PMEDPRA30 Clinical Studies C, Placement in the Ambulance Service Course description

The course comprises supervised clinical training in the road ambulance service. The learning outcomes from all the previous courses are actualised, integrated, tested in clinical training and form the basis for the development of clinical competence. The students must acquire knowledge, skills and attitudes that are necessary to solve tasks and challenges in clinical settings.

The learning outcomes will be achieved through varied ambulance jobs. Students are expected to show progress, take responsibility and, to an increasing extent, make independent assessments.

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 explain assessment of risk and safety in the prehospital patient care pathway
• can explain the various management roles and principles of joint interoperability at major incidents
• can discuss observation and interventions in relation to hazardous goods and materials (CBRNE)
• can explain and reflect on the limits of how medical equipment is used in the assessment, diagnostics and treatment of acutely ill or injured patients
• can discuss the connection between pharmaceuticals and drugs administration and the paramedic’s function and areas of responsibility
• can explain organisational and structural factors with a bearing on professional practice at the practice placement location
• can explain the significance of research and development work in prehospital emergency medicine
• can discuss safety in situation where the patient is to be transferred to other treatment facilities or higher levels of care

Skills

The student

• can plan, assess and carry out a risk assessment and implement measures to maintain their own, patients’ and other people’s health and safety in the prehospital arena
• masters the basic principles of managing and leading patient care involving several health resources and/or other emergency agencies
• can use clinical observation in patient assessment and evaluate patient-centred medical and non-medical interventions in acutely ill and injured patients
• masters the assessment and implementation of interventions after findings in the primary and secondary survey of acutely ill or injured patients in a professionally responsible and caring manner
• masters preparing and administering pharmaceuticals to patients, monitoring their drug intake and observing possible immediate reactions to the administered drug
• can carry out patient treatment in order of priority in accordance with the applicable legislation, framework conditions and professional ethical guidelines
• can use up-to-date knowledge about the health and welfare system, laws, guidelines and regulations in the performance of their duties
• can plan the level of care and transport destination of patients
• can explain safe and responsible pre-alert and verbal and written reporting to receiving staff
• can cooperate and make use of supervision and feedback
• can document own practice, including filling in non-conformity reports, adverse events reports and legal notification of other authorities
• masters driving emergency vehicles in accordance with applicable laws and regulations

General competence 

The student  

• demonstrates empathy and respect for patients, next of kin and colleagues
• can prevent conflict and promote safe interaction with patients/next of kin/colleagues/partners in stressful situations with the use of relational, communicative and supervisory competence
• can identify, reflect on and deal with ethical and legal dilemmas in their professional practice
• can exchange skills, make professional assessments, decision and actions in line with evidence-based practice
• can reflect on the competence and professional freedom of action of paramedics in relation to other professions
• can discuss connections between health, education, work and living conditions in their professional practice
• can assess risk and prevent and report undesirable incidents and follow up systematic quality work
• can identify, assess and reflect on the need for further learning after completing the programme

Work and teaching methods comprise supervised clinical studies and student-active methods in the form of reflection notes and self-study in the simulation and skills centre. Training in driving emergency vehicles applies to students who have not taken this course earlier in the programme.

The course starts with one day of preparation followed by eight weeks of supervised clinical practice. The content of the placement periods will vary with the activities at the practice placement location and will therefore offer varied arenas for clinical exposure in terms of scenarios, diagnoses and complexity. 

The following required coursework must be approved to pass clinical training:

• Three reflection notes of 1,500 words (+/- 10%)*

• Submitted and signed clinical training document. 

* If the student takes driving training in PMEDPRA30, he/she only needs to submit two reflection notes of 1,500 words (+/- 10%). 

The student has up to two attempts to have the written coursework requirements approved. If a written assignment is not approved, the student must rework it and submit it again. If the first attempt fails, the student will receive individual feedback and advice on what needs to be improved in order for the course requirement to be approved. The clinical practice placement will be registered as failed if the second attempt at meeting a course requirement fails. This counts as one (1) attempt at passing the clinical practice placement.

Part 1) Assessment of clinical practice placement. The minimum attendance requirement for the placement period is 90%. For more information about the attendance requirement, see ‘Assessment of placement in the ambulance service’ in the main section of the programme description. 

Part 2) Emergency vehicle driving test, theoretical and practical test in driving emergency vehicles organised by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration. The theoretical test must be taken before the practical test, cf. Section 2 of the Emergency Vehicle Regulations.

Students must pass both the clinical training (Part 1) and the emergency vehicle driving test (Part 2) in order to pass the course. If a student fails one part of the course, he/she must retake the part in question.

Pass/fail.

Part 1: The midway and final assessments are made by the clinical practice supervisor. The university contact lecturer will contribute to the midway and final assessment on the basis of the criteria described in the clinical practice placement manual. The final decision on whether to award a pass or fail grade is made by the university. 

Part 2: The theoretical and practical tests are assessed by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration

10 credits overlap with the course PARAPRA2AB Clinical Studies Part 2