Bachelor of Paramedicine inherent requirements

Behavioural stability is required to function and adapt effectively and sensitively in this role.

The student demonstrates:

• Behavioural stability to work constructively in diverse and changing academic and clinical settings

Justification of inherent requirement:

Behavioural stability is required to work individually and in teams in changing and unpredictable environments. Paramedicine students will be exposed to emergency situations and human suffering and will be required to have behavioural stability to manage these events objectively and professionally.

Adjustments must support stable, effective, and professional behaviour in both academic and clinical settings. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Support Equity Officers.

Consistent knowledge and effective cognitive skills must be demonstrated to provide safe, effective, and timely paramedic care.

The student demonstrates:

• Capacity to locate appropriate and relevant information
• Ability to process information relevant to practice
• Ability to integrate and implement knowledge in practice
• Capacity to solve problems and think laterally regarding clinical and logistical issues

Justification of inherent requirement:

Safe and effective paramedic care is based on comprehensive knowledge that must be sourced, understood, and applied appropriately.

Adjustments must ensure that a clear demonstration of knowledge and cognitive skills is not compromised or impeded. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Student Equity Officers.

Competent literacy skills are essential to provide safe and effective delivery of care.

The student demonstrates:

• Ability to acquire information and convey appropriate, effective messages
• Ability to read and comprehend a range of literature and information
• Capacity to understand and implement academic conventions to construct written text in a scholarly manner

Justification of inherent requirement:

• The ability to acquire information and to accurately convey messages is fundamental to ensure safe and effective assessment, treatment, and delivery of care
• The ability to read, decode, interpret, and comprehend multiple sources of information is fundamental for safe and effective delivery of paramedic care

Adjustments must demonstrate a capacity to effectively acquire, comprehend, apply and communicate accurate information. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Student Equity Officers.

Competent and accurate numeracy skills are essential for safe and effective care.

The student demonstrates:

• The ability to interpret and correctly apply data, measurements, and numerical criteria.

Justification of inherent requirement:

Competent application of numeracy skills is essential to facilitate the safe and effective delivery of paramedic care.

Adjustments must demonstrate a capacity to interpret and apply concepts and processes appropriately in a timely, accurate and effective manner. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Student Equity Officers.

Effective non-verbal communication is fundamental to paramedicine and needs to be respectful, clear, attentive, empathetic, and non-judgmental.

The student demonstrates:

• Capacity to recognise, interpret and respond appropriately to behavioural cues
• Consistent and appropriate awareness of own behaviours
• Sensitivity to individual and/or cultural differences

Justification of inherent requirement:

• The ability to observe and understand non-verbal cues assists with building rapport with people and gaining their trust and respect in academic and professional relationships
• Displaying consistent and appropriate facial expressions, eye contact, being mindful of space, time boundaries and body movements and gestures promotes trust in academic and professional relationships
• Being sensitive to individual and/or cultural differences displays respect and empathy to others and develops trusting relationships
• The ability to observe and understand non-verbal cues is essential for safe and effective observation of patient symptoms and reactions to facilitate the assessment and treatment of patients

Adjustments must enable the recognition, initiation of/or appropriate response to effective non-verbal communication in a timely and appropriate manner. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Student Equity Officer.

Effective verbal communication, in English, is an essential requirement to provide safe delivery of care.

The student demonstrates:

• Sensitivity to individual and/or cultural differences
• Ability to understand and respond to verbal communication accurately, appropriately and in a timely manner
• Ability to provide clear instructions in the context of the situation
• Timely clear feedback and reporting

Justification of inherent requirement:

• Communicating in a way that displays respect and empathy to others develops trusting relationships
• Communication may be restricted to verbal because of limitations of the individual (e.g., injury, disease, or congenital conditions)
• Speed and interactivity of communication may be critical for individual safety or treatment
• Timely, accurate and effective delivery of instructions is critical to individual safety, treatment, and management
• Verbal communication equivalent to an IELTS level 7 or above is a requirement for student registration with AHPRA

Adjustments must address effectiveness, timeliness, clarity, and accuracy issues to ensure safety and appropriate care. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Student Equity Offers.

Paramedicine is a profession that is governed by professional standards, codes, and guidelineswhere paramedics are both accountable and responsible for ensuring professional behaviour in all contexts.

The student demonstrates:

• Knowledge of, and engages in ethical behaviour in practice.

Justification of inherent requirement:

Compliance with the professional standards, codes of conduct, and guidelines facilitates safe, competent interactions and relationships for students and/or the people with whom they engage. This supports the physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing of all.

Adjustments must not compromise standards, codes and guidelines or result in unethical behaviour. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Support Equity Officers.

Paramedic practice is mandated by legislation and regulatory requirements to enable the safe delivery of care.

The student demonstrates:

• Knowledge and compliance with Australian Law, professional regulations, and scope of practice.

Justification of inherent requirement:

• Knowledge, understanding and compliance with legislative and regulatory requirements are necessary pre-requisites to clinical placements to reduce the risk of harm to self and others
• Compliance with the Australian Law and professional regulatory requirements ensures that students are both responsible and accountable for their practice

Adjustments must be consistent with legislative and regulatory requirements. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Student Equity Officers.

Adequate auditory ability is required to provide safe and effective paramedic care.

The student demonstrates:

• Sufficient aural function to undertake the required range of skills.

Justification of inherent requirement:

• Sufficient auditory ability is necessary to monitor, assess and manage individual health needs consistently and accurately
• Auditory assessments and observations are fundamental to safe and effective paramedic practice

Adjustments must address the need to perform the full range of tasks involved in clinical practice. Any strategies to address the effects of the hearing loss must be effective, consistent, and not compromise treatment or safety. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Student Equity Officers.

Sufficient tactile ability is required to perform competent and safe paramedic care.

The student demonstrates:

• Adequate tactile function sufficient to undertake the required range of skills and assessments.

Justification of inherent requirement:

• Sufficient tactile ability is necessary to monitor, assess and detect patients' physical characteristics and act on any abnormalities detected to provide thorough paramedic care
• Tactile assessments and observations are fundamental to safe and effective paramedic practice

Adjustments must have the capacity to make effective assessments of physical characteristics and abnormalities within safe time frames. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Student Equity Officers.

Adequate visual acuity is required to provide safe and effective paramedic care.

The student demonstrates:

• Sufficient visual acuity to perform the required range of skills

Justification of inherent requirement:

• Sufficient visual acuity is necessary to demonstrate the required range of skills, tasks and assessments to maintain consistent, accurate and safe care to self and others
• Visual observations, examination and assessment are fundamental to safe and effective paramedic practice

Adjustments must address the need to perform the full range of tasks involved in clinical practice. Any strategies to address the effects of the vision impairment must be effective, consistent, and not compromise treatment or safety. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Student Equity Officer.

Paramedicine is a profession that requires manual dexterity and fine motor skills.

The student demonstrates:

• The ability to use fine motor skills to function within scope of practice

Justification of inherent requirement:

• Sufficient fine motor skills are necessary to perform the required level of care. Tasks that involve fine motor skills include being able to grasp, press, push, turn, squeeze and manipulate various objects and individuals.
• Students must be able to demonstrate and perform these tasks consistently and safely to reduce the risk of harm to self and others

Adjustments should facilitate functional effectiveness, safety to self and others and a capacity to provide appropriate care. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Student Equity Officers.

Paramedicine is a profession that involves physical demands and requires gross motor function.

The student demonstrates:

• The ability to perform gross motor skills to function within scope of practice.

Justification of inherent requirement:

• Sufficient gross motor skills are necessary to perform the required level of care.
• Tasks that involve gross motor skills include lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, standing, twisting, and bending. Students must be able to demonstrate and perform these tasks consistently and safely to reduce the risk of harm to self and others

Adjustments should facilitate functional effectiveness, safety of self and others and a capacity to provide appropriate care. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Student Equity Officers.

Paramedic practice requires physical, mental performance at a consistent and sustained level.

The student demonstrates:

• Consistent and sustained level of physical energy to complete a specific task in a timely manner and over time
• The ability to perform repetitive activities with a level of concentration that ensures a capacity to focus on the activity until it is completed appropriately
• The capacity to maintain consistency and quality of performance throughout the designated period

Justification of inherent requirement:

Sufficient physical and mental endurance is an essential requirement needed to perform multiple tasks in an assigned period to provide safe and effective care.

Adjustments must ensure that performance is consistent and sustained over a given period. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Student Equity Officers.

Effective written communication, in English, is a fundamental paramedic responsibility with professional and legal ramifications.

The student demonstrates:

• The capacity to construct coherent written communication appropriate to the circumstances.

Justification of inherent requirement:

• Construction of written text-based assessment tasks to reflect the required academic standards are necessary to convey knowledge and understanding of relevant subject matter for professional practice
• Accurate written communication, including record-keeping and patient notes, is vital to provide consistent and safe patient care

Adjustments must meet necessary standards of clarity, accuracy, and accessibility to ensure effective recording and transmission of information in both academic and clinical settings. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Student Equity Officers.