Overview
This unit provides you with the knowledge and management strategies for functioning as a paramedic with a primary healthcare focus. This unit lays out the foundations of recognition and management of patients with common chronic and low acuity disease states through a detailed examination of the pathophysiology, epidemiology, history and assessment findings. You will be able to formulate a clinical diagnosis by incorporating presentation, history, assessment, diagnostic studies and other findings using an analytic approach and then utilise evidenced-based medicine for the management of a patient's condition. Additionally, the unit introduces you to palliative care and the paramedic practitioner's role in its delivery.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
There are no requisites for this unit.
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 - 2023
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).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 12-credit Postgraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 25 hours of study per week, making a total of 300 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.
- Differentiate between common chronic and low acuity disease states based on pathophysiology, epidemiology, risk factors, signs and symptoms
- Integrate diagnostic findings with patient presentation, history and assessment to formulate a working diagnosis
- Employ an analytic approach using evidence-based medicine and guidelines for the management of primary care conditions
- Describe the primary care paramedic's role in the delivery of palliative care.
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 Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 40% | ||||
| 2 - Presentation - 30% | ||||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 30% | ||||
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 - Written Assessment - 40% | ||||||||
| 2 - Presentation - 30% | ||||||||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 30% | ||||||||
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
Disease states of the eyes, ears, nose and throat
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Disease states of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Disease states of the central nervous system and mental health
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Disease states of the gastrointestinal and urinary systems
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Communicable diseases, infections and allergies
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Diabetes and Skin disorders
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Disease states of the musculoskeletal system
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Wounds
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Palliative Care
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Palliative Care
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Catch up week
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Pain Management
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Written Assessment
In this assessment, you are required to discuss a patient with a common chronic or low acuity disease state that you have attended and treated as a paramedic.
The case report must include the following:
• A description of the patient's initial presentation, key history, and physical assessment findings
• Discussion on further diagnostic tests that could have been utilised in the formulation of a diagnosis for this patient as a paramedic with a primary healthcare focus, justified with supporting evidence.
• The possible differential diagnoses for this patient’s condition.
• Discussion on each of these possible diagnoses’ pathophysiology, epidemiology, risk factors, and signs and symptoms.
• Formulate the most likely working diagnosis for this patient, justified with supporting evidence.
Week 6 Thursday (20 Apr 2023) 11:45 pm AEST
Week 8 Friday (5 May 2023)
The case report will be assessed in accordance with the rubric and information provided on the unit’s Moodle page. The following criteria are key points to be included:
• The written assessment should be presented in an essay format
• The written assessment must address each of the main topic tasks as detailed in the task description
• Avoid superficial points or comments and be clear and concise
• As this is a written assessment, you must include in-text referencing and a reference list.
There is a minimum word count requirement of 3000 words and a maximum of 3500 words.
The case report is worth 40% of your overall unit mark.
- Differentiate between common chronic and low acuity disease states based on pathophysiology, epidemiology, risk factors, signs and symptoms
- Integrate diagnostic findings with patient presentation, history and assessment to formulate a working diagnosis
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Research
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
- Leadership
2 Presentation
During your career as a paramedic, you would have experienced call-outs to patients with common chronic or low acuity disease states that may have required medical assistance, though not at an emergency care level. In most cases these patients are unnecessarily transported to a hospital’s emergency department (ED) for a non-acute condition, increasing the clinical demand on EDs and patient waiting periods.
Paramedics with a primary healthcare focus have the potential to reduce unnecessary transportation and the burden on emergency departments by treating these patients within their communities or at home (Legislative Council of Western Australia - Public Administration Committee 2021)
In this assessment, you are required to create a recorded presentation of a clinical case that you have treated and transported as a paramedic. This patient would have a working diagnosis of common chronic or low acuity disease.
Your presentation must include the following:
• A brief introduction to the case
• The patient’s initial presentation, key history, and physical assessment findings
• A working diagnosis with supporting evidence
• Reflection on the management that was provided on scene and en route to the hospital
• Discussion on a revised assessment plan, including further diagnostic tests, that could have been utilised in the formulation of a diagnosis for this patient as a paramedic with a primary healthcare focus
• Discussion on the clinical management plan for this patient as a paramedic with a primary healthcare focus, justified by the inclusion of evidence-based medicine and primary care management guidelines.
All medical practices discussed must employ an analytic approach and be justified with supporting evidence.
Reference
Legislative Council of Western Australia - Public Administration Committee 2021, The delivery of ambulance services in Western Australia, viewed 24 January 2023, https://www.parliament.wa.gov.au/Parliament/commit.nsf/luInquiryPublicSubmissions/C4EA9950607309334825877200279933/$file/099%20Ray%20Bange.pdf
Week 9 Thursday (11 May 2023) 11:45 pm AEST
Week 10 Friday (19 May 2023)
The presentation will be assessed in accordance with the rubric and information provided on the unit’s Moodle page. The following criteria are key points to be included:
•The presentation should be in a PowerPoint format. An alternative may be approved after consultation with the Unit Coordinator.
•Recorded narration is required and you can use the Notes section to detail your thinking
•The presentation must address each of the main topic tasks as detailed in the task description
•Avoid superficial points or comments
•As this is a presentation, you should include images where appropriate, but these must be referenced.
The presentation has no specified length in regards to the number of slides used but the recorded presentation should be approximately twenty (20) minutes in length.
This presentation is worth 30% of your overall unit mark.
- Integrate diagnostic findings with patient presentation, history and assessment to formulate a working diagnosis
- Employ an analytic approach using evidence-based medicine and guidelines for the management of primary care conditions
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Research
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
- Leadership
3 Written Assessment
“The goal of palliative care is to improve the quality of life of patients with an active, progressive disease that has little or no prospect of a cure. With the growth and aging of Australia's population and an increase of chronic and generally incurable illnesses, the types of patient groups requiring palliative care has widened.” (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2022).
Discuss the present and possible future role of a paramedic with a primary healthcare focus in the delivery of palliative care for patients that are terminally ill within the Australian context.
Please include the following in your discussion:
• The role of a paramedic with a primary healthcare focus in direct patient care (assessment, goals of care, care towards the patient, family and carers, physical, cultural and psychosocial, etc.)
• The role of a paramedic with a primary healthcare focus in indirect patient care and collaboration with other medical professionals (multidisciplinary teams, specialist and community support services involvement, referral, etc.)
• Ethical Considerations
• Advanced healthcare planning and directives
• End-of-life communication.
Reference
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2022, Palliative care services in Australia, viewed 24 January 2023, https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/palliative-care-services/palliative-care-services-in-australia/contents/summary
Week 12 Thursday (1 June 2023) 11:45 pm AEST
Exam Week Friday (16 June 2023)
The essay will be assessed in accordance with the rubric and information provided on the unit’s Moodle page. The following criteria are key points to be included:
• The written assessment should be presented in an essay format
• The written assessment must address each of the main topic tasks as detailed in the task description
• Avoid superficial points or comments and be clear and concise
• As this is a written assessment, you must include in-text referencing and a reference list.
There is a minimum word count of 3000 words and a maximum word count of 3500 words.
This written assessment is worth 30% of your overall unit mark.
- Describe the primary care paramedic's role in the delivery of palliative care.
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Research
- 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?
