CQUniversity Unit Profile
PMSC13004 Clinical Paramedic Practice 3
Clinical Paramedic Practice 3
All details in this unit profile for PMSC13004 have been officially approved by CQUniversity and represent a learning partnership between the University and you (our student).
The information will not be changed unless absolutely necessary and any change will be clearly indicated by an approved correction included in the profile.
General Information

Overview

This unit is the third of three work-integrated learning units within the Paramedic Course, requiring Student Paramedics to apply clinical knowledge, reasoning and practical skills at an advanced level in the acute prehospital care environment. Students will complete a total of six weeks of clinical placement at an urban station with an approved ambulance service. Placement activities focus on clinical judgement & decision-making to support increasingly independent practice, ensuring student preparedness for entry into a graduate internship program.

Details

Career Level: Undergraduate
Unit Level: Level 3
Credit Points: 6
Student Contribution Band: 8
Fraction of Full-Time Student Load: 0.125

Pre-requisites or Co-requisites

Pre Requisite: PMSC13002 Clinical Paramedic Practice 2

Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).

Offerings For Term 2 - 2017

Distance
Rockhampton

Attendance Requirements

All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).

Class and Assessment Overview

Recommended Student Time Commitment

Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.

Class Timetable

Bundaberg, Cairns, Emerald, Gladstone, Mackay, Rockhampton, Townsville
Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney

Assessment Overview

1. Portfolio
Weighting: Pass/Fail
2. Professional Practice Placement
Weighting: Pass/Fail

Assessment Grading

This is a pass/fail (non-graded) unit. To pass the unit, you must pass all of the individual assessment tasks shown in the table above.

Previous Student Feedback

Feedback, Recommendations and Responses

Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.

Feedback from Student feedback.

Feedback

Time for assessment completion and assessment return is lengthy.

Recommendation

The workbooks for paramedic clinical placements will be updated for 2017 to continue to support quality learning experiences whilst reducing completion workload for students and bearing in mind grading workload for the CC. These workbooks are being designed (with student feedback) for implementation in PMSC13002 term one 2017, and Course Coordinator will seek further feedback from all students at end of term one. Any adjustments to the workbooks after term one feedback will be directly experienced by that same cohort as they complete the next iteration of this unit, PMSC13004, next year.

Unit Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
  1. Demonstrate clinical reasoning and practical skills within the acute prehospital care setting.
  2. Critically examine and self-evaluate own clinical decision-making processes during case management.
Alignment of Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Graduate Attributes
N/A Level
Introductory Level
Intermediate Level
Graduate Level
Professional Level
Advanced Level

Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes

Assessment Tasks Learning Outcomes
1 2
1 - Portfolio - 0%
2 - Professional Practice Placement - 0%

Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes

Graduate Attributes Learning Outcomes
1 2
1 - Communication
2 - Problem Solving
3 - Critical Thinking
4 - Information Literacy
5 - Team Work
6 - Information Technology Competence
7 - Cross Cultural Competence
8 - Ethical practice
9 - Social Innovation
10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures

Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes

Assessment Tasks Graduate Attributes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
1 - Portfolio - 0%
2 - Professional Practice Placement - 0%
Textbooks and Resources

Textbooks

There are no required textbooks.

IT Resources

You will need access to the following IT resources:
  • CQUniversity Student Email
  • Internet
  • Unit Website (Moodle)
Referencing Style

All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 6th Edition (APA 6th edition)

For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.

Teaching Contacts
Lisa Hurring Unit Coordinator
l.hurring@cqu.edu.au
Schedule
Week 1 Begin Date: 10 Jul 2017

Module/Topic

PRE-PLACEMENT:

  • Review your progress from Placement Two and establish your learning goals for this term.

Chapter

Review and test yourself on QAS CPM chapters:

  • Behavioural Disturbance CPGs.
  • Neurological CPGs.
  • All related DTPs.

Events and Submissions/Topic

Non-standard placement dates for this unit? Use the assessment "Due Description" information in this course profile to determine your individual due dates and confirm with the Lecturer via email this week.
Week 2 Begin Date: 17 Jul 2017

Module/Topic

PLACEMENT WEEK ONE:

  • Discuss your learning goals and support needs with Mentors at earliest opportunity.
  • Complete your Placement Workbook as you go.
  • Make notes and work on your Clinical Case Reviews.
  • Work through your clinical procedures & skills & DTP sign-off sheets.

Chapter

Review and test yourself on QAS CPM chapters:

  • Cardiac CPGs.
  • Resuscitation CPGs.
  • Respiratory CPGs.
  • All related DTPs.

Events and Submissions/Topic

PLACEMENT WEEK ONE:

  • Primary goal this week is to discuss your learning goals and support needs with your paramedic Mentors.
  • If you experience any challenges having a frank discussion regarding your support needs, please let your Lecturer know.
Week 3 Begin Date: 24 Jul 2017

Module/Topic

PLACEMENT WEEK TWO:

  • Complete your Placement Workbook as you go.
  • Make notes and work on your Clinical Case Reviews.
  • Work through your clinical procedures & skills & DTP sign-off sheets.

Chapter

Review and test yourself on QAS CPM chapters:

  • Obstetrics CPGs.
  • Obstetrics CPPs.
  • All related DTPs.

Events and Submissions/Topic

PLACEMENT WEEK TWO:

  • Continue working on self-directed learning during downtime, making most of access to mentors and equipment.
  • Are you gaining access to as many PCO cases as possible? If not, discuss with Mentors and (if needed) your Lecturer.
  • Complete PAPER1 with your Mentor.
Week 4 Begin Date: 31 Jul 2017

Module/Topic

PLACEMENT WEEK THREE:

  • Complete your Placement Workbook as you go.
  • Make notes and work on your Clinical Case Reviews.
  • Work through your clinical procedures & skills & DTP sign-off sheets.

Chapter

Review and test yourself on QAS CPM chapters:

  • Medical CPGs.
  • Other CPGs.
  • All related DTPs.

Events and Submissions/Topic

PLACEMENT WEEK THREE:

  • Continue working on self-directed learning during downtime, making most of access to mentors and equipment.
Week 5 Begin Date: 07 Aug 2017

Module/Topic

PLACEMENT WEEK FOUR:

  • Complete your Placement Workbook as you go.
  • Make notes and work on your Clinical Case Reviews.
  • Work through your clinical procedures & skills & DTP sign-off sheets.

Chapter

Review and test yourself on QAS CPM chapters:

  • Toxicology & Toxinology CPGs.
  • Environmental CPGs.
  • All related DTPs.

Events and Submissions/Topic

PLACEMENT WEEK FOUR:

  • Continue working on self-directed learning during downtime, making most of access to mentors and equipment.
  • Complete PAPER2 with your Mentor.
Vacation Week Begin Date: 14 Aug 2017

Module/Topic

PLACEMENT WEEK FIVE:

  • Complete your Placement Workbook as you go.
  • Make notes and work on your Clinical Case Reviews.
  • Work through your clinical procedures & skills & DTP sign-off sheets.

Chapter

Review and test yourself on QAS CPM chapters:

  • Trauma CPGs.
  • All related DTPs.

Events and Submissions/Topic

PLACEMENT WEEK FIVE:

  • Continue working on self-directed learning during downtime, making most of access to mentors and equipment.
Week 6 Begin Date: 21 Aug 2017

Module/Topic

PLACEMENT WEEK SIX:

  • Complete your Placement Workbook as you go.
  • Make notes and work on your Clinical Case Reviews.
  • Work through your clinical procedures & skills & DTP sign-off sheets.
  • Check that your Placement Workbook is complete and that you have all necessary information and signatures before leaving placement.
  • Ensure your Placement Attendance & Performance Evaluation Reports are complete before leaving placement.

Chapter

Review and test yourself on QAS CPM chapters:

  • Review any aspects of the CPM you are least confident / experienced on.

Events and Submissions/Topic

PLACEMENT WEEK SIX:

  • Complete PAPER3 with your Mentors BEFORE your final shift this week.
  • Ensure that your skills and DTP sheets are signed-off before you leave.
Week 7 Begin Date: 28 Aug 2017

Module/Topic

Placement review period:

  • Completion of placement assessment tasks.
  • This week ensure your PAPERs are complete and ready for submission.
  • Scan all pages as single PDF document and submit by 2345hrs Friday.

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Placement Attendance & Performance Evaluation Reports Due: Week 7 Friday (1 Sept 2017) 11:45 pm AEST
Week 8 Begin Date: 04 Sep 2017

Module/Topic

Placement review period:

  • Completion of placement assessment tasks.
  • This week ensure you complete your Post-Placement Self-Review.
  • Ensure that your Clinical Case Reviews are complete and up to standard (especially Pathophysiology section!).
  • Scan all pages as single PDF document and submit by 2345hrs Friday.

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Reflective Practice Portfolio Due: Week 8 Friday (8 Sept 2017) 11:45 pm AEST
Week 9 Begin Date: 11 Sep 2017

Module/Topic

Unit requirements completed.

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 10 Begin Date: 18 Sep 2017

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 11 Begin Date: 25 Sep 2017

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 12 Begin Date: 02 Oct 2017

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Review/Exam Week Begin Date: 09 Oct 2017

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Exam Week Begin Date: 16 Oct 2017

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Assessment Tasks

1 Portfolio

Assessment Title
Reflective Practice Portfolio

Task Description

This term you will continue to use reflective practice activities to self-assess your own academic progress, and to proactively manage your learning and development during on-road placement.

This assessment comprises a combination of clinical and self-review tasks presented in workbook format. These tasks support your continued professional development through structured reflective practice activities and self-directed learning. In addition to narrative self-reviews, case and skill logs capture clinical experience and skills praxis, enabling an objective summary of clinical exposure. Logs of self-directed learning capture evidence of reflective practice and enable progress tracking throughout the placement. In-depth clinical case reviews involve detailed exploration of the clinical presentation, pathophysiological processes, and treatment paradigms involved with one particular case you attended at each location.

By continuing with this program of self-review through your final clinical placement, you will further cement the core skill set necessary to take charge of your academic and clinical professional development, both during this final clinical placement and future career with an Australian ambulance service.


Assessment Due Date

Week 8 Friday (8 Sept 2017) 11:45 pm AEST

23:45 on the second Friday following the completion of clinical placement.


Return Date to Students

Week 12 Friday (6 Oct 2017)


Weighting
Pass/Fail

Minimum mark or grade
This is a pass / fail assessment piece.

Assessment Criteria

The Reflective Practice Portfolio comprises one workbook document, which must be completed to the required standard and submitted as a single combined PDF document. The total list of components is as follows:

  • Your Pre-Placement Self-Assessment & Learning Goals.
  • Patient Care Officer Case Log.
  • Post-Placement Self-Review.
  • Three Clinical Case Reviews, each completed to the required standard. Please review the example provided in Moodle. Substandard CCRs will be returned for completion.
  • Clinical Skills Sign-Off Sheet.
  • DTP Sign-Off Sheet.
  • Marking Checklist, to be completed by the student prior to submission.

All documents must be scanned and saved as a single combined PDF file and uploaded to Moodle; please do not submit as image files, and please do not email these to your Lecturer. Please see the unit Moodle for a complete description and discussion of this assessment task, including completion guidelines and word count requirements as relevant.


Referencing Style

Submission
Online

Submission Instructions
All documents must be scanned and saved as a single combined PDF file and uploaded to Moodle; please do not submit as image files, and please do not email these to your Lecturer.

Learning Outcomes Assessed
  • Demonstrate clinical reasoning and practical skills within the acute prehospital care setting.
  • Critically examine and self-evaluate own clinical decision-making processes during case management.


Graduate Attributes
  • Communication
  • Problem Solving
  • Critical Thinking
  • Information Literacy
  • Team Work
  • Cross Cultural Competence
  • Ethical practice

2 Professional Practice Placement

Assessment Title
Placement Attendance & Performance Evaluation Reports

Task Description

On a fortnightly basis you will complete a Placement Attendance & Performance Evaluation Report (PAPER) with your supervising Mentor. This report considers aspects of your clinical and professional performance on-road, including performance as patient care officer, clinical procedures and skills, communication and teamwork skills, and your professional conduct, attitude, and demeanour. The PAPER template guides you and your Mentor through completion, and the form itself also provides comprehensive information for your Mentor on your current stage of learning, your expected performance levels, and information on support and assessment. Please see the unit Moodle site for a complete description of this assessment task, including completion guidelines and examples.

This task is designed to enhance the educational quality and value of your clinical placement by:

  • Establishing clear expectations of students’ clinical performance and knowledge, enabling Mentors to frame assessment, feedback, and support at the appropriate level.
  • Providing a framework for communication and feedback to guide and strengthen the Student - Mentor relationship.
  • Recording your on-road performance on a week-by-week basis, to demonstrate achievement of unit learning objectives and assessment requirements.
  • Ensure adherence to required standards of conduct and attendance during clinical placement.

It is important to note that these documents are not solely to confirm your completion of unit requirements; they are equally valuable as evidence logs of your professionalism, conduct, and clinical performance that will support your future employment applications. For these reasons they are arguably the most valuable documents from your clinical placement, and it is imperative that you are diligent in completing them with your mentors as instructed.


Assessment Due Date

Week 7 Friday (1 Sept 2017) 11:45 pm AEST

Due 23:45hrs on the first Friday following completion of clinical placement.


Return Date to Students

Week 12 Friday (6 Oct 2017)


Weighting
Pass/Fail

Minimum mark or grade
This is a pass / fail assessment piece.

Assessment Criteria

Whilst attending placement you will provide a copy of the Student Information Sheet to all mentors that you work with. This sheet provides information on appropriate performance expectations, the goals of this placement phase, and on the performance review process. Appropriate feedback and grading from your mentor depends upon their access to this information, and it also provides University contact details in the event of emergencies or problems, so please ensure that you do provide this sheet for Mentors. Where problems arise in terms of performance expectations one of the first things that is checked is completion of the Student Information Sheet.

  • Your submission must meet the following criteria to pass this assessment task:
  • You must attend all scheduled shifts for both placement rotations. Minimum placement hours apply.
  • You will complete three PAPERs with your mentors across the six weeks of your clinical placement according to the stated schedule: complete PAPER1 at end of second placement week, complete PAPER2 at end of fourth placement week, complete PAPER3 during (but before the end of) the sixth and final placement week.
  • You will submit all three PAPERs together on the first Friday following completion of clinical placement.
  • All fields must be completed in full according to directions on the Information Sheet at the front of the document.
  • Your shift attendance log must be verified as true and correct by either one of your mentors or your station OIC.
  • You must complete the Marking Checklist prior to submission of the PAPER assessment.
  • Notify the placement host by phone asap of any unplanned absenteeism; next notify the Unit Coordinator via email and attach a completed Absenteeism Report.
  • Absences must be logged on the shift log, and arrangements made to complete missed hours. Minimum total hours apply.
  • Minimum expectations of clinical performance grades are detailed within the assessment rubric on Moodle.
  • Minimum expectations of professional conduct grades are detailed within the assessment rubric on Moodle.
  • Students are expected to uphold the standards and requirements of the Clinical Placement Guidelines as provided within Moodle.
  • Direct reports from industry of student misconduct, or of significant concerns regarding clinical performance, are investigated fully and may impact successful completion of this assessment task.
  • Please scan all pages of your PAPERs, and compile into ONE SINGLE PDF file. Instructions for this process are provided on Moodle.

Further information and examples of completed documentation are provided on Moodle.

Attendance and mentor reports are subject to random validity checks with placement hosts.

Professional conduct:

Your professional conduct during clinical placement is subject to evaluation. Significant penalties, ranging from unit failure to course expulsion, exist for students whose conduct and/or actions breach University policies and/or those of the industry placement host. Direct lines of communication exist between placement hosts and the University, and all complaints or concerns raised by industry representatives will be fully investigated. In such circumstances both student and industry perspectives are sought.

Please review the policies and rubrics for this assessment task prior to placement; these are available on the Moodle assessment page.

You must submit and pass all components of this assessment to pass the unit. This is a pass/fail assessment.


Referencing Style

Submission
Online

Submission Instructions
All documents must be scanned and saved as PDF files and uploaded to Moodle; please do not submit as image files, and please do not email these to your Lecturer.

Learning Outcomes Assessed
  • Demonstrate clinical reasoning and practical skills within the acute prehospital care setting.
  • Critically examine and self-evaluate own clinical decision-making processes during case management.


Graduate Attributes
  • Communication
  • Problem Solving
  • Critical Thinking
  • Information Literacy
  • Team Work
  • Cross Cultural Competence
  • Ethical practice

Academic Integrity Statement

As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.

Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.

When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.

Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.

As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.

What is a breach of academic integrity?

A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.

Why is academic integrity important?

A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.

Where can I get assistance?

For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.

What can you do to act with integrity?