Overview
This unit will introduce and familiarise you with the risks associated with conducting patient care in the direct threat environment. Wounding patterns such as blunt and penetrating trauma, blast injuries and ballistics will be discussed in depth. You will be introduced to the concepts of situational awareness and critical thinking as it applies to treatment priorities. Specialist equipment not available in mainstream pre-hospital medicine will be introduced to assist you with environment-specific treatment methodologies for major preventable causes of death. You will synthesise direct-threat related risks with treatment priorities to manage the tension between risk mitigation and favourable patient outcomes.
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 - 2024
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 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 CQUSuccess
Students reported that the course was good and appreciated the prompt feedback from the unit coordinator.
Student emails will continue to be prioritised for quick turnaround times. These practices will continue in future offerings of the unit.
Feedback from CQUSuccess
Two different dates for assessment item 1 were reported through CQUSuccess.
The Unit coordinator will ensure that the learner guide and Moodle assessment dates are always congruent.
Feedback from SUTE
Feedback on the applicability of assessments was noted in the SUTE satisfaction rating.
Assessment tasks will be reviewed and amended based on peer consultation if required.
- Plan and prepare strategies for successful operation within the direct threat care environment
- Integrate clinical knowledge to identify clinical treatment priorities, risk and challenges in the direct threat care environment
- Articulate the concepts of risk analysis, team safety and operational control and deferment
- Evaluate the use of specialist equipment and emerging technology in the direct threat care environment.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Online Quiz(zes) - 20% | ||||
| 2 - Case Study - 30% | ||||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 50% | ||||
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) - 20% | ||||||||
| 2 - Case Study - 30% | ||||||||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 50% | ||||||||
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.
a.delport@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Introduction.
HX Tactical medicine.
Umbrella concepts.
Introduction to Damage control resuscitation and lethal diamond.
Introduction to MARCHE.
Introduction to PACE.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Haemorrhage control.
HX of the tourniquets.
Tourniquet application.
Characteristics of haemostatic agents.
Classification and structural composition of haemostatics.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Situational awareness.
Physiological stress response.
Grossman's colour codes of fear and stress response.
Cooper colour codes of awareness.
OODA loop, decision-making cycles, habit loops.
Tactical concepts.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Situational response.
Management of physiological stress.
Training principles: Stress inoculation/graded stress immersion.
Communication.
Patient movement options.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Haematology.
Basic Haematology.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Community response programs.
The Hartford Consensus.
Warm zone care.
C-TECC/TCCC guidelines review.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Less lethal weapon injuries.
Methods of deployment.
Chemical munitions.
Electrical conductive weapons.
Impact weapons.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Wounding patterns 1.
Kinematics of trauma.
Mechanism of Injury.
Edged weapons low-velocity weapons.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Wounding patterns 2.
Ballistics.
Mechanism of propulsion.
Projectile speed classification.
Physics.
BABT (Behind Armour Blunt Trauma).
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Wounding patterns 3.
Blast injury mechanism.
Pathophysiology of blast injuries.
Explosive devices and deployment.
Improvised explosive devices.
Explosively formed projectiles.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Contemporary attack and response models.
Attack modalities.
Response paradigms.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Review.
Review C-TECC DTC.
Review evidence of wounding patterns in civilian high threat incidents vs military wounding patterns.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Case Study
In this assessment, you will be given a recent terror attack to consider. You will create a team briefing based on the known modality of the selected attack. Use a briefing model that addresses the following points.
- Detailed background and description of the incident.
- What will your specific tasks be in your capacity as an operational medic while the attack is in progress?
- A detailed description of how the task will be executed.
- What you will need to perform your tasks and how you will mitigate the risks posed to yourself and your team members based on the critical elements of the case.
- How will you facilitate communication on the macro and micro levels?
You must consider the terror attack's specifics to inform your team briefing. Each point within your briefing must be substantiated by the critical elements specific to the case briefing, and you must discuss your rationale for each briefing point you present. Your briefing should be presented in an essay format.
Week 6 Friday (19 Apr 2024) 12:00 pm AEST
Week 8 Friday (3 May 2024)
There is a minimum word count of 1500 words and a maximum word count of 1650 words, excluding references for this assessment. Your case study briefing must be clear and concise. The case study briefing will be assessed in accordance with the information and rubric provided on the unit's Moodle page.
This case study briefing is worth 30% of your overall unit mark.
- Plan and prepare strategies for successful operation within the direct threat care environment
- Articulate the concepts of risk analysis, team safety and operational control and deferment
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Research
- Self-management
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
- Leadership
2 Written Assessment
In this assessment, you will consider the Australian posture related to the survivability of intentional mass violence event victims. Present your findings as an essay using a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis. You may limit your discussion to a single Australian organisation, such as a state fire service, ambulance service or state police service. You may also discuss any broader federal or citizen initiatives.
Your essay must include the following information:
- Description of the service, organisation or initiative.
- SWOT analysis of the service, organisation or initiative.
- How the service, organisation or initiative addresses treatment for the preventable causes of death in the event of intentional mass violence.
- Recommendations to address the needs or gaps identified within the service, organisation or campaign.
Week 10 Friday (17 May 2024) 12:00 pm AEST
Week 12 Friday (31 May 2024)
The essay will be assessed in accordance with the rubric and information provided on the unit's Moodle page. There is a minimum word count of 2000 words and a maximum word count of 2200 words, excluding references for this assessment. The essay must be presented clearly and concisely with appropriate headings and sub-headings where required.
This presentation is worth 50% of your overall unit mark.
- Integrate clinical knowledge to identify clinical treatment priorities, risk and challenges in the direct threat care environment
- Articulate the concepts of risk analysis, team safety and operational control and deferment
- Evaluate the use of specialist equipment and emerging technology in the direct threat care environment.
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Research
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
- Leadership
3 Online Quiz(zes)
You will complete an online quiz. Your quiz will consist of multiple-choice questions exploring the unit's content such as lecture materials, required readings, podcasts and links. Multiple choice questions will be based on information provided in this unit from weeks 1 – 12.
You will be required to complete this online quiz by the end of Week 13. This quiz will become available in Week 12, with a specific time limit imposed to complete it.
The quiz will test your ability to identify the concepts and theoretical underpinnings related to wounding profiles, situational awareness, situational response, planning, communicating, managing the effects of physiological stress, and operational medicine's foundational concepts. You will be required to contextualise the information in the learning materials specific to the direct threat care environment to answer the questions.
Review/Exam Week Friday (7 June 2024) 11:59 pm AEST
The quiz is worth 20% of the overall mark for this unit. Marks are awarded if the multiple-choice question is answered correctly and the total marks will be tallied once the quiz has been attempted.
The quiz is open-book, so the use of C-TECC and CoTCCC guidelines as well as related book chapters and journal articles are allowed. Please take note that this is an individual assessment with no collaboration allowed.
There is an automated time limit to complete the quiz.
There will be no opportunity to complete the task after the due date. There will be no opportunity to apply a late penalty of five percent per day.
Non-attempts will score a zero mark. Once complete, the quiz may not be re-attempted.
- Plan and prepare strategies for successful operation within the direct threat care environment
- Integrate clinical knowledge to identify clinical treatment priorities, risk and challenges in the direct threat care environment
- Evaluate the use of specialist equipment and emerging technology in the direct threat care environment.
- Knowledge
- Research
- Self-management
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
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?
