CSB341 Mental Health, Well Being and Illness in the Paramedic Care Setting

Unit Outline: Semester 1 2026, Kelvin Grove, Internal

Overview

The impact of mental and emotional distress, and illness across the community is significant. Paramedics require a contemporary understanding of mental health, wellbeing and illness, service delivery, systems of care and the ability to assess and respond to people. This unit emphasises a culturally safe, person-centred approach to mental health, wellbeing and illness and requires students to reflect on the experiences of consumers, carers and self. Using a case-based learning approach, students examine mental health, wellbeing and illness across the lifespan from the perspective of culturally safe practices and learn about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social, emotional and wellbeing, as well as develop an understanding of both acute and chronic clinical presentations. Students will work in partnership with consumers and their support network to create person-centred, evidence-informed plans of care. 

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

1. Describe national and international mental health models of care and the epidemiology of mental health, wellbeing and illness.
2. Analyse the intersection between mental health, wellbeing and illness, substance use and neurodiversity while exploring the aetiology, clinical features, risk and protective factors and plan of care for the presentations.
   Relates to: AHPRA Paramedicine: Domain 2.1, 2.1E, Domain 2.2, 2.2E, Domain 3.2, 3.2C, 3.2E; NSQHS (Ambulance): 2
3. Describe the intersection between mental health, social and cultural perspectives through the creation of person-centred, culturally safe and evidence-informed plans of care.
   Relates to: AHPRA Paramedicine: Domain 2.1, 2.1E, Domain 3.2, 3.2A, 3.2C, Domain 3.3, 3.3A; NSQHS (Ambulance): 1, 2
4. Reflect on the lived experience of people, the health system response, role of the paramedic and the plans of care created.
   Relates to: AHPRA Paramedicine: Domain 2.2, 2.2E, Domain 3.2, 3.2A, Domain 3.4, 3.4D; NSQHS (Ambulance): 2
5. Analyse the impact of social and cultural determinants on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander wellbeing and implement this knowledge in the context of the paramedic care setting.
   Relates to: AHPRA Paramedicine: Domain 3.2, 3.2C; NSQHS (Ambulance): 1

Content

Learning Approaches

This unit will be available in internal mode only. Being a member of a collaborative team validates your voice as a source of analysis and opinion and is fundamental to being an active, contributing and responsible team member in paramedic practice. In this unit, we work in small problem based learning groups on learning activities that develop and apply your problem solving strategies to real world scenarios. To support your critical thinking skills, this collaborative process of actively conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by your in field observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, and communication, becomes a guide to your belief in self and confidence in decision-making. Your clinical communication skills will be developed with the support of experienced clinical educators in a collaborative learning space.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

Feedback for this unit is provided to students in the following way:

• Comments on summative assessment work (assessment item one);
• Generic comments back to the cohort via QUT Canvas (assessment item one)

Assessment

Overview

The assessment items are designed to provide evidence of your achievement of the stated learning outcomes.

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Viva voce

Analysis of complex case study, evidencing your application of clinical knowledge and reflective practice to determine clinical management strategies, integrated and definitive care for people experiencing mental illness.

Assessment: Examination (written)

An examination paper including multiple choice questions and short answer questions based on theoretical knowledge, understanding and case studies.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.

The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Resources

Risk Assessment Statement

There are no exceptional risks associated with this unit. This unit may raise concerns of some students. Students are provided contact details and resources for support services.

Standards/Competencies

This unit is designed to support your development of the following standards\competencies.

AHPRA Professional capabilities for registered paramedics

Domain 2.1: The communicator and the collaborator

1. 
   Relates to: ULO2, ULO3

Domain 2.2: The communicator and the collaborator

1. 
   Relates to: ULO2, ULO4

Domain 3.2: The evidence-based practitioner

1. 
   Relates to: ULO3, ULO4, Viva voce, Examination (written)
2. 
   Relates to: ULO2, ULO3, ULO5, Viva voce, Examination (written)
3. 
   Relates to: ULO2, Viva voce, Examination (written)

Domain 3.3: The evidence-based practitioner

1. 
   Relates to: ULO3, Viva voce, Examination (written)

Domain 3.4: The evidence-based practitioner

1. 
   Relates to: ULO4, Viva voce, Examination (written)

National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards for Ambulance

1: Clinical Governance

Relates to: ULO3, ULO5

2: Partnering with Consumers

Relates to: ULO2, ULO3, ULO4

Course Learning Outcomes

CS43 Bachelor of Paramedic Science

1. Apply scientific knowledge and skills from paramedicine and related disciplines that focus on the needs and holistic care of the individual.
   Relates to: Viva voce, Examination (written)
2. Perform reflective and safe evidence-based paramedic practice, that informs clinical decision-making across diverse paramedic care settings.
   Relates to: Viva voce, Examination (written)
3. Access, evaluate, and utilise digital health information that informs holistic paramedic care and assists in intra- and inter-professional communication and clinical decision-making.
   Relates to: Viva voce
4. Develop and apply critical thinking and clinical reasoning and evaluation skills, that promote and achieve person-centred care.
   Relates to: Viva voce, Examination (written)
5. Practice and promote the qualities of ethical conduct, social inclusivity, reflexivity and reflection, and bearing responsibility for risk management and quality assurance across a range of community settings.
   Relates to: Viva voce, Examination (written)
6. Practice within a framework of human rights and cultural safety, acknowledging intersectionality, and the inalienable right to culture, values, and beliefs.
   Relates to: Viva voce, Examination (written)
7. Communicate appropriately and with sensitivity to all persons, their families, carers, interprofessional teams and community leaders, to professional standards, both independently and collaboratively, to ensure safe and coordinated care, based on consensual agreement.
   Relates to: Viva voce