Overview
In this unit you will address the paramedic management of patients with medical and trauma conditions at the critical care level. Upon completion of this unit you will be able to identify the indications, precautions, risks and contraindications of the skills and interventions involved in critical care practice; employ critical thinking and clinical decision making; and demonstrate the skills and interventions required at a critical care level. The unit will include clinical skills laboratory and simulation scenarios designed to enable you to develop the essential communication, assessment, clinical problem-solving, decision making and management skills required at a critical care level.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Pre-requisites PMSC20001 Advanced clinical assessment and decision making PMSC20003 Pharmacological application in the critical care setting
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 - 2018
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).
Residential Schools
This unit has a Compulsory Residential School for distance mode students and the details are:
Click here to see your Residential School Timetable.
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Postgraduate 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
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback – Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
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 Course Evaluation Survey
One student suggested that assessments for PMSC20001 and PMSC20002 need to be further spaced out as they both include clinical reflection and it would be beneficial to receive the feedback from one before submitting the other, as both units require this assessment submission at the end of term.
If the new course proposal for the Grad Dip is accepted, these units will be offered in different terms which will alleviate this issue.
- Articulate the concepts and theoretical underpinnings, including the anatomical and pathophysiological reasons, for the application of critical care skills and interventions in the management of a critically ill or injured patient
- Identify the indications, precautions, risks and contraindications of the skills and interventions involved in critical care practice
- Employ critical thinking and clinical decision making for the use of critical care skills and interventions
- Demonstrate the skills and interventions involved in critical care practice.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Online Quiz(zes) - 40% | ||||
| 2 - Off-campus Activity - 60% | ||||
| 3 - On-campus Activity - 0% | ||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Knowledge | ||||
| 2 - Communication | ||||
| 3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills | ||||
| 4 - Research | ||||
| 5 - Self-management | ||||
| 6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility | ||||
| 7 - Leadership | ||||
| 8 - 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 | |
| 1 - Online Quiz(zes) - 40% | ||||||||
| 2 - Off-campus Activity - 60% | ||||||||
| 3 - On-campus Activity - 0% | ||||||||
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Harvard (author-date)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
n.williams-claassen@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Module 1: Introduction
Chapter
Advanced vascular access and medication administration:
- IO
- EJ
- SC Drugs
- Drug Pumps
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Module 2: Perfusion Procedures
Chapter
Arterial lines
Vasopressors
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Module 2: Perfusion Procedures
Chapter
Review of 12-lead, right-sided and 15-lead ECG principles and acquisition
Fibrinolytics
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Module 3: Cardiac Procedures
Chapter
Synchronised cardioversion
Transcutaneous pacing
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Module 3: Cardiac Procedures
Chapter
Synchronised cardioversion
Transcutaneous pacing
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Self-study period
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Module 4: Airway and Ventilation Procedures
Chapter
Intubation
Use of a bougie
ET drug administration
OG/NG tube placement
Capnography
Events and Submissions/Topic
Quiz 1 available from the 24th August 2018 0800 AEST
Module/Topic
Module 4: Airway and Ventilation Procedures
Chapter
Chest decompression (needle and Cook set)
Pneumocath
Thoracostomy and chest tube placement
Events and Submissions/Topic
Quiz 1 is due on the 31st August 2018 1100 AEST
Module/Topic
Module 4: Airway and Ventilation Procedures
Chapter
IPPV Review
PEEP
CPAP
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Module 4: Airway and Ventilation Procedures
Chapter
Ventilators
Cricothyrotomy
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Residential School
Chapter
Skills practice
Events and Submissions/Topic
Skill Assessments Due: Week 10 Friday (21 Sept 2018) 11:45 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Module 5: Altered Consciousness and Behavioural Procedures
Chapter
Integration of seizure and altered LOC management principles
Events and Submissions/Topic
Quiz 2 available from 28th September 2018 0800 AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Quiz 2 - is due on 5th October 2018 at 1100 AEST.
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
No Exam
1 Online Quiz(zes)
You will complete two (2) separate online quizzes. Each quiz will consist of multiple choice questions exploring content included in the unit (such as but not limited to, lecture materials, online modules, links & required readings).
Content for the quizzes is based on previous weeks’ topics (as detailed in the schedule) and will test your ability to identify the concepts and theoretical underpinnings, including the anatomical and pathophysiological reasons, for the application of critical care skills and interventions in the management of a critically ill or injured patient ; identify the indications, precautions, risks and contraindications of the skills and interventions involved in critical care practice; and employ critical thinking and clinical decision making for the use of critical care skills and interventions.
2
Other
Quiz 1 - is due on the 31st August 2018 1100 AEST. Quiz 2 - is due on the 5th October 2018 1100 AEST
Quizzes will be marked and returned to students after 2 weeks from the due date
There are two quizzes, each quiz is worth 20%. Marks are awarded if the multiple choice question is answered correctly and the total marks are tallied after each quiz has been attempted. Non-attempts will score a zero mark.
Quizzes are open-book, so the use of Clinical Practice Guidelines, book chapters and journal articles etc. are allowed. Please take note that this is an individual assessment. Collaboration is not allowed and may lead to disciplinary action.
Each quiz will have a specific time limit imposed to complete the quiz.
In the absence of an approved extension, there will be no opportunity to complete the task after the due date, and there will be no opportunity to apply a late penalty of five percent per day. Quizzes may not be re-attempted.
- Articulate the concepts and theoretical underpinnings, including the anatomical and pathophysiological reasons, for the application of critical care skills and interventions in the management of a critically ill or injured patient
- Identify the indications, precautions, risks and contraindications of the skills and interventions involved in critical care practice
- Employ critical thinking and clinical decision making for the use of critical care skills and interventions
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Research
2 Off-campus Activity
You would have witnessed firsthand some of the advanced care skills undertaken by critical care paramedics during the course of your career. By reflecting upon these skills, you will see how appropriate management plans are established from assessment findings such as history and physical examination; how critical thinking, clinical decision making and medical evidence are used for the employment of critical care skills and interventions; the effect these skills and procedures have on the patient’s homeostasis; and our ability as Critical Care Paramedics (CCP) to manage these patients.
Within your current practice you will be required to directly observe critical care skills performed by a CCP/Physician on at least two (2) patients. You will be required to complete a case report on these patients and critically discuss the skill(s) observed (one report per patient). Each case report must include the following:
- A description of the patient's clinical presentation and diagnosis
- Discussion of the clinical reasoning undertaken for use of this skill in the management of this critically ill or injured patient, as well as the evidence-based support behind the skill's application
- Articulate and justify why this skill is clinically significant at a critical care level
- Documented changes in the patient’s clinical presentation (positive or negative) resulting from application of the skill, providing reasons for this occurrence.
Week 9 Friday (14 Sept 2018) 11:00 am AEST
14th September 2018 by 1100 AEST (UTC+10:00, QLD Time).
Week 11 Friday (28 Sept 2018)
There is a maximum word limit of 3000 words and a minimum word count of 2000 words for each case report. It is expected that each case report will be clear and concise. The case reports will be assessed in accordance with the information and rubric provided on the unit Moodle page. Each case should be presented in an essay format.
The case report document is worth 60% of your overall unit mark.
- Articulate the concepts and theoretical underpinnings, including the anatomical and pathophysiological reasons, for the application of critical care skills and interventions in the management of a critically ill or injured patient
- Identify the indications, precautions, risks and contraindications of the skills and interventions involved in critical care practice
- Employ critical thinking and clinical decision making for the use of critical care skills and interventions
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Research
- Self-management
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
- Leadership
3 On-campus Activity
For this assessment you will be required to attend a compulsory residential school. There will be several assessment pieces, each designed to assess knowledge and practical skills acquired during this unit. During the OSCEs your clinical skills will tested as well as your theoretical knowledge of that skill.
Week 10 Friday (21 Sept 2018) 11:45 pm AEST
Assessed during Residential School Period
Students will be made aware of their results at the end of the Residential School
OSCE sheets for specific skills will be provided on the unit Moodle page.
Students will have two attempts for each skill assessed.
The assessment will be based on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory marking criteria based on the following key points:
· Successful completion of the skill
· Demonstration of skill in a timely matter
· Ability to minimise missed steps or minor mistakes
· Completion of the skill without making a critical error (A critical error will result in a failed attempt)
If a critical error occurs during your assessment the assessment will immediately cease, no marks will be given for that item and will result in a failed attempt.
During any form of assessment, if any of the following are witnessed the assessment will immediately cease, no marks will be given for that item and it will result in a failed attempt:
- An action or inaction which causes immediate harm to yourself, partner, patient or bystanders
- Unsafe use of the defibrillator
- No or incomplete drug check
- Incorrect sharps disposal
- Performing a skill and/or procedure outside the scope of practice of a CCP
- Demonstrate the skills and interventions involved in critical care practice.
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Self-management
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
- Leadership
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?
