impacts how we care for patients.