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Course Outline

PAR321 Paramedic Primary Healthcare: Transition to Practice

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

2024Semester 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 usc.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

This capstone paramedic clinical practice course consolidates previous program key concepts to enable advanced clinical decision making through simulation. You will have opportunities to apply knowledge and clinical decision making skills to solve simulated complex health problems and will be exposed to a range of emergency and non-emergency cases encountered in paramedic practice. Qualified clinicians will guide and supervise this process and provide formative and summative feedback to improve your novice paramedic practice.

How will this course be delivered?

Activity Hours Beginning Week Frequency
Blended learning
Laboratory 1 – Twice weekly classes (combination of 4 and 3 hours each) 7hrs Week 1 7 times

Course Topics

During the semester, you will participate in experiential clinical practice within a simulated learning environment. You will have opportunities to apply your knowledge and clinical decision making skills to assist in solving simulated, complex health problems as a primary care officer. This course will allow you to plan, implement and manage a simulated patient’s health emergency in a safe environment. Post the implementation of your clinical management plan you will be asked to justify and critically reflect on your patient care management plan, communication skills and leadership style.

What level is this course?

300 Level (Graduate)

Demonstrating coherence and breadth or depth of knowledge and skills. Independent application of knowledge and skills in unfamiliar contexts. Meeting professional requirements and AQF descriptors for the degree. May require pre-requisites where discipline specific introductory or developing knowledge or skills is necessary. Normally undertaken in the third or fourth 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 Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming...
1 Apply evidence-based paramedic primary healthcare to clinical presentations in a culturally safe manner. Knowledgeable
Engaged
2 Demonstrate clear communication, critical reasoning and an ethical approach to paramedic primary healthcare. Knowledgeable
Creative and critical thinker
Ethical
3 Critically reflect on events arising from simulation, and formulate strategies to mitigate adverse events and improve patient safety. Knowledgeable
Creative and critical thinker
Empowered

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

PAR203 and PAR301 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

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

Each week you will be provided with feedback from your tutor and peers. You will use this feedback, and critical self-reflection on your performance, to guide your own learning activities each week.

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 20% 
Completed Portfolio
 Throughout teaching period (refer to Format) Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All 2 Practical / Laboratory Skills Individual 45% 
30 minutes
 Refer to Format In Class
All 3 Oral Individual 35% 
20 minutes
 Refer to Format In Class
All - Assessment Task 1:Professional Practice Portfolio
Goal: 
The ability to analyse and critically reflect on one's actions is an important foundation for paramedic professional practice. The goal of this task is for you to document and provide evidence of critical reflection and analysis on factors affecting your clinical judgements and decisions; including your interactions with patients and relevant others.
Product: Portfolio
Format: 
Portfolio. 

Assessment dates will be set according to group allocation, and will be advised via Canvas.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Communicate and convey, in a concise and clear manner, patient clinical information and justification of clinical decision making via oral and written reporting at a graduate paramedic practitioner clinician level.
 1 2 3
2 
Critically reflect on significant events arising from simulation to inform strategies to mitigate future adverse events and improve patient safety at a graduate paramedic practitioner level.
 3
3 
Identify and evaluate the evidence used to develop paramedic clinical practice guidelines used to care for patients with health emergencies.
 1
4 
Demonstrate an ethical approach to patient assessment and management in a culturally appropriate manner.
 2
All - Assessment Task 2:Scenario Based Clinical Assessment
Goal: 
To enable you to demonstrate key concepts of clinical decision making, communication and psychomotor skills covered throughout the program, to a graduate paramedic practitioner level.
Product: Practical / Laboratory Skills
Format: 
Scenario based clinical assessment.

Assessment dates will be set according to group allocation, and will be advised via Canvas.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Demonstrate an ethical approach to patient assessment and management in a culturally appropriate manner.
 1
2 
Communicate and convey, in a concise and clear manner, patient clinical information and justification of clinical decision making via oral and written reporting at a graduate paramedic practitioner level.
 2
3 
Provide safe and effective care for a (simulated) patient with illness or injury across the lifespan by integrating clinical knowledge, clinical decision-making skills and technical skills at a graduate paramedic practitioner clinician level.
 1 3
4 
Critically reflect on significant events arising from simulation and use these to inform strategies to mitigate future adverse events and improve patient safety at a graduate paramedic practitioner clinician level.
 3
5 
Identify and evaluate the evidence used to develop paramedic clinical practice guidelines used to care for patients with medical emergencies.
 1
All - Assessment Task 3:Viva Voce
Goal: 
To enable you to evidence key concepts of your knowledge, critical thinking skills and clinical decision making at a graduate paramedic practitioner level.
Product: Oral
Format: 
Viva voce.

Assessment dates will be set according to group allocation, and will be advised via Canvas.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Communicate and convey, in a concise and clear manner, patient clinical information and justification of clinical decision making via oral reporting at a graduate paramedic practitioner level.
 1 2
2 
Provide safe and effective care for a (simulated) patient with illness or injury across the lifespan by integrating clinical knowledge, clinical decision-making skills and technical skills at a graduate paramedic practitioner clinician level.
 1
3 
Critically reflect on significant events arising from simulation and use these to inform strategies to mitigate future adverse events and improve patient safety at a graduate paramedic practitioner clinician level.
 3
4 
Identify and evaluate the evidence used to develop paramedic clinical practice guidelines used to care for patients with medical emergencies.
 1 2

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

There are no required/recommended resources for this course.

Specific requirements

Not applicable

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

Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying:

The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4%
The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale
You have not failed an assessment task in the course due to academic misconduct

Assessment: Submission penalties

Late submission of assessment tasks may be penalised at the following maximum rate: 
- 5% (of the assessment task's identified value) per day for the first two days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. 
- 10% (of the assessment task's identified value) for the third day - 20% (of the assessment task's identified value) for the fourth day and subsequent days up to and including seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. 
- A result of zero is awarded for an assessment task submitted after seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. Weekdays and weekends are included in the calculation of days late. To request an extension you must contact your course coordinator to negotiate an outcome.

SafeUniSC

UniSC is committed to a culture of respect and providing a safe and supportive environment for all members of our community. For immediate assistance on campus contact SafeUniSC by phone: 07 5430 1168 or using the SafeZone app. For general enquires contact the SafeUniSC team by phone 07 5456 3864 or email safe@usc.edu.au.

The SafeUniSC Specialist Service is a Student Wellbeing service that provides free and confidential support to students who may have experienced or observed behaviour that could cause fear, offence or trauma. To contact the service call 07 5430 1226 or email studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au.

Study help

For help with course-specific advice, for example what information to include in your assessment, you should first contact your tutor, then your course coordinator, if needed.

If you require additional assistance, the Learning Advisers are trained professionals who are ready to help you develop a wide range of academic skills. Visit the Learning Advisers web page for more information, or contact Student Central for further assistance: +61 7 5430 2890 or studentcentral@usc.edu.au.

Wellbeing Services

Student Wellbeing provide free and confidential counselling on a wide range of personal, academic, social and psychological matters, to foster positive mental health and wellbeing for your academic success.

To book a confidential appointment go to Student Hub, email studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au or call 07 5430 1226.

AccessAbility Services

Ability Advisers ensure equal access to all aspects of university life. If your studies are affected by a disability, learning disorder mental health issue, injury or illness, or you are a primary carer for someone with a disability or who is considered frail and aged, AccessAbility Services can provide access to appropriate reasonable adjustments and practical advice about the support and facilities available to you throughout the University.

To book a confidential appointment go to Student Hub, email AccessAbility@usc.edu.au or call 07 5430 2890.

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

  • In person:
    • UniSC Sunshine Coast - Student Central, Ground Floor, Building C, 90 Sippy Downs Drive, Sippy Downs
    • UniSC Moreton Bay - Service Centre, Ground Floor, Foundation Building, Gympie Road, Petrie
    • UniSC SouthBank - Student Central, Building A4 (SW1), 52 Merivale Street, South Brisbane
    • UniSC Gympie - Student Central, 71 Cartwright Road, Gympie
    • UniSC Fraser Coast - Student Central, Student Central, Building A, 161 Old Maryborough Rd, Hervey Bay
    • UniSC Caboolture - Student Central, Level 1 Building J, Cnr Manley and Tallon Street, Caboolture
  • Tel:+61 7 5430 2890
  • Email:studentcentral@usc.edu.au
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