Course Outline

PAR102 Paramedic Primary Healthcare: Clinical Foundations

Course Coordinator:Rebecca Macdonald (rdonnell@usc.edu.au) School:School of Health - Paramedicine

2026Trimester 2

UniSC Sunshine Coast

Blended learning Most of your course is on campus but you may be able to do some components of this course online.

Please go to unisc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.

What is this course about?

Description

Building upon the foundations established in PAR101, this course focuses on the practical application of clinical knowledge within the out-of-hospital environment. You will develop the essential clinical judgment and assessment techniques required to manage common emergencies. Through high-fidelity simulations, case-based learning, and hands-on lab sessions, you will cultivate the technical proficiency and critical thinking skills necessary for paramedic practice.

How will this course be delivered?

Activity Hours Beginning Week Frequency
Blended learning
Learning materials – Key information will be presented with associated activities to prepare you for your practical laboratory classes. 2hrs Week 1 12 times
Laboratory 1 – Laboratory based skill stations and case based simulation 3hrs Week 1 12 times

Course Topics

Development of procedural skills:

  • ECG

  • Drug administration (intramuscular injection, oral, nebuliser, sublingual, inhalation)

  • Basic life support

  • Basic trauma skills

  • Physiological birth

Introduction to quality use of medicines (QUM)

Introductory epidemiology, pathophysiology and the safe and ethical management of common clinical patient presentations:

  • Obstetrics

  • Cardiac

  • Respiratory

  • Trauma

  • Neurological

  • Endocrinology

  • Immunology

  • Environmental

Professional communication

  • SITREP

  • Patient handover 

  • Clinical consultation

 

Mature Content

Nudity, Adult themes

What level is this course?

100 Level (Introductory)

Engaging with discipline knowledge and skills at foundational level, broad application of knowledge and skills in familiar contexts and with support. Limited or no prerequisites. Normally, associated with the first full-time study year of an undergraduate program.

What is the unit value of this course?

12 units

How does this course contribute to my learning?

Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... Graduate Qualities Mapping Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming... Professional Standard Mapping * Paramedicine Board of Australia
1 Apply evidence-based primary healthcare to frequent clinical presentations across the lifespan in a culturally safe manner. Knowledgeable
Empowered
1.1.a, 1.4.a, 1.4, 4.6.a, 5.4.e, 5.6.b, 5.3
2 Demonstrate a safe and ethical approach to primary healthcare. Ethical
1.1.d, 1.1.g, 1.1.j, 1.1.k, 1.4.a, 1.4, 5.3
3 Describe the epidemiology of frequent clinical presentations across the lifespan, and factors that influence health outcomes. Knowledgeable
5.3.f, 5.4.e, 5.6.b
4 Find and describe the evidence using a prescribed style that underpins paramedic primary healthcare. Knowledgeable
4.6.a, 5.3

* Competencies by Professional Body

CODE COMPETENCY
Paramedicine Board of Australia
1.1.a Demonstrate understanding of: reporting obligations, legal responsibilities, legal requirements, ethical and professional responsibilities, and the legal and ethical boundaries of paramedicine practice.
1.4.a Demonstrate understanding of the principles of patient advocacy and their application to paramedicine practice.
1.1.d Apply the Paramedicine Board of Australia’s Code of conduct to their practice.
1.1.g Demonstrate understanding of the basic principles underpinning bio- ethics in paramedicine practice.
1.1.j Operate within the current legislation applicable to paramedicine practice.
1.1.k Practise in accordance with the applicable legislation governing the safe use of scheduled medicines by paramedics in the jurisdiction of practice.
1.4 Advocate on behalf of the patient, when appropriate in the context of the practitioner’s practice as a paramedic
4.6.a Demonstrate the principles, application and need for quality control and quality assurance in paramedicine practice.
5.4.e Demonstrate an applied knowledge of the indications and contra-indications of using specific paramedic interventions including their modifications.
5.6.b Demonstrate sensitivity to the factors which shape lifestyle that may impact on the individual’s health and affect the interaction between the patient and registered paramedic.
5.3.f Understand the clinical sciences underpinning paramedic practice, including physiological, pharmacological, behavioural and functional.
5.3 Understand the key concepts of the bodies of knowledge which are specifically relevant to paramedicine practice

Am I eligible to enrol in this course?

Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.

Pre-requisites

PAR101 and enrolled in Program SC395 or SC306

Co-requisites

Not applicable

Anti-requisites

Not applicable

Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)

Not applicable

Microcredential Information

Not applicable

How am I going to be assessed?

Grading Scale

Standard Grading (GRD)

High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL).

Details of early feedback on progress

Formative quizzes and feedback during labs provide students with early feedback on their progress.

Assessment tasks

Delivery mode Task No. Assessment Product Individual or Group Weighting % What is the duration / length? When should I submit? Where should I submit it?
All 1 Portfolio Individual 30%
1500 words total
Refer to Format Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All 2 Examination - not Centrally Scheduled Individual 30%
1.5 hours total
Refer to Format In Class
All 3 Practical / Laboratory Skills Individual 40%
This is a two part assessment consisting of a clinical scenario (15 mins) and clinical skills demonstrations (varying lengths)
Exam Period Exam Venue
All - Assessment Task 1:Case Study
Goal:
To evaluate evidence related to common emergency presentations and articulate these using the principles and practices of academic writing.
Product: Portfolio
Authorship Statement:
Format:
The task/s will be due between weeks 3-10.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Selection of high quality evidence to support an argument
2 3 4
2
Analysis of emerging themes
3 4
3
Correct use of Vancouver referencing style
4
4
Correct use of grammatical conventions to structure the report
4
Generic Skills:
Communication, Collaboration, Information literacy
All - Assessment Task 2:Examination
Goal:
To assess your attainment of disciplinary knowledge.
Product: Examination - not Centrally Scheduled
Authorship Statement:
Format:
Multiple choice and/or short answer questions.
The task/s will be scheduled between weeks 5-12. Due date will be posted to Canvas at the beginning of trimester.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Information literacy reflected in the use of an evidence base using of disciplinary conventions
1
2
Knowledge of the use of disciplinary theory and practice
1 2 3
Generic Skills:
Communication, Problem solving, Information literacy
All - Assessment Task 3:Scenario Based Clinical Assessment
Goal:
The aim of this task is to enable you to demonstrate key concepts of clinical decision making, communication and core clinical competencies (psychomotor, communication and leadership) skills covered during the trimester.
Product: Practical / Laboratory Skills
Authorship Statement:
Format:
Scheduled weeks for assessment will be announced on the Canvas course site.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Demonstrate safe application of basic life support skills and systematic approach to patient assessment and management of patients with common health emergencies.
1 2
2
Demonstrate the application of the principles of informed consent in health care.
2
3
Patient assessment and gathering evidence
1 3
4
Use of appropriate equipment​
1
Generic Skills:
Communication, Collaboration, Problem solving, Organisation

Directed study hours

A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.

What resources do I need to undertake this course?

Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.

Prescribed text(s) or course reader

You need regular access to the resource(s) below. Many texts are available as ebooks through the Library at no additional cost.

Required? Author Year Title Edition Publisher
Required Kate Curtis,Clair Ramsden,Ramon Z. Shaban,Margaret Fry,Bill Lord 2023 Emergency and Trauma Care for Nurses and Paramedics 4th Edition Elsevier Health Sciences

Specific requirements

Workplace Health and Safety Paramedic Laboratory Guidelines require covered active shoes.

How are risks managed in this course?

Risk assessments have been performed for all studio and laboratory classes and a low level of health and safety risk exists. Some risk concerns may include equipment, instruments, and tools; as well as manual handling items within the laboratory. It is your responsibility to review course material, search online, discuss with lecturers and peers and understand the risks associated with your specific course of study and to familiarise yourself with the University’s general health and safety principles by reviewing the online induction training for students, and following the instructions of the University staff.

What administrative information is relevant to this course?

Assessment: Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation. It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline. This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.

Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person. You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.

In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin. This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.

Assessment: Additional Requirements

Eligibility for Supplementary Assessment

Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying:
(a) The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4%; and
(b) The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale

Assessment: Submission penalties

Late submissions may be penalised up to and including the following maximum percentage of the assessment task’s identified value, with weekdays and weekends included in the calculation of days late:
(a) One day: deduct 5%;
(b) Two days: deduct 10%;
(c) Three days: deduct 20%;
(d) Four days: deduct 40%;
(e) Five days: deduct 60%;
(f) Six days: deduct 80%;
(g) Seven days: A result of zero is awarded for the assessment task.

The following penalties will apply for a late submission for an online examination:
Less than 15 minutes: No penalty
From 15 minutes to 30 minutes: 20% penalty
More than 30 minutes: 100% penalty

Links to relevant University policy and procedures

For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including:

  • Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs
  • Review of Assessment and Final Grades
  • Supplementary Assessment
  • Central Examinations
  • Deferred Examinations
  • Student Conduct
  • Students with a Disability

For more information, visit https://www.usc.edu.au/explore/policies-and-procedures#academic-learning-and-teaching

Student Charter

UniSC is committed to excellence in teaching, research and engagement in an environment that is inclusive, inspiring, safe and respectful. The Student Charter sets out what students can expect from the University, and what in turn is expected of students, to achieve these outcomes.

General Enquiries

For course-specific questions, contact your teaching staff or Course Coordinator.  

For other enquiries or to access support, please contact Student Central: