CSB363 Paramedic Practice - Skills and Application


To view more information for this unit, select Unit Outline from the list below. Please note the teaching period for which the Unit Outline is relevant.


Unit Outline: Semester 1 2024, Kelvin Grove, Internal

Unit code:CSB363
Credit points:12
Pre-requisite:CSB332 or CSB362
Equivalent:CSB333 Foundations of Paramedic Practice 3
Assumed Knowledge:

(CSB330 or PUB180) and (CSB362 or CSB332 or PUB280) and LSB182 and LSB282 is assumed knowledge.

Coordinator:Steve Owen | stevan.owen@qut.edu.au
Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of the teaching period.

Overview

Through work integrated learning and clinical simulation, this unit builds upon the knowledge, skills and values developed during year one or prior study, providing opportunities for the translation of CSB356 and CSB358 knowledge into practice. Students initially develop discrete skills, such as medical documentation and clinical procedures, which are then incorporated into increasingly complex and integrated clinical simulation cases.

 

Learning Outcomes

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

  1. Apply knowledge, skills and values of the underpinning cultural safety, communication, assessment and management principles based on but not limited to resuscitation, cardiac, respiratory, environmental, toxinology, toxicology, major incidents presentations to create appropriate person-centred and culturally safe management plan.
  2. Safely and effectively apply advanced life support, and procedural skills associated based on but not limited to resuscitation, cardiac, respiratory, environmental, toxinology, toxicology, major incidents presentations within a clinical simulation learning environment to create appropriate person-centred and culturally safe management plan.
  3. Work collaboratively to ensure the safe and effective continuum of patient care is provided, including documentation, handover and referral techniques across interprofessional settings and agencies.
  4. Critically analyse relationships between the social determinants of health and health outcomes.

Content

The unit will focus mostly on the following to advance paramedic students' skills and application

  • Advanced airway management (ie. supraglottic airways).
  • Medication safety - Safe handling, administration and documentation of medications.
  • Access and route of administration (for example, but not limited to intravenous, intramuscular, sublingual, oral, subcutaneous and infusions).
  • Pain, pain assessment and pain management.
  • The clinical application and interpretation of the electrocardiogram in relation to patient presentation.
  • Professional, interpersonal and interprofessional communication.
  • Communicating for safety and transfer of care (patient handover, clinical documentation and referral techniques).
  • Clinical simulation.
  • Integration of the following within a clinical simulation and work-integrated learning environment:
    • Professional and ethical conduct, interpersonal skills and communication.
    • Patient, personal and team safety through the use of ongoing risk assessments and the implementation of mitigation principles.
    • Human factors and cultural safety.
    • History taking, physical examination and clinical reasoning.
    • Reflective practice including peer feedback.
    • Knowledge, skills and values developed in other units.

Learning Approaches

In this unit, you will engage in online learning modules and clinical simulation based on case-based learning. In this unit you will develop the critical skills for your professional development in the paramedic field. You will have opportunities to apply skills taught to you during supervised practical workshops. This will allow you to transfer procedures and interventions, and clinical problem-solving skills into the simulated clinical environment. Content is designed to assess progress in the unit, and the course, and for you to demonstrate evidence of meeting unit learning outcomes.

This unit recognises the need to respond to communities by incorporating understanding of social and cultural determinants of health. This is underpinned by acknowledging a diverse student community. In part,this will be achieved through reflecting the diversity of the community with the diversity of the student cohort using cultural safety as a principle to maximise contemporary learning outcomes.

 

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

Feedback is provided in the following ways:

  • Opportunity to receive formative feedback exists during all learning activities (for example, but not limited to peers, academic professional).
  • Formative feedback is provided during and after clinical simulation activities.
  • In addition to the assessment marking rubrics, specific feedback is provided on summative assessment items.
  • General feedback on summative assessments is provided during learning activities and/or via online platforms.

Assessment

Overview

There are two (2) pieces of assessment to be completed in this unit. 

Each of the two assessment items must be completed to a satisfactory standard to achieve an overall passing grade in this unit. Both assessment items are required to be threshold assessments based on patient safety and the requirement for students to progress successfully in subsequent units, including placement units

Threshold Assessment Conditions
In this unit, for you to be eligible to receive a grade of satisfactory, threshold assessment conditions apply. You must achieve a satisfactory result for all assessment items to receive an overall S (satisfactory) grade for the unit.

Where a student receives an unsatisfactory result for an assessment task (e.g. practical assessment/reflection), they may receive one (1) resubmission attempt. To receive a resubmission attempt, a student must meet all of the following criteria:

  1. The student is not eligible for a deferred assessment (MOPP E/6.3.8);
  2. The student demonstrated a meaningful first attempt; AND
  3. The assessment is not a placement performance assessment type.

Please note:

  • Where a resubmission attempt is approved, students are advised to seek feedback on their initial submission or performance from the unit coordinator prior to the resubmission.

Unit Grading Scheme

S (Satisfactory) / U (Unsatisfactory)

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Online assessment

The online assessment will examine the knowledge associated with procedural skill application where you will demonstrate a systematic approach using the five-step method to ECG interpretation.

Individual/Group: Individual
Due (indicative): Mid semester
Related Unit learning outcomes: 1, 3, 4

Assessment: Examination (practical)

You will be assessed on knowledge, skills and attributes in relation to advanced life support techniques such as defibrillation, advanced airway procedures, drug and fluid administration including the out of hospital management of patients with pain, poor perfusion states and in respiratory and/or cardiac arrest including interpretation of ECGs. Throughout this unit, the following will be incorporated, but is not limited to

  • Professional and ethical conduct, interpersonal skills and communication
  • Patient, personal and team safety through the use of ongoing risk assessments and the implementation of mitigation principles
  • Human factors and cultural safety
  • History taking, physical examination and clinical reasoning
  • Reflective practice including peer feedback
  • Knowledge, skills and values developed in other units.

 

Individual/Group: Individual
Due (indicative): Weeks 12 and 13
OSCE based practical exam during semester
Related Unit learning outcomes: 1, 2

Academic Integrity

Students are expected to engage in learning and assessment at QUT with honesty, transparency and fairness. Maintaining academic integrity means upholding these principles and demonstrating valuable professional capabilities based on ethical foundations.

Failure to maintain academic integrity can take many forms. It includes cheating in examinations, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, and submitting an assessment item completed by another person (e.g. contract cheating). It can also include providing your assessment to another entity, such as to a person or website.

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.

Further details of QUT’s approach to academic integrity are outlined in the Academic integrity policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Breaching QUT’s Academic integrity policy is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Requirements to Study

Requirements

Appropriate and professional clinical activity clothing: torso covering shirts including shoulders and upper arms, bare below the elbows. Furthermore, covered shoes, and trousers to the ankles must be worn during workshops. There is no exception to this rule. No singlets, shorts and/or open footwear permitted to be worn during workshops and/or unit associated self-directed (SDL) and other examples of simulation.
Risks may be associated with:
• construction tasks (including art work)
• laboratory work
• hazardous materials or tools
• field trips or industrial visits
• handling animals
QUT has a formal risk assessment process which can be used to determine the types of risks and how you should handle them.
The following equipment will be required for tutorial throughout the course. Advice will be given by your lecturer at the beginning of the semester:
Stethoscope
Watch with second hand or display

Blue Card

A blue card is required to complete this unit. A blue card confirms that you have passed a screening of your criminal history (the Working with Children Check) and have been approved to work with children and young people. For more information on the blue card and how to apply please visit the QUT website.

Costs

All costs associated with undertaking the unit.

Resources


You must supply and bring to every tutorial:

  • Time telling device with second-hand display
  • Stethoscope

Resource Materials

Prescribed text(s)

Talley & O'Connor's clinical examination : a systematic guide to physical diagnosis

Talley, Nicholas J., author.; O'Connor, Simon, author.

9th edition.

2022

Clinical skills for paramedic practice

Inglis, Dianne, editor.; Kenneally, Jeffrey, editor.

2021

Recommended text(s)

Wesley, K. (2011) Huszar's basic dysrhythmias and acute coronary syndromes: Interpretation and management text & pocket guide package. (4th Edition). Mosby JEMS Elsevier.

Risk Assessment Statement

The role of student paramedic can be hazardous. There is regular exposure to body fluids, medical sharps and defibrillators. During the on campus phase the risk is minimised and only simulated exercises are conducted. While undertaking this unit you should review the industry Health, Safety Environment (HSE) guidelines that protect qualified staff and students in day-to-day practice.

Students must successfully complete the following before commencing this unit:

  1. Mandatory requirements as outlined at QUT.

Mandatory safety requirements

Closed in shoes, long trousers to ankle and shirt covering torso including shoulders

If necessary, please register via this link https://www.whatsinaname.net.au/my-account/ to order replacement uniform or safety kit items.