Units / PAR5401
PAR5401 · Foundations of advanced paramedic practice
2025 Handbook12 credit pointsLevel 5Department of Paramedicine
Overview
This unit introduces concepts and knowledge that underpins the provision of advanced paramedic care. This unit will enable you to develop and apply graduate academic skills to appraise and reference evidence relevant to your practice. The content will explore advanced level clinical skills and knowledge including, patient assessment, clinical decision-making, managing complex patients, and scene leadership. Key concepts underpinning and influencing clinical practice such as human factors and self-reflection will also be examined. Finally, this unit will extend your knowledge of foundation pathophysiology, pharmacology and clinical toxicology principles. You will be challenged to integrate the fundamental concepts of pathophysiology, pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics as the basis for devising treatment regimens.
Offerings
| Campus | Teaching period | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Peninsula | First semester | Some activities have a choice of on-campus or online teaching activities (FLEXIBLE) |
Assessment
The Handbook does not list a final examination among the assessment items. That is not a guarantee there is none.
| # | Assessment | Type | Weight | Hurdle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 - Literature appraisal (1,500 words) | Written | 15% | — |
| 2 | 2 - Human factors case study (2,000 words) | Written | 20% | — |
| 3 | 3 - Concept map series (2,000 words) | Artefact | 20% | — |
| 4 | 4 - Professional practice plan (1,500 words) | Portfolio | 15% | — |
| 5 | 5 - End of module in-semester quizzes (90 mins accumulative quizzes) | Quiz / Test | 30% | — |
Requisites
The Handbook lists no prerequisite, corequisite or prohibition for this unit.
Learning outcomes
- Critically appraise research literature for validity and discuss the importance of evidence-based practice in paramedicine.
- Justify the importance of a structured and systematic clinical approach in advanced paramedic practice.
- Critically review human factor theory and the relevance to paramedic practice.
- Explain the concept of professionalism, its relevance to and integration in paramedicine practice.
- Develop and implement strategies to incorporate reflective practices into all aspects of paramedic practice.
- Demonstrate an advanced knowledge of pathophysiology and apply key concepts to patient care.
- Identify key anatomical landmarks relevant to advance paramedic interventions.
- Explain advanced principles of pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics and construct links between these and paramedic practice.
- Examine the role of pharmacological agent in paramedic practice and how they are used in conjunction with non-pharmacological interventions.
Workload
You will be expected to engage in 12 hours of teacher directed online and face to face learning activities and 12 hours of self-directed learning per week.
| Activity | Duration |
|---|---|
| Lectures | 48 hours |
| Tutorials | 48 hours |
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