CQUniversity Unit Profile
PMSC20011 Independent Practice and Leadership
Independent Practice and Leadership
All details in this unit profile for PMSC20011 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 offers you clinical experiences where you can transition your knowledge, decision making and skills into practice as a paramedic with a primary healthcare focus. This unit centres around workplace learning for assessment, diagnosis and management of patients in the primary care environment under the supervision of a GP/physician or other advanced health care practitioner. Additionally, you will function with other healthcare providers and demonstrate your functionality within a multidisciplinary team. You will develop your leadership and managerial skills as an advanced paramedic practitioner. Finally, you will be offered the opportunity to demonstrate self-reflection in ongoing quality improvement and career development.

Details

Career Level: Postgraduate
Unit Level: Not Applicable
Credit Points: 6
Student Contribution Band: 8
Fraction of Full-Time Student Load: 0.125

Pre-requisites or Co-requisites

As this is a 1.5 year Masters by full-time (all four units done in Term 1) or 3 year part-time (two units in Term 1 and then final two units in Term 2) and a capstone workplace learning experience, the Pre-Requisites (if part time) or Co-Requisites (if full time) for this unit include: PMSC20008: Primary Healthcare Management PMSC20009: Primary Healthcare Assessment, Pharmacology and Skills Co-Requisite only: PMSC20010: Health Communication and Community Involvement

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 1 - 2017

Distance

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 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

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.

Unit Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
  1. Apply new underpinning knowledge in transition to advanced paramedic practice
  2. Promote ethical principles within independent practice
  3. Exhibit integration and functionality within a multidisciplinary team
  4. Develop leadership and managerial skills as an advanced paramedic practitioner
  5. Demonstrate self-reflection in ongoing quality improvement and career development

A Graduate Diploma is now the standard requirement for many State ambulance services for advanced positions in the paramedic field. An emphasis has been placed on preferred candidates exceeding this requirement with a Masters degree for many new positions such as the Paramedic Practitioner.

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 4 5
1 - Portfolio - 0%
2 - Professional Practice Placement - 0%

Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes

Graduate Attributes Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4 5
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 - 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: Harvard (author-date)

For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.

Teaching Contacts
Kirsty Shearer Unit Coordinator
k.shearer@cqu.edu.au
Schedule
Week 1 Begin Date: 06 Mar 2017

Module/Topic

Introduction & clinical placement arrangements

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 2 Begin Date: 13 Mar 2017

Module/Topic

THEME 1 - Transition to practice

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 3 Begin Date: 20 Mar 2017

Module/Topic

THEME 1 - Transition to practice

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 4 Begin Date: 27 Mar 2017

Module/Topic

THEME 2 - Applying ethical principles

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 5 Begin Date: 03 Apr 2017

Module/Topic

THEME 2 - Applying ethical principles

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Vacation Week Begin Date: 10 Apr 2017

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 6 Begin Date: 17 Apr 2017

Module/Topic

THEME 3 - Working in a multi-disciplinary team

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 7 Begin Date: 24 Apr 2017

Module/Topic

THEME 3 - Working in a multi-disciplinary team

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 8 Begin Date: 01 May 2017

Module/Topic

THEME 4 - Leadership & managerial skills

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 9 Begin Date: 08 May 2017

Module/Topic

THEME 4 - Leadership & managerial skills

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 10 Begin Date: 15 May 2017

Module/Topic

THEME 5 - Self-reflection, quality improvement & career development

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 11 Begin Date: 22 May 2017

Module/Topic

THEME 5 - Self-reflection, quality improvement & career development

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 12 Begin Date: 29 May 2017

Module/Topic

Tying up any loose ends/clinical placements

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Portfolio Due: Week 12 Friday (2 June 2017) 11:45 pm AEST
Placement Due: Week 12 Friday (2 June 2017) 11:45 pm AEST
Review/Exam Week Begin Date: 05 Jun 2017

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Exam Week Begin Date: 12 Jun 2017

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Assessment Tasks

1 Portfolio

Assessment Title
Portfolio

Task Description

You will need to complete a portfolio of three sections, as outlined below:

Section 1: Ethical Principles (20% of overall mark)

In this section, you are to discuss two (2) situations where ethics has come into play during your clinical placement (or, if needed, within your own current clinical practice). Please do not include any information that may identify any participants in the situations you describe.

Please start with an introduction to the situation, and research/articulate the ethical principles you felt were in play and what any issues or conflicts were. You are then to offer a discussion of your thoughts and findings based upon the following questions:

· Were these issues resolved? If so, how? If not, what was the result?

· How did you feel about either being involved in or bearing witness to the situation?

· How will this affect your future clinical practice?

· Are you comfortable with your current knowledge of ethics as part of your practice? Is there any self-development you need to undertake?

Section 2: Leadership & management (20% of overall mark)

In this section, reflect on situations you have experienced during your own clinical practice and placements in this unit and document your thoughts on areas such as:

· What you think are good overall qualities or traits to espouse?

· What you think are good communication strategies to engage?

· Visibility & accessibility as a leader/manager?

· How you currently offer feedback (positive & negative) and could you improve?

· Promoting a positive practice environments including advocacy

· Conflict management

Section 3: Self-reflection, quality improvement & career development (20% of overall mark)

In this section, for the first part discuss your overall self-reflection on your development as a practitioner, during your clinical placements, through this program and on your own current clinical practice.

In the second part, consider areas of paramedicine from a quality improvement perspective. With your new knowledge and understanding of primary and low acuity health care, and with exposure to clinical practice in the field, what quality improvement could you see applied in paramedicine in your State, or in Australia more broadly? Do you anticipate the nature of paramedicine changing as a result of this?

In the third part, discuss your career development plan. Now that you have gained underpinning knowledge and experience in primary and low acuity care, where do you see yourself applying your new qualifications? Are there opportunities within your own service or others that you would like to pursue? What other clinical areas might you see your skills applying?


Assessment Due Date

Week 12 Friday (2 June 2017) 11:45 pm AEST


Return Date to Students

Exam Week Friday (16 June 2017)


Weighting
Pass/Fail

Assessment Criteria

While there is no prescribed word limit for your portfolio, use 1500 words per section as a guide. The portfolio will be assessed in accordance with the rubric provided on the unit Moodle page. The portfolio must be submitted to achieve an overall pass for this unit.

Criteria include:

Overall presentation

  • organisation of presentation/layout
  • writing mechanics
  • formatting
  • referencing

Content on each of the areas as outlines above

  • ethical principles
  • leadership & management
  • self-reflection, quality improvement & career development

This portfolio is a pass/fail task. All assessment pieces must be completed to pass this unit.


Referencing Style

Submission
Online

Submission Instructions
Submission online through unit Moodle page.

Learning Outcomes Assessed
  • Promote ethical principles within independent practice
  • Develop leadership and managerial skills as an advanced paramedic practitioner
  • Demonstrate self-reflection in ongoing quality improvement and career development


Graduate Attributes
  • Knowledge
  • Communication
  • Cognitive, technical and creative skills
  • Research
  • Self-management
  • Ethical and Professional Responsibility
  • Leadership

2 Professional Practice Placement

Assessment Title
Placement

Task Description

In this unit you are required to complete 144 hours of clinical placement in a variety of settings. For this assessment, you will need to complete four (4) separate Placement Attendance & Performance Evaluation Reports (PAPERs), preferably one for each location that you work. All 4 PAPERs must be submitted to achieve an overall pass for this assessment.


Assessment Due Date

Week 12 Friday (2 June 2017) 11:45 pm AEST


Return Date to Students

Exam Week Friday (16 June 2017)


Weighting
Pass/Fail

Assessment Criteria

Each PAPER contains section gathering feedback from your mentors on your performance in areas such as:

· applying new knowledge in transition to practice

· integration & functionality within a multidisciplinary team

· leadership & management skills

There are also sections related to attendance and conduct.

Furthermore, there are areas where you can document cases attended and the types of procedures, skills and pharmacology you have had exposure to. A copy of the PAPER will be provided on the unit Moodle page.

Your PAPERs are pass/fail tasks. All assessments must be completed to pass this unit.


Referencing Style

Submission
Online

Submission Instructions
Submission online through unit Moodle page.

Learning Outcomes Assessed
  • Apply new underpinning knowledge in transition to advanced paramedic practice
  • Exhibit integration and functionality within a multidisciplinary team
  • Develop leadership and managerial skills as an advanced paramedic practitioner


Graduate Attributes
  • Knowledge
  • Communication
  • Cognitive, technical and creative skills
  • Self-management
  • Ethical and Professional Responsibility
  • Leadership

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?