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 (3) clinical placement units within the Bachelor of Paramedic Science course, where you will apply clinical knowledge, reasoning and practical skills at a graduate level in the clinical environment, engaging in reflective practice and consolidating skills and knowledge acquired over the course of the degree. There will be five (5) weeks of clinical placement with an approved clinical provider. Placement activities focus on clinical judgement and decision-making to support your increasingly independent practice, ensuring you are adequately prepared 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 Requisites: PMSC13002 Clinical Paramedic Practice 2 PMSC13001 Mental Health for Paramedics Please note: Any student who has not successfully completed a PMSC residential school within the preceding 12 months or undertaken a clinical placement unit, must complete a PMSC12001 Procedures & Skills refresher. This ensures currency with all contemporary skills and procedures in line with industry standards and professional capabilities

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 - 2023

Mixed Mode

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

Feedback

I'm sure the quiz is probably to fulfill some kind of requirement but seemed a bit pointless having to do a quiz that required 100% but could be repeated until that mark was reached. Learnt nothing from it.

Recommendation

2023 offering will have the quiz removed as this feedback is frequently provided in previous offerings.

Feedback from SUTE

Feedback

Rewording of the mentor report email. It says, "upon review of the student's submission above, please indicate whether you support the student's reflection or reject their reflection. Please press 'Reply' to this email and advise if you agree with the reflections of _____. If you do not agree with the reflections of _____, please advise us of the specific question along with what score you would have assigned the student and as much free text as possible to support your opinion. For me, I was disappointed that my mentor only replied with "I agree with the student reflection"•. Yes, it's positive he agreed, but he gave me no feedback whatsoever and speaking to my peers this seems to be a common trend. Reading the mentor report, I can see why they replied as such since it only asks for feedback if they do not agree with the student. Maybe alter the wording to get positive feedback if they agree, or maybe a small questionnaire at the end such as "What areas do you think the student excelled?"• or "what area do you think the student improved the most?".

Recommendation

2023 offering shifting to Sonia system mentor reports with feedback from 2022 offering of PMSC12002 being applied to all WIL units in 2023. Sonia mentor reports provide greater clarification on requirements and whilst qualitative feedback is not possible to mandate from industry providers, rewording of Sonia mentor report to further encourage greater level of quality feedback will be implemented in 2023.

Unit Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
  1. Apply clinical reasoning and practical skills at a graduate level within the clinical setting whilst working collaboratively with allied health professionals
  2. Refine reflective practice principles associated with clinical reasoning and conduct whilst supporting diverse client groups in the health care setting
  3. Evaluate legal responsibilities and requirements, ethical and professional responsibilities and the legal and ethical boundaries of paramedicine practice.

It is a requirement of the Paramedicine Board of Australia that units align with the AHPRA professional capabilities for registered paramedics. These are broken down into five (5) domains. Below aligns the learning outcomes with these domains. In addition, the learning outcomes have also been aligned with the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards.

Professional Capabilities for a Registered Paramedic

The Paramedicine Board of Australia is responsible for assessing, consulting on and setting the standards for paramedics practicing in Australia. These standards and relevant domains are articulated in the Professional capabilities for registered paramedics document. The learning outcomes of this unit are matched to the relevant capabilities.

Standard/Attribute/Criteria Learning Outcomes
Domain 1: The professional; and ethical practitioner1.1.1, 1.1.2, 1.1.3, 1.1.4, 1.1.5, 1.1.6, 1.1.8, 1.1.9, 1.1.10, 1.1.11, 1.2.1, 1.2.2, 1.2.3, 1.2.4, 1.2.5, 1.3.1, 1.3.2, 1.3.3, 1.4.1, 1.4.2 LO1, LO2, LO3
Domain 2: The communicator and the collaborator2.1.1, 2.1.2, 2.1.3, 2.1.4, 2.1.5, 2.1.6, 2.1.7, 2.1.8, 2.2.1, 2.2.2, 2.2.3, 2.2.5, 2.2.6 LO1, LO2, LO3
Domain 3: The evidence-based practitioner3.1.1, 3.1.2, 3.2.1, 3.2.2, 3.2.3, 3.2.4, 3.2.5, 3.2.6, 3.3.1, 3.3.2, 3.3.3, 3.3.4, 3.4.1, 3.4.2, 3.4.3, 3.4.4 LO1, LO2, LO3
Domain 4: The safety and risk management practitioner4.1.1, 4.1.2, 4.1.3, 4.1.4, 4.1.5, 4.2.1, 4.2.2, 4.2.3, 4.2.4, 4.3.1, 4.3.2, 4.3.3, 4.4.1, 4.4.2, 4.4.3, 4.4.4, 4.5.2, 4.5.3, 4.6.5, 4.7.1, 4.7.3, 4.7.4, 4.7.7 LO1, LO2, LO3
Domain 5: The paramedicine practitioner5.1.2, 5.1.3, 5.1.4, 5.1.5, 5.2.1, 5.2.2, 5.2.3, 5.2.4, 5.2.5, 5.3.1, 5.3.3, 5.3.4, 5.3.5, 5.3.6, 5.4.1, 5.4.2, 5.4.3, 5.4.4, 5.4.5, 5.4.6, 5.6.1, 5.6.2, 5.6.3, 5.6.4 LO1, LO2, LO3
National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards

The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality Health Care Standards developed in this unit are:

Standard Learning Outcomes
Partnering and Consumers LO1, LO2, LO3
Preventing and Controlling infections LO1, LO2, LO3
Medication safety LO1, LO2, LO3
Comprehensive care LO1, LO2, LO3
Communicating for Safety LO1, LO2
Recognising and responding to Acute Deterioration LO1, LO2

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 3
1 - Portfolio - 0%
2 - Professional Practice Placement - 0%

Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes

Graduate Attributes Learning Outcomes
1 2 3
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
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)
  • Sonia Online
Referencing Style

All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 7th Edition (APA 7th edition)

For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.

Teaching Contacts
Jeremy Taylor Unit Coordinator
j.d.taylor@cqu.edu.au
Schedule
Week 1 Begin Date: 10 Jul 2023

Module/Topic

Introduction

Module 1 - Communication on placement

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Zoom dial-in catchup


Week 2 Begin Date: 17 Jul 2023

Module/Topic

Module 2 - Cultural safety

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 1 of clinical placement

Week 3 Begin Date: 24 Jul 2023

Module/Topic

Module 3 - Social media, professionalism and ethics

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 2 of clinical placement

Zoom dial-in session


Week 4 Begin Date: 31 Jul 2023

Module/Topic

Module 4 - Reflective practice

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 3 of clinical placement

Interim (Formative) Clinical supervisor assessment due 9am Monday

Zoom dial-in session

Week 5 Begin Date: 07 Aug 2023

Module/Topic

Module 4 - Reflective practice

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 4 of clinical placement

Vacation Week Begin Date: 14 Aug 2023

Module/Topic

Break week

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Final week of clinical placement

Zoom dial-in session

Week 6 Begin Date: 21 Aug 2023

Module/Topic

Module 5 - Injury prevention & Occupational violence

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Final (Summative) Clinical Supervisor assessment Due:  Monday (21st August at 9am AEST)


Clinical supervisor assessment Due: Week 6 Monday (21 Aug 2023) 9:00 am AEST
Week 7 Begin Date: 28 Aug 2023

Module/Topic

Module 6 - AHPRA Professional capabilities for registered paramedics

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 8 Begin Date: 04 Sep 2023

Module/Topic

Module 7 - Vulnerable clients

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Portfolio Due: Week 8 Monday (4 Sept 2023) 9:00 am AEST
Week 9 Begin Date: 11 Sep 2023

Module/Topic

Module 8 - Legislation

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 10 Begin Date: 18 Sep 2023

Module/Topic

Module 9 - Transition to Practice 7 CPD

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 11 Begin Date: 25 Sep 2023

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 12 Begin Date: 02 Oct 2023

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Review/Exam Week Begin Date: 09 Oct 2023

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Exam Week Begin Date: 16 Oct 2023

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Assessment Tasks

1 Professional Practice Placement

Assessment Title
Clinical supervisor assessment

Task Description

The clinical supervisor assessment has two components reflecting the Interim (Formative) assessment and the Final (Summative) assessment. The formative assessment report is to be submitted mid placement to assist with student tracking, and the summative report to be submitted at the end of clinical placement. The final result of this assessment item is dependent upon the final summative report results.

The assessment report will be marked in accordance with the marking rubric found in Moodle, including the following topics:

  • Professional capabilities for registered paramedics;
  • Professionalism;
  • Skills log;
  • Case type log; and
  • Assessment submission and forwarding to clinical supervisor.


Assessment Due Date

Week 6 Monday (21 Aug 2023) 9:00 am AEST

Final clinical supervisor assessment report due on the Monday following the last week of clinical placement.


Return Date to Students

Weighting
Pass/Fail

Assessment Criteria

To successfully pass this assessment element, the following are important to acknowledge:

Professional capabilities for registered paramedics: Obtains 3’s or 4’s, in all questions across all Domains in the Final (Summative) Report.

Professionalism: Obtains 3’s or 4’s, in all questions in the Final (Summative) report.

Skills log: Accurately completes Skills log based on clinical activity

Case type log: Accurately completes the Case log based on clinical activity

Report completed and submitted by due date: The Final (Summative) Clinical supervisor assessment must be completed and submitted to your clinical supervisor by the due date

To automatically receive a pass in this assessment, the student must achieve a pass in all of the listed criteria above.

Submission

Completion Online via Sonia

Submission Instructions

There is no submission required separate to the completion in Sonia. Late completion of the assessment in Sonia may incur a fail grade.

Learning Outcomes Assessed

  • Apply clinical reasoning and practical skills at a graduate level within the clinical setting whilst working collaboratively with allied health professionals
  • Refine reflective practice principles associated with clinical reasoning and conduct whilst supporting diverse client groups in the health care setting
  • Evaluate legal responsibilities and requirements, ethical and professional responsibilities and the legal and ethical boundaries of paramedicine practice.


Referencing Style

Submission

No submission method provided.


Learning Outcomes Assessed
  • Apply clinical reasoning and practical skills at a graduate level within the clinical setting whilst working collaboratively with allied health professionals
  • Refine reflective practice principles associated with clinical reasoning and conduct whilst supporting diverse client groups in the health care setting
  • Evaluate legal responsibilities and requirements, ethical and professional responsibilities and the legal and ethical boundaries of paramedicine practice.

2 Portfolio

Assessment Title
Portfolio

Task Description

This unit is divided into three main phases: pre-placement preparation, the 5 weeks of clinical placement, and post-placement review. The activities of this assessment task span all three phases, and are designed to lead you confidently through your first paramedic clinical placement.

  • The pre-placement activities ensure adequate preparation for all aspects of clinical placement, adequate completion of the placement portfolio and establish performance goals and expectations. You will learn about the concept of reflective practice for paramedics, and through a process of self-assessment and planning will begin to proactively manage your own clinical learning and development.
  • During your 5 weeks of clinical placement you will be performing assessment and assisting with treatment of patients, and during downtime complete a placement portfolio. The portfolio is designed to complement your professional experience by leading you through self-review tasks.
  • Finally, on completion of your placement, you will review your overall clinical development and placement outcomes this term. This involves reviewing the experiences and achievements that you have gained and identifying what you must continue working on to adequately prepare for your second clinical placement unit.
Your self-assessment findings and reflective practice activities from this clinical placement unit feed into your preparation for the next clinical placement unit. Reflective practice is a core component of ongoing quality assurance in all Australian and many International health and Ambulance services, and employers are now actively requiring graduates to demonstrate reflective practice skills. By establishing this ongoing course of structured self-review you will develop the core skill set necessary to maximise your ongoing professional development, both for the remainder of your academic studies and for your paramedic career thereafter.


Assessment Due Date

Week 8 Monday (4 Sept 2023) 9:00 am AEST

Portfolios are due for submission two weeks after the completion of your clinical placement.


Return Date to Students

Weighting
Pass/Fail

Minimum mark or grade
All students must achieve a minimum of 50% to pass this assessment item.

Assessment Criteria

To pass the Placement Portfolio assessment you must complete your portfolio to the given instructions and including:

  • Pre and post placement self assessments
  • Reflective practice task
  • 2 x Clinical Case Reviews

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

Referencing: American Psychological Association 7th Edition (APA 7th edition) - Intext referencing to be included for pathophysiology sections of the Clinical Case Reviews.

Format: The Portfolio must be in either Word or PDF format, and uploaded directly to Moodle

Submission: Late submissions without an approved extension may incur a fail grade. One re-submission may be permitted as per discretion of the Unit Coordinator.


Referencing Style

Submission
Online

Submission Instructions
The Portfolio must be in either Word or PDF format, and uploaded directly to Moodle.

Learning Outcomes Assessed
  • Apply clinical reasoning and practical skills at a graduate level within the clinical setting whilst working collaboratively with allied health professionals
  • Refine reflective practice principles associated with clinical reasoning and conduct whilst supporting diverse client groups in the health care setting
  • Evaluate legal responsibilities and requirements, ethical and professional responsibilities and the legal and ethical boundaries of paramedicine 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?