PMED3010 Assessment and Treatment of Sick and Injured Patients, Part 2 Course description

This course is a continuation of the course PMED1410. The focus is on complex, challenging emergency treatment issues and patient groups with special needs. The course also includes obstetrics and teaching individual skills a paramedic should have.

The course is normally taught in English, but can be taught in Norwegian if no English-speaking students are taking the course.

The student must have passed the first and second years of the programme or equivalent.

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

Knowledge

The student

• can identify patient groups with special needs such as children, elderly people, people with chronic illness and people with disabilities, and explain how their needs can be addressed
• can explain how age impacts on the body and potential consequences for assessment, decision-making and treatment of emergency medical conditions
• can explain the development of children and potential consequences for the assessment, decision-making and treatment of emergency medical conditions
• can explain potential consequences of pregnancy for the assessment, decision-making and treatment of emergency medical conditions
• can explain medication administration in relation to children, pregnant and geriatric patients
• can explain the significance of congenital and acquired disabilities for the assessment and treatment of acute illness or injury
• can describe advanced airway management
• can describe different types of wounds and wound treatment
• can explain acute urological and gynaecological conditions
• can explain both normal and emergency medical issues arising during pregnancy and childbirth
• can explain levels of care and the health trusts’ division of specialised capacities
• can explain how the duty of confidentiality is practised in relation to minors/persons without legal capacity
• knows the professional, ethical, and legal aspects in dealing with the terminally ill and dying
• can justify the duty to report to other agencies such as the police and child welfare services in the event of suspicion of abuse or neglect

Skills

The student

• masters´ independent systematic assessment, decision-making, treatment and monitoring of acutely ill and injured children, elderly people, people with chronic illness and people with disabilities
• can perform advanced airway management on a mannequin and utilise assistance if required
• can prepare and facilitate delivery of a child outside hospital, as well as identify and manage complications
• can maintain the mother and new-born baby after birth
• can carry out and lead resuscitation (basic and advanced life support) on new-born babies, infants and children
• can apply laws, regulations and rules relating to health care for children, young people and vulnerable patient groups, and what is relevant for interaction with other parties in the health and social services
• can recommend appropriate level of care in the health care service in different clinical scenarios
• can use legislation linked to the disclosure and reporting obligation, duty to act and notice of death
• can discuss the use of blood gas analysis to determine further treatment
• can contribute to relief of symptom and dignified care of the terminally ill and dying, and their relatives, in multidisciplinary collaboration with other service providers
• can recognize signs of neglect and abuse in vulnerable patient groups such as children, the elderly, pregnant, and individuals with disabilities

General competence

The student

• has an efficient and expedient prehospital approach to a broad range of patients
• masters interaction with other agencies and exchange of competence to contribute to the planning, organisation and performance of comprehensive health services
• can reflect on person-centred health care for patients with complex conditions, and patients in palliative care

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

Simulation and skills training comprises basic and advanced resuscitation (basic and advanced life support) (newborns, infants and children) and handling of complications at birth. The training also includes systematic assessment and treatment of patients with complex issues, including children, pregnant, people with disabilities, people with chronic illness and geriatric patients.

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

• Minimum attendance of 80% at seminars and study groups
• Minimum attendance of 90% in simulation and skills training
• Individual written assignment, 1,500 words (+/- 10%)

Individual oral exam, up to 30 minutes.

Aids such as encyclopedias / guidelines are permitted, sources must be referred to orally

Grade scale A-F.

All answers are assessed by two examiners. An external examiner is used regularly, at a minimum of every third completion of the course. When selecting answers for external evaluation, a minimum of 10 percent of the answers shall be included, with no fewer than 5 answers. The external examiner’s assessment of the selected answers shall benefit all students.

• 10 credits overlap with the course PARA3100 Emergency Medicine B.
• 10 credits overlap with the course PMED3000 Assessment and Treatment of Acute Sick and Injured Patients, Part 2