CSB338 Law, Ethics and Accountability in Clinical Care

Unit Outline: Semester 2 2026, Kelvin Grove, Internal

Overview

Paramedics encounter situations with ethical and legal implications for both practitioners and the patients. Introducing ethical and legal awareness appropriate for the professional development of health professionals governed by regulation will support graduates. Using legal and ethical principles – in addition to regulatory structures, the National Law and human rights – this unit will help you resolve dilemmas using ethical and legal frameworks. It will provide you with the ability to access and understand the information in relation to professional practice, policy, principles, legislation, conduct and standards.

Learning Outcomes

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

1. Interpret ethical principles, common law principles and legislation as they relate to healthcare and paramedic practice;
   Relates to: AHPRA Paramedicine: Domain 3.4, 3.4A; AMC Graduate Outcome Statements: Domain 2, 2.03, 2.15
2. Construct and articulate coherent justifications in favour of outcomes based on sound ethical and legal processes through enquiry that demonstrates effective group collaboration incorporating constructive communication, mutual respect and shared responsibility;
   Relates to: AHPRA Paramedicine: Domain 3.1, 3.1B; AMC Graduate Outcome Statements: Domain 2, 2.01, 2.03, 2.15
3. Respond to and reason on behalf of patients, and justify practitioner course of conduct in complex scenarios where outcomes are contested;
   Relates to: AHPRA Paramedicine: Domain 3.1, 3.1B; AMC Graduate Outcome Statements: Domain 2, 2.04, 2.05; NSQHS (Ambulance): 2, 6
4. Identify complex issues and manage in accordance with principles of distributive justice;
   Relates to: AHPRA Paramedicine: Domain 3.1, 3.1B; AMC Graduate Outcome Statements: Domain 2, 2.03, 2.06
5. Analyse the application of ethico-legal principles in out-of-hospital and hospital-based healthcare environment.
   Relates to: AMC Graduate Outcome Statements: Domain 2, 2.03, 2.15

Content

Learning Approaches

In this unit you will learn by engaging in an array of case-based learning activities, online learning packages and small group activities. The unit begins by developing foundational knowledge, then presents students with increasingly complex, real-world situations. 

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

Shortly after completing each video essay, students will receive written feedback to help students develop their understanding of the standard of their work. This feedback will help students develop and enhance their opportunities to achieve success in the unit. Additionally, students will be supported in tutorials as they develop subsequent video essays.

Assessment

Overview

Students, in assigned groups, will be required to deliver summatively assessed video-based presentations during selected tutorials. Student groups will focus on ethical and legal dilemmas relating to their practice. Groups will be assessed on video presentations, constituting 50% of their final grade for the unit. Each week, time in tutorials will be dedicated to consolidate knowledge of core aspects of the unit. In addition, tutorials will have time devoted to group collaboration, preparation, development and production of their group's video essay planning and presentation.

Students will also be tested on their knowledge of law and ethics applied to case studies. Students will be required to demonstrate a deep engagement of legal and ethical issues applicable to the delivery of healthcare in relation to the examinable case studies.
Students will be provided with oral and written feedback using a variety of methods through completion of the unit assessment and engagement in presented learning activities. Students will have access to materials indicating marking structure and justification (rubric).

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Presentation

You are required to demonstrate your understanding of legal and ethical issues in relation to a variety of complex health, social, regulatory and legal problems. The case presentations will seek to challenge your professional and personal perspective in relation to the delivery of healthcare. Each presentation will adopt a variance to promote a holistic approach to healthcare delivery within legal and ethical frameworks. Groups are required to make, throughout semester video essays in relation to clinical ethical and legal issues. You are required to demonstrate evidence of deep engagement supported by legal and ethical principles.

Assessment: Examination (written)

You will be tested on your knowledge of law and ethics applied to case studies. You will be required to demonstrate a deep engagement with legal and ethical issues as they apply to the delivery of healthcare in relation to examinable 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

Resource Materials

Prescribed text(s)

Moritz Dominique. (2019). Paramedic Law and Regulation in Australia (Thomson Reuters). (ISBN: 9780455243078)

Recommended text(s)

Ethics

Beauchamp, T., & Childress, J. (2019). Principles of Biomedical Ethics. (8th Edition). New York: Oxford University Press.

Ethics

Preston, N. (2014). Understanding Ethics. (4th Edition). The Federation Press.

Law

White, B., McDonald, F., & Willmott, L. (2018). Health Law in Australia. (3rd Edition). Sydney: Thomson Reuters.

Risk Assessment Statement

There are no out-of-the-ordinary risks associated with the teaching of this unit. Students will be required to exercise caution in relation to the production of their video presentations and adhere to all laws and regulations and must eliminate, where possible, risk of unintended consequences as part of the video production.

Standards/Competencies

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

AHPRA Professional capabilities for registered paramedics

Domain 1.1: The professional and ethical practitioner

1. 
   Relates to: Presentation

Domain 3.1: The evidence-based practitioner

1. 
   Relates to: ULO2, ULO3, ULO4, Presentation, Examination (written)

Domain 3.4: The evidence-based practitioner

1. 
   Relates to: ULO1, Presentation, Examination (written)

Australian Medical Council Graduate Outcome Statements

Domain 2: Professionalism and Leadership

1. 
   Relates to: ULO2
2. 
   Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, ULO4, ULO5
3. 
   Relates to: ULO3
4. 
   Relates to: ULO3
5. 
   Relates to: ULO4
6. 
   Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, ULO5

National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards for Ambulance

2: Partnering with Consumers

Relates to: ULO3

6: Communicating for Safety

Relates to: ULO3

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: Presentation, Examination (written)
2. 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: Presentation
3. Develop and apply critical thinking and clinical reasoning and evaluation skills, that promote and achieve person-centred care.
   Relates to: Presentation, Examination (written)
4. 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: Presentation, Examination (written)
5. Practice within a framework of human rights and cultural safety, acknowledging intersectionality, and the inalienable right to culture, values, and beliefs.
   Relates to: Presentation, Examination (written)
6. 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: Presentation