Overview
In this unit, you will be introduced to the indirect threat care environment, which signals a shift through risk de-escalation from basic life support to advanced life support treatment methods. You will further your knowledge of the comprehensive trauma assessment of patients, combining the skills of clinical history taking with those of physical examination using a trauma focused primary survey. In addition, you will undertake a review of clinical findings and incorporate differential diagnosis to implement an appropriate treatment plan in preparation for evacuation. Risk mitigation and situational awareness techniques will be added to the clinical assessment to ensure a measured situational response in the event of threat re-escalation.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Co-requisite:PMSC20016 Direct Threat Care
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 - 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 Student and email interactions
Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive albeit informal with no recommendations made through formal avenues. Some students comment on the concise format and length of recorded lectures as a positive.
Recorded lectures will continue to be concise and to the point. New lectures that meet the self-imposed 15-minute maximum length will continue to be added as required in each new unit iteration.
- Formulate a comprehensive tactical primary survey including a clinical assessment of physiological systems.
- Synthesis data obtained from clinical assessments to construct treatment plans that address and prioritise the major causes of trauma death at an advanced life support level.
- Discuss the importance of assessing and maintaining operational control and managing patient movement during threat re-escalation.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1 - Case Study - 35% | |||
| 2 - Case Study - 35% | |||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 30% | |||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 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 | |||
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: American Psychological Association 7th Edition (APA 7th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
a.delport@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Triage.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Haemorrhage control.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Airway management.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Respiratory system trauma.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Damage control resuscitation 1.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Head injury and hypothermia.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Pharmacology 1.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Pharmacology 2.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Extremity trauma.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Burns.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Traumatic resuscitation.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Review.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Case Study
In the tactical medical context, you will approach the primary survey differently to the traditional EMS primary survey. This approach is based on our understanding of the preventable causes of death. You will be provided with a clinical case as a catalyst to reflect on the differences between the standard primary survey and a tactical primary survey. You must rationalise the differences by referring to the current evidence related to preventable causes of death and the inherent risk of conducting medical treatment in a threat-potentiated environment.
Your case study must include the following information.
- Tabulate the differences between a tactical primary survey and a standardised EMS primary survey.
- Discuss your plan for the most appropriate treatment for your patient using the skills matrix within the tactical primary survey framework.
- Rationalise your decisions to defer or prioritise treatments based on the context of the indirect threat care environment and the flow of a tactical medical case.
- Rationalise your recommended interventions using the best current evidence for the tactical primary survey.
Week 5 Friday (9 Aug 2024) 11:45 pm AEST
Week 7 Friday (30 Aug 2024)
There is a minimum word count of 2000 words with 10% deviation (+/-) excluding references for your assessment. Your case study will be clear and concise. The case study will be assessed in accordance with the information and rubric provided on the unit's Moodle page. It should be presented in an essay format.
The case study is worth 35% of your overall unit mark.
- Formulate a comprehensive tactical primary survey including a clinical assessment of physiological systems.
2 Case Study
There are currently few “fluid” choices for patients who have suffered major trauma and are treated by paramedics from a civilian sector EMS system. You will be given a list of patients with varying trauma pathologies. You must choose the optimal fluid resuscitation strategy for each pathology based on the current best evidence within the tactical medical context. You must provide the rationale for your choice based on the best available evidence. You must also consider the environmental and logistical aspects of carrying and administering your fluids of choice and describe how you will allocate and distribute fluid resources in a hypothetical team setting. You are not limited in your exploration of fluid choices by any clinical practice guidelines, and you are encouraged to explore and consider fluids that are not in your current scope of practice.
Your case report must include the following for each case:
- Tabulate the pros and cons of different fluids based on the best current evidence.
- Discuss your logistical and allocation plan in a dismounted team setting.
- Rationalise your fluid choices based on the presenting pathologies of each case.
Week 8 Friday (6 Sept 2024) 11:45 pm AEST
Week 10 Friday (20 Sept 2024)
There is a word count of 2000 words with a 10% deviation (+/-), excluding references for your assessment. Your case study will be clear and concise. The case study will be assessed per the information and rubric provided on the unit's Moodle page. It should be presented in an essay format.
The case study is worth 35% of your overall unit mark.
- Formulate a comprehensive tactical primary survey including a clinical assessment of physiological systems.
- Synthesis data obtained from clinical assessments to construct treatment plans that address and prioritise the major causes of trauma death at an advanced life support level.
- Discuss the importance of assessing and maintaining operational control and managing patient movement during threat re-escalation.
3 Written Assessment
Spinal immobilisation is practised as routine by paramedics in the civilian context. Discuss the current evidence and how it supports or refutes the need for aggressive spinal immobilisation in tactical contexts. You will be given a case study to focus your discussion. Your discussion must be supported by the best evidence currently available on the topic of spinal immobilisation in the tactical environment.
Your report must:
- Critically appraise the evidence for or against spinal immobilisation in tactical contexts.
- In relation to C-TECC and CoTCCC guidelines, discuss current recommendations for spinal immobilisation in tactical contexts.
- Consider the evidence and guidelines and discuss how you would balance the tension between medicine and tactics in a threat-potentiated environment.
Week 12 Friday (4 Oct 2024) 11:45 pm AEST
Exam Week Friday (18 Oct 2024)
There is a word count of 2000 words with a 10% deviation (+/-), excluding references for your assessment. Your case study will be clear and concise. The case study will be assessed in accordance with the information and rubric provided on the unit's Moodle page. It should be presented in an essay format.
The report is worth 30% of your overall unit mark.
- Synthesis data obtained from clinical assessments to construct treatment plans that address and prioritise the major causes of trauma death at an advanced life support level.
- Discuss the importance of assessing and maintaining operational control and managing patient movement during threat re-escalation.
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?
