PARA3000 Ambulance Operations Course description

Ambulance Operations mainly covers the planning, organisation, implementation and evaluation of ambulance call-outs, including the management and organisation of other health care resources and cooperation and interaction with other emergency agencies or partners. The course focuses on the structure and organisation of the rescue services in Norway, own safety, armed call-outs, use of communication equipment and general work on accident sites.

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 basic knowledge of the organisation of the rescue services in Norway
• has sector-specific knowledge of the emergency services, including in-depth knowledge of their own agency including key management functions and the emergency medical communication centre (AMK)
• has knowledge of the assessment of own safety in particular and safety in general in connection with ambulance operations
• has knowledge of health operations management, including roles, functions and work methods
• has knowledge of how communications equipment and relevant ICT tools are used in ambulance operations
• has knowledge of hazardous goods and hazardous substances (CBRNE)
• has knowledge of the basic use of risk analyses in emergency preparedness work
• has knowledge of triage in mass casualty situations

Skills

The student

• is capable of leading and organising health care at an accident site
• is capable of interacting with other emergency agencies at accident sites
• is capable of participating in rapid extrication in connection with traffic accidents
• is capable of acting in the proper manner the scene (if criminal actions are suspected)
• is capable of using communications and other ICT equipment on ambulance call-outs
• is capable of assessing own safety in particular and safety in general in connection with ambulance call-outs
• is capable of carrying out a simple risk analysis

General competence

The student

• is capable of planning, carrying out and documenting an ambulance operation
• is capable of contributing to interaction with other emergency agencies and other partners
• is capable of leading and organising health personnel at an accident site

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

Practical training

The students complete simulation and skills training in the use of relevant communications equipment, ICT equipment linked to operational factors, action algorithms, management, triage, organisation (tabletop and interactive exercises) and decision-making.

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, including exercises
• certified training in the use of radio terminals for prehospital care providers

Exam content: The learning outcomes

Exam form: 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.