Clinical placement

Students are required to complete three Clinical Paramedic Practice units during the course, which amount to a minimum of 15 weeks of full-time work placement. Clinical placements are invaluable in developing professional and clinical skills and workplace literacy within the authentic clinical and operational environment and ensure high standards of graduate work readiness and employability.

Due to the very high demand for placement positions, students must be prepared to travel to any location within Queensland with the Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) to attend your clinical placements as a placement experience near your residence is highly unlikely.

The three clinical placement units embedded in the Course include the following units:

• PMSC12002 – Clinical Paramedic Practice 1 (2nd year, Term One) for 5 weeks in duration;

• PMSC13002 – Clinical Paramedic Practice 2 (2nd year, Term Three) for 5 weeks in duration; and

• PMSC13004 – Clinical Paramedic Practice 3 (3rd year, Term Two) for 5 weeks in duration

There is no capacity for students to request split blocks, custom dates, attend placement in a part-time capacity or only on specific days of the week. The dates for all clinical placements will be available once students are enrolled into the Course.

Placement experiences are designed to provide an average of 40 hours per week at a 24-hour station. Under direct supervision, students will engage in clinical and operational activities, with participation aligning with the academic unit of enrolment.

Interstate Clinical Placements

The following outlines what availability, if any, is afforded to students who reside in other states or territories other than Queensland.

Outbound Mobility (International)

CQUniversity offers opportunities for students to engage in International Outbound Mobility tours. Participation in CQUniversity-approved and supervised international engagements will support a maximum of two (2) weeks of credit toward the student's next scheduled clinical placement unit.

Placements with non-state or territory ambulance jurisdictions

With the exception of overseas clinical placement activity, placements with any private companies are not approved.

Contacting placement providers

All CQUniversity students are not permitted to make contact with any ambulance jurisdiction to discuss clinical placement opportunities. All placements with ambulance jurisdictions must be coordinated centrally through either the WIL team or academic unit coordinators.

Mandatory requirements for clinical placement

Students will be required to purchase, from the CQUniversity Bookshop, the approved Paramedic Clinical Placement uniform for wearing during lab sessions, residential schools, and all clinical placements. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) will also need to be purchased from the CQUniversity Bookshop as a Workplace Health and Safety requirement by all Ambulance Services when on clinical placement. Non-adherence to uniform and PPE requirements will result in immediate removal from clinical placement.

All statutory Ambulance Services mandate that students meet certain vaccination and health standards prior to attendance as well as CQUniversity also identifying certain requirements to ensure student safety and readiness for practice. Information on these requirements and associated due dates is communicated, and available, via the WIL team.

All requirements are non-negotiable and are required to be successfully achieved by specific timeframes. Please contact the WIL team via wil-hmas@cqu.edu.au to discuss further.

The broad categories of mandatory requirements include, but not limited to:

• Immunisations and vaccinations 

• Medical Assessment 

• Working with Children Check (also known as a Blue Card) 

• National Criminal History Check (NCHC)

• First Aid & CPR

• Ambulance service hosted clinical placement Orientation and Declarations.

The above can change without notice by ambulance jurisdictions and/or Health Departments. For further information pertaining to the above requirements, please discuss with the WIL team as well as refer to https://www.ambulance.qld.gov.au/clinicalplacements.html

Prospective students who have further enquiries should contact 13 27 86.

[1]   The current Deed of Agreement between CQUni and AV restricts the number of placements available to CQUni students therefore, being an employee of AV does not automatically qualify you to be eligible to undertake placements with AV. Your Expression of Interest will be considered on a case-by-case basis with AV. In the event that AV does not approve your request, all placements must be undertaken with the QAS.