PARA2200 Prehospital Trauma Care Course description

Knowledge of injury mechanisms and the scope of injuries is vital for a paramedic to be able to make good professional assessments and choices relating to the prioritisation, treatment and transport needs of injured patients. The course is based on recommendations made by surgical and anaesthesiologist expert communities on emergency injury treatment.

Passed the first year of the programme, with the exception of the course PARA1500.

After completing the course, the student is expected to have achieved the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The student

• has knowledge of injury mechanisms, kinetics and energy assessment
• has knowledge of the different injury treatment levels in the Norwegian health service
• has knowledge of examination methodology, taking a case history, prehospital diagnosis and measures for injured patients
• has knowledge of when the assistance of specialist personnel is required
• has knowledge of how different work methods and medical technology equipment are to be used to treat injured patients
• has knowledge of the drugs used by anaesthesiology personnel in a prehospital setting

Skills

The student

• is capable of assessing the connections between symptoms and injuries
• is capable of carrying out primary and secondary examinations and then choosing measures and treatment
• is capable of assessing the risk of complications and implementing preventive and treatment measures in cooperation with other health personnel
• is capable of applying relevant medical technology equipment in examinations, clinical assessment and treatment
• is capable of identifying situations that require specialist expertise
• is capable of assessing the treatment level a patient is to be transported to
• is capable of assessing the connections between injury mechanisms and findings in the patient in a forensic medicine context

General competence

The student

• is capable of planning and carrying out relevant intervention and work tasks linked to ambulance call-outs where the patient has sustained an injury to one or more organ systems
• has insight into clinical guidelines and scientific articles in emergency medicine
• has a reflective attitude to the social significance of accidents and injuries in countries like Norway and in developing countries
• understands how the scope of injuries, local hospitals' ability to provide trauma care and transport distances/solutions influence the choice of prehospital resources and destination

The work and teaching methods vary between lectures, simulation and skills training, study groups, seminars and self-study.

Practical training

The students complete simulation and skills training in immobilisation techniques, advanced airway management, intraosseous infusion, managing fractures and repositioning techniques.

The following required coursework must be approved before the student can take the exam:

• minimum attendance of 80% in study groups
• minimum attendance of 90% at simulation and skills training
• minimum attendance of 90% at seminars
• written assignment in groups of up to 3 students,1,000 words (+/- 10%)
• practical test at the simulation and skills centre Students get a total of three attempts at taking the test in each year of the programme. Procedures from all courses reviewed in the simulation and skills centre (SF) can be included in the test.

Exam content: The learning outcomes

Exam form: Supervised individual written exam, 4 hours

None.

Grade scale A-F

All papers are assessed by two examiners. A minimum of twenty per cent of the exam papers will be assessed by an external examiner. The external examiner's assessment shall benefit all the students.