Bachelor's Programme in Paramedic Science Programme description

The Bachelor's Programme in Paramedic Science is a three-year programme of professional study (180 credits). Students who complete the programme are awarded the degree of Bachelor in Paramedic Science.

The programme was established under the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges and the Regulations relating to Studies and Examinations at HiOA. A national curriculum has not been established.

The ambulance service is an important part of the rescue service. Its areas of responsibility and function include ensuring good prehospital emergency response, organising and leading the health service's response to major accidents or disasters and actively participating in planning emergency response. Paramedics cooperate closely with other health and rescue personnel in connection with ambulance call-outs.

The objective of the programme is to qualify students to provide ethical and professionally sound prehospital care to patients with chronic or acute illnesses or injuries. By educating paramedics with a high level of professional knowledge and well-established emergency medical skills, huge health and financial benefits can be achieved, both for patients and society as a whole. The programme shall also train students to be caring and reflective health workers in their dealings with people who are ill and in crisis.

The paramedic profession entails pre-hospital diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of patients with chronic and acute illnesses or injuries, the organisation and management of ambulance operations, cooperation with specialist and municipal health services, guidance, dissemination, professional development and participation in research.

Mental suitability and the ability to be solution-oriented are prerequisites for dealing with major challenges linked to special ambulance call-outs. The work entails repeated physical strain on a daily basis and working under all kinds of weather conditions and in all kinds of terrain, which means that physical suitability and strength are also prerequisites.

The Bachelor's Programme in Paramedic Science qualifies students to work in land and sea ambulance services across Norway, in the medical service in the Norwegian Armed Forces and on missions abroad. The programme also qualifies students to work on passenger ferries to and from Norway. In addition, the programme qualifies students to apply for admission to HEMS (Helicopter Emergency Medical Service) Paramedic (see frequently asked questions on the programme;s website for information concerning applications for authorisation, and the National Standard for Rescue Workers). The extensive emergency medical knowledge of a paramedic also qualifies them to work in the area of teaching and training, both in relation to their own ambulance personnel, but also with cooperating health personnel, other emergency services and voluntary organisations. The paramedic profession is also practised in the other Nordic countries and comparable Western countries. In some countries, paramedics also work as community paramedics in close cooperation with the district medical officer on independent follow-up of the health service provision for the people living in the municipality.

A Bachelor in Paramedic Science also qualifies candidates for admission to many master's degree programmes in health sciences. The master's degree programme in societal safety at the University of Stavanger and the MSC Paramedics at the University of Hertfordshire are particularly relevant master's programmes.

Ved fullført studieprogram skal kandidaten være i stand til å sikre faglig forsvarlig prehospital behandling til akutt og kronisk, somatisk og psykisk syke og selvstendig kunne fortsette egen kompetanseutvikling.

Kandidaten har etter fullført studium følgende totale læringsutbytte definert i kunnskap, ferdigheter og generell kompetanse:

Kunnskap

Kandidaten

• har bred kunnskap om fagområdets historie, tradisjoner, egenart og plass i samfunnet
• har bred kunnskap om menneskets anatomi og fysiologi
• har kunnskap om generell sykdomslære til alle aldersgrupper
• har bred kunnskap om tidlige symptomer og tegn på alvorlig psykisk og somatisk sykdom
• har bred kunnskap om korrekt prehospital diagnostikk og behandling
• har bred kunnskap om farmakologi og legemiddelhåndtering
• har bred kunnskap om prinsipper for organisering av og arbeid på ulike typer skadested
• kan kontinuerlig oppdatere sin kunnskap innenfor fagområdet
• kjenner til forsknings- og utviklingsarbeid innenfor fagområdet
• har grunnleggende kunnskap om forskningsetikk, forskningsdesign og metoder for innhenting og analyse av materialer
• har bred kunnskap om tverrfaglig kommunikasjon og samhandling innenfor akuttmedisin
• har bred kunnskap om organisering av helsetjenesten
• har bred kunnskap om helsepolitiske prioriteringer og juridiske rammer for yrkesutøvelsen
• har kunnskap om og forståelse for helse og sykdom i et flerkulturelt perspektiv

Ferdigheter

Kandidaten

• kan observere, vurdere, identifisere og intervenere i forhold til symptomer og tegn på sykdom og svikt i pasientens vitale funksjoner
• kan administrere og overvåke legemiddelbehandling på en forsvarlig måte
• behersker aktuelt medisinsk-teknisk utstyr for diagnostikk og medisinsk behandling
• behersker dokumentasjonssystemer i pasientbehandling
• behersker kommunikasjon og konflikthåndtering
• kan lede og utføre skadestedsarbeid
• kan delta aktivt i beredskapsplanlegging
• har grunnleggende ferdigheter i formulering av problemstilling, i valg av forskningsdesign, i valg av egnete metoder, i analyse av innsamlet materiale og i muntlig og skriftlig formidling av resultater
• kan føre et utrykningskjøretøy

Generell kompetanse

Kandidaten

• kan opptre profesjonelt som paramedic på faglig forsvarlig måte og vise respekt, omsorg og empati i samhandling med pasient/bruker, pårørende og andre
• kan utøve kunnskapsbasert praksis innen prehospitalt arbeid
• kan identifisere etiske dilemmaer på samfunnsplan og i praktisk helsearbeid
• kan reflektere over egen faglig utøvelse
• kan reflektere over helseprofesjonenes utfordringer i et flerkulturelt samfunn
• kan utføre etisk og faglig forsvarlig prehospital diagnostisering og behandling av akutt og kronisk syke pasienter i henhold til helsefaglig lovgivning
• kan samhandle med andre yrkesutøvere i spesialist- og kommunehelsetjenesten
• har en helhetlig tilnærming til den akutt og kronisk syke pasient og pårørende for å kunne ivareta pasientens fysiske, psykososiale og åndelige behov
• kan gi veiledning i og formidle sentralt fagstoff som teorier, problemstillinger og løsninger både skriftlig, muntlig og gjennom andre relevante uttrykksformer

The programme comprises 13 compulsory courses, which make up a total of 180 credits. Each year of the programme has a scope of 60 credits. The courses build on each other to ensure progress with increasing requirements for knowledge and understanding of the profession. All the courses conclude with a final assessment.

The programme comprises both practical and theoretical tuition internally at the university and externally on practical training placements. Parts of the programme are taught jointly with other programmes at the Faculty of Health Sciences.

In the first year of the programme, human anatomy and physiology are important topics, along with knowledge of pharmacology, drug administration and drug calculations. Basic psychiatric and somatic pathology are also taught during this year of the programme. At the same time, the students shall acquire basic knowledge of society, including the cultural understanding and communication a paramedic needs in the practice of their profession. Another important area is medical-ethical issues linked to professional practice in contact with patients and next of kin in connection with acute and chronic illness. Students are also given an introduction to the legislation that governs their professional practice.

The second year of the programme deals with ambulance operations and the first part of the emergency medical conditions and their treatment. Traumatology (the study of accidents and their management) is another key subject, and students also do their first clinical training placement.

The third year of the programme deals with the second part of the emergency medical conditions, examination and treatment. Conflict management and special ethical challenges associated with the profession are also important. Practical training as a paramedic integrates ambulance operations and medical knowledge. The student also works on the bachelor's thesis during this year of the programme.

The academic year is 40 weeks long, and the expected workload is 40 hours per week. This includes scheduled activities, students' own activity and exams.

The following progress requirements apply to the programme:

• The student must have passed all courses in the first year of the programme in order to start the second year of the programme. Exception: The student must have passed the course PARA1500 Drug Calculations before starting PARAPRA1.
• The student must pass all courses in the second year of the programme in order to start the third year of the programme.

OsloMet - Oslo Metropolitan University has established cooperation with universities and university colleges in and outside Europe, and is a member of different academic networks. Students can apply to take parts of the programme abroad, preferably at institutions that OsloMet cooperates with. Stays abroad are normally for three to six months.

The programme uses guest lecturers from foreign cooperating institutions and the programme's own lecturers gain knowledge and experience through exchanges with the same institutions.

The whole or parts of the fourth semester are particularly suitable for exchanges. It is also possible to apply for an international exchange in PARA3900 to write the bachelor's thesis under supervision at an institution abroad.

The primary language of instruction is Norwegian, but teaching in English is offered if English-speaking students have been accepted to the course PARA2200. Exam questions in English are prepared as necessary. Required coursework and exam papers can be written in one of the Scandinavian languages or in English.

Reference is made to the criteria that apply to student exchanges and the information about stays abroad.

Required coursework is all types of work, tests and compulsory attendance that are requirements for being permitted to take the assessment/exam and/or complete practical training. Required coursework is assessed as approved/not approved. The coursework requirements for each course are described in the relevant course description.

The programme has coursework requirements in the form of compulsory attendance, written assignments and practical tests.

Compulsory attendance

Attendance is compulsory in areas that are important to the competence of a paramedic, and where the student cannot acquire knowledge and skills through self-study. This means that attending the following activities is compulsory:

• seminar days
• study groups
• simulation and skills training and skills tests
• observational practice

Other activities may also be subject to compulsory attendance requirements.

There is:

• a 90% compulsory attendance requirement at all simulation and skills training and observational practice
• an 80% attendance requirement at seminars and study groups

Students are themselves responsible for ensuring that they meet the attendance requirements. If a student exceeds the maximum limit for absence, the person responsible for the course will consider whether it is possible to compensate for absence by meeting alternative requirements, for example individual written assignments. If it is not possible to compensate for absence, the student must take the course with the next class. Whether or not it is possible to compensate for absence depends on the extent of the student's absence and which activities he/she has missed.

Written assignments

Several courses have compulsory written assignments, logs or reports as part of their coursework requirements. Feedback is contingent on the written work being submitted by the stipulated deadlines.Written work that is not approved must be reworked before re-submission. If the work is not approved on re-submission, the student cannot take the ordinary exam/assessment.

Students are entitled to a third attempt before the resit/rescheduled exam. If an assignment is not approved the third time it is submitted, the student must re-take the course with the next class.

More detailed requirements for written work, deadlines etc. are set out in the teaching plan for the course in question. Practical testsPractical skills that are important for professional practice as a paramedic are tested in practical tests. If a student's practical test is assessed as 'not approved', he/she will be given another attempt before the ordinary exam. The student cannot sit the ordinary exam if the practical test is not approved after two attempts.

Students are entitled to a third attempt before the resit/rescheduled exam. If the test is not approved after three attempts, the student must take the course with the next class.

The student will encounter different forms of assessment during the programme. The forms of assessment shall ensure a continuous process towards a twofold objective: promote learning and document the student's competence as sufficient action competence and readiness to act as a paramedic. By giving the student qualified and frequent feedback, both in relation to processes and products, the information about the competence achieved can motivate the students for further efforts and identify any need to adjust learning methods.

Formative assessment (midway assessment) is carried out in the study groups, the simulation and skills centre, seminars and during clinical training.

The summative assessments (product assessment) that take place at the end of each course, are based on the learning outcomes for the course, and on whether the student has achieved the planned learning outcome.

In theoretical courses, the grades pass/fail or letter grades from A to F are used, with A being the highest grade and E the poorest pass grade. The grade F means that the student has failed the exam. The grades pass/fail are used for the assessment of clinical training.

The assessments are carried out in accordance with the applicable rules set out in the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges, the Regulations Relating to Studies and Examinations at HiOA, and the Guidelines for Appointment and Use of Examiners at HiOA.

The required coursework in the courses must be approved before the student can take the exam. See the course descriptions for more detailed provisions.

Resit and rescheduled exams are carried out in the same manner as the ordinary exam unless otherwise specified in the course description. In special cases, resit and rescheduled exams in courses with group exams may be held as individual exams.

For courses where a percentage of the exam papers are randomly selected for assessment by an external examiner, the external examiner's assessment shall benefit all the students. In such cases, one external and one internal examiner will first grade the selected papers. The internal examiner then continues grading the rest of the papers together with another internal examiner. The assessments from the first part are summarised to serve as guidelines for the assessments carried out by the two internal examiners.

The grade given for a written exam can be appealed, cf. Section 5-3 of the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges and Section 7-3 (2) of the Regulations relating to Studies and Examinations at HiOA. It is not possible to appeal the grades awarded for oral and practical exams. For a group exam, the result of an appeal will only have consequences for the candidates who submitted the appeal. This means that all members of the group do not have to participate in the appeal.

Assessment during clinical training

During clinical training, assessment is linked to different learning activities, the expectation clarification discussion and midway and final assessments. During the period of practical training, the student shall prepare personal objectives based on the purpose of and the assessment basis for the period. The learning objectives are discussed with the practical training supervisor and the university's contact lecturer.

Students prepare for assessment by reviewing documents that document learning activities and outcomes (for example logs, personal objectives, feedback from fellow students and supervisors etc.) and by considering how this realises the points in the practical training document.

Students are entitled to regular supervision and feedback during their studies, so that they are always aware of how they are doing in relation to the learning outcomes defined for the course.

Midway assessment

The purpose of the midway assessment is to give students feedback on how they are doing in the clinical training. The student should be an active participant in the discussion about what he/she wants and needs in order to achieve the learning outcomes by the end of the practical training course. The practical training document for the course in question forms the basis for this discussion.

If doubt arises as to whether a student will be able to achieve the learning outcomes and pass the practical training course, the student must receive a written midway assessment. The student is then invited to a meeting with the supervisor and the university contact lecturer. Such meetings must be held no later than three weeks before the end of the course, and always at such a time that the student has an opportunity to demonstrate satisfactory progress during the remainder of the course to pass.

During the meeting, the student must be given written notice that there is doubt about whether he/she will be able to achieve the learning outcomes required to pass the practical training course. The meeting also forms the basis for a learning objectives contract for the remaining part of the course. The contract should describe the obligations that the student, the supervisor and the contact lecturer have agreed on. The supervisor will send copies of the documents from the meeting to the Section for Academic Affairs.

Final assessment

At the end of each clinical training course, a final assessment is made in relation to the learning outcomes for the course in question. The assessment should be based on assessments made throughout the course. The assessment result and description of what has been assessed must be signed by the student, the supervisor and the contact lecturer. Students shall receive a copy of their written assessment. The practical training document serves as a tool and documentation in connection with the assessment.

In order to pass the courses of clinical training, the student must attend at least 90% of the planned activities. Absence of between 10 and 20% can be made up for by agreement with the practical training supervisor. If absence exceeds 20%, the student must retake the course in its entirety. This leads to delayed progress and must be seen in conjunction with the student's individual education plan. The preparatory meeting for practical training is regarded part of the practical training and is therefore compulsory.

If a student is awarded a 'Fail' for a practical training course, the whole course or parts of it must be retaken. Students who fail the same practical training course twice will normally have to leave the programme.

If, after the notification deadline, (cf. the Regulations Relating to Studies and Examinations at HiOA Section 8-2, third paragraph) conditions of such a nature arise that they would undoubtedly have resulted in the practical training course being failed had they arisen earlier, the grade 'Fail' may still be awarded. If a student fails a period of practical training, a copy of the assessment form must be sent to the Section for Academic Affairs. If special reasons exist, the student can apply to the faculty's Practical Training Committee for a third and final practical training attempt. The Section for Academic Affairs can provide further information about this.

Transfer discussion

The practical training document from the previous practical training course must be shown to the supervisors (contact lecturer and practical training supervisor) during the next practical training course. The student must bring the practical training document. If necessary, the student can be called in for a discussion with the previous and new supervisor prior to the next practical training course. In some cases, the programme coordinator and a representative of the Section for Academic Affairs may also participate in the discussion.

External programme supervisor scheme

An external programme supervisor scheme exists for the programme as required by the Guidelines for Appointment and Use of Examiners at HiOA.

Over a three-year period, the external programme supervisor will carry out the following supervision of the programme:

• Supervise the assessments given and assessment processes for selected courses in the bachelor's programme
• Evaluate exam assignments and assessment criteria for grading in each selected course
• Assess the connections between the programme description's learning outcome descriptions, teaching arrangements and types of assessment
• Give the academic environment feedback and advice that can be used in the ongoing work on programme quality.

The external programme supervisor shall prepare an annual supervisory report. The report forms part of the basis for the programme's evaluation of the quality of education.

Suitability assessment

Diplomas for the completed programme will only be awarded to graduates who are suited to practise the profession. A student who represents a potential threat to the life, physical or mental health, rights and security of his/her patients, clients and users is not suited for the profession.

Suitability assessments are made on a continuous basis throughout the study programme, and will be included in the overall assessment of the students' professional and personal suitability for work as health personnel. Students who demonstrate little ability to master the paramedic profession must be informed of this at the earliest possible stage of the programme. They will be given supervision and advice on how to improve, or be advised to leave the programme. Special suitability assessments are used in special cases, cf. the Regulations concerning Suitability Assessment in Higher Education: https://lovdata.no/dokument/SF/forskrift/2006-06-30-859