Course description
About the course
This offers you a rewarding, fast-paced career that makes a difference to people’s lives. You will acquire the knowledge and skills to work as a qualified ambulance officer in paramedic and emergency care settings in any state of Australia and overseas.
This course is available on a full-time basis on the Bathurst Campus or by distance education.
Students may elect to exit the course following successful completion of the first two years of full-time study or three years of distance education study with the award Associate Degree in Clinical Practice (Paramedic).
Full-time students may be eligible for employment with an ambulance service after two years' full-time study and may then continue to study externally to receive their Bachelor degree.
The course is also available by distance education to students already employed as qualified ambulance officer/paramedics or medics in the Army, Navy or Air Force.
Selection of applicants is on the basis of probability of success, not on UAI score alone.
Accelerated Paramedic Pathway Program
CSU and the Ambulance Service of NSW have established a new program designed to fast track entry into the paramedic profession. The Accelerated Paramedic Pathway Program guarantees students employment with the Ambulance Service of NSW while studying the third year of CSU’s Bachelor of Clinical Practice (Paramedic).
The accelerated program provides students with the opportunity to:
* start applying the knowledge and skills learnt in the first two years in the real world during their third year of study
* gain paid employment and other financial support while studying and well before graduation
* achieve recognition as a qualified paramedic after only three years of study.
For more information on the Ambulance Service of NSW, please visit the website.
Where it will take you
Graduates work professionally in paramedic occupations as ambulance officers, paramedics and emergency response personnel. Most ambulance authorities now offer graduate programs and specifically target CSU students.
Your course is recognised by industry
This course is taught in conjunction with the Ambulance Service of NSW.
The latest facilities
To make sure you are experienced in using the equipment and techniques found in the workplace, our facilities include practice teaching laboratories containing the latest equipment needed for treating patients in the pre-hospital care environment.
Hands-on experience
Full-time students spend up to four hours each week practising their clinical skills in a simulated paramedic environment.
Practical experience
Clinical placement is undertaken in authorised healthcare settings as the student progresses through the course. The clinical placement experience is invaluable for the student paramedic as it links theory with practice.
Course components
These subjects develop skills in clinical procedures such as advanced cardiac life support, ECG analysis and management, airway management including endotracheal intubation, laryngeal mask airways, cricothyrotomy, and percutaneous transtracheal ventilation. Advanced life support for paediatric patients is also covered during these sessions. The subject Major Incident Management CLS310 develops an understanding of principles and techniques of major incident prevention, preparedness, response and recovery. Students will gain experience in major incident medical response principles through participation in a field exercise during the residential period.
The clinical internship subject CLS302 involves a clinical placement in a large urban or regional hospital for DE students only. DE students work in theatres, emergency department and intensive care to consolidate the skills and knowledge developed during this course. The hospital placement consists of 160 hours however this may be undertaken during days off, rather than a single block of time. Internal students work on the road with advanced care practitioners. Some rural and regional hospital placements may also be available.
Optional exit point
Students may choose to exit from the course with the award of Associate Degree in Clinical Practice (Paramedic) upon satisfactory completion of the first 15 subjects (or 128 subject points).
Exemptions from specified subjects
Exemptions will be considered where it can be demonstrated that previous study matches specified subjects in the program. A substitute subject or subjects will be determined following consultation with the Course Coordinator.
Credit
Credit for prior learning and credit for current competencies will be granted to eligible applicants.
Qualified ambulance officers in NSW may be eligible for up to 66% credit in the Diploma course. Advanced Life Support (Level 4) officers in NSW may be eligible for up to 50% credit in the Bachelor degree. Paramedic (Level 5) officers may be eligible for up to 66% credit in the Bachelor degree.
Qualified ambulance officers, paramedics or medics serving in a full-time capacity in the Australian defence forces and related health professionals with appropriate experience and qualifications are invited to apply for credit for prior learning. Credit will be assessed on an individual basis.
Residential school
Distance education students may need to attend some residential sessions in order to develop the required clinical skills.
Residential sessions are associated with the following subjects:
* BMS191 Human Bioscience 1
* BMS192 Human Bioscience 2
Clinical requirements
Refer to the Clinical Requirements section following for information on:
* Senior First Aid Certificate
* Criminal Record Clearance
* Immunisation
Graduation requirements
To graduate, students must satisfactorily complete 192 points for the degree. All full-time students must complete a clinical placement with an approved ambulance service.
Students will graduate from the Bachelor of Clinical Practice (Paramedic) with the award BClinicalPrac(Paramedic).
Further postgraduate study
Upon completion of course requirements for the Bachelor of Clinical Practice (Paramedic), students can apply for entry into:
Master of Health Science (Honours)
Master of Health Services Management
Postgraduate Certificate in Intensive Care Paramedic Studies
