Units / PAR2013
PAR2013 · Paramedic management of cardiovascular and respiratory conditions
2026 Handbook12 credit pointsLevel 2Department of Paramedicine
Last checked: 23 Aug 2026 UTCOverview
In this unit, you will continue to develop your role as a paramedic by building on the clinical assessment and decision-making skills from previous units. You will explore commonly encountered chronic, acute, and life-threatening cardiovascular and respiratory problems across the lifespan. You will learn about the pathophysiology of these systems and related disorders, and develop skills in ECG interpretation, cardiac and respiratory assessment. You will also expand your abilities to provide care at an advanced life support paramedic level.
Offerings
| Campus | Teaching period | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Peninsula | Full year | Teaching is all online (ONLINE) |
| Peninsula | Full year | Teaching activities are on-campus (ON-CAMPUS) |
Assessment
The Handbook lists an examination for this unit.
| # | Assessment | Type | Weight | Hurdle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Case study (2,000 words) | Written | 15% | — |
| 2 | Reflection on practice (1,500 words) | Written | 15% | — |
| 3 | Mid-year written exam (2 hours and 10 mins) | Examination | 30% | — |
| 4 | End of year practical assessment (20 mins practical scenario exam) (pass/fail) | Demonstration | — | Competency |
| 5 | End of year written exam (2 hours 10 mins) | Examination | 40% | Competency |
Assessment in this unit includes hurdle assessment tasks. Failure of any hurdle assessment task may result in failure of the unit.
Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.
Requisites
prohibitions
Learning outcomes
- Describe the epidemiology, population health, pathophysiology, and clinical manifestations of acute cardiovascular and respiratory conditions relevant to paramedic practice across the lifespan.
- Describe the epidemiology, population health, pathophysiology, and clinical manifestations of chronic cardiovascular and respiratory conditions relevant to paramedic practice across the lifespan.
- Systematically assess a patient experiencing a respiratory or cardiovascular emergency, and associate the assessment with respiratory and/or cardiovascular disease pathology
- Plan and implement appropriate and safe management for a patient experiencing a respiratory and/or cardiovascular emergency and accurately document and communicate the care provided
- Identify relevant drugs used by advanced life support paramedics for the management of respiratory and/or cardiovascular conditions evaluate the appropriateness of their use whilst cognisant of their clinical actions.
- Interpret common electrocardiographic (ECG) rhythms and waveforms relevant to paramedic practice.
- Outline the diagnostic reasoning process that determines the care of patients with respiratory and/or cardiovascular conditions in order to evaluate and justify management.
- Implement a clinical problem solving approach when evaluating patients with respiratory and/or cardiovascular conditions.
- Justify clinical decisions in simulated cases for patients with respiratory and/or cardiovascular conditions.
- Demonstrate culturally sensitive management of patients, their carers and bystanders in cases of cardiovascular and respiratory conditions in a range of contexts .
Workload
On-campus: A combination of lectures, tutorials, practical classes, and online activities (6 hours per week), and self-directed study (6 hours per week).
| Activity | Duration |
|---|---|
| Tutorials | 24 hours |
| Lectures | 48 hours |
| Practical activities | 48 hours |
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