Paramedic Science BSc (Hons) - 2024/5

Other information

This programme is studied full-time over three academic years which provides students with the opportunity to accrue 1775 hours of theory and a minimum of 1579 hours of practice learning.

The school/department of Faculty of health and Medical Sciences Health Sciences, Paramedic Science programme is committed to developing graduates with strengths in Employability, Digital Capabilities, Global and Cultural Capabilities, Sustainability, and Resourcefulness and Resilience. This programme is designed to allow students to develop knowledge, skills, and capabilities in the following areas:

Digital capabilities: The digital future is already transforming the way healthcare is delivered, so it is essential that students are involved in the digital transformation of health care as future healthcare practitioners. Students will evaluate the digital transformation of care, having opportunities to engage with digital technology to support healthcare leading to a cultural transformation and the democratisation of care to improve health outcomes, lowering cost of care and improving the human care experience. Through the development of recommendations for further research and potential changes to guidelines that inform clinical practice. Students are also required to develop and evidence proficiency in effectively utilising general digital search tools and specialist online health science databases as part of their research and study throughout their degree. They will be supported in reaching such proficiency with ongoing learning and guidance from the school and from the University whilst demonstrating the ability to undertake a substantive project with independent study.
Employability: Students undertake practice placement each year, with an expectation that their knowledge and skills in practice increases as students¿ progress through the levels of study, reflected in the proficiencies contained with each practice assessment document. Students are enrolled on a validated professional course and are educated in line with regulated standards preparing them with the interpersonal and professional skills to enter the register and employment at the end of their course. Through evidence based and problem-based learning supported by digital literacy, students are supported to develop the professional skills and resilience necessary for the changing nature of work. They engage in real-world problems to increase the students¿ agency to work effectively in a team and independently to prepare students for the world of work. prepare students for a range of career opportunities.¿ Assessments are designed to replicate the demands and circumstances of modern professional practice and the programme seeks to complement and scaffold students professional outlook and application through the provision of comprehensive clinical activities and other specialist activities such as change agency and reflective practice. Clinical Placements provide the opportunity for students to build connections and relationships that will impact on their future employability and career development to transition into an autonomous practitioner. Placement opportunities reflect the changing healthcare environments, beyond the scope of the ambulance, working within settings such as general practice and community and acute care. In addition to this there is an opportunity to engage in an elective in year 2. This is a student led initiative with the aim of encouraging students to work in an area of personal interest, which results in personal and professional self-development. Students may choose to spend time abroad, which increases their appreciation of global health issues and enables them to experience health care in other cultures. The final year placement provides the opportunity to develop and evidence their leadership and decision-making skills as they prepare to enter the professional world as registrants. Alongside this all students are offered the opportunity to develop their skills in CV writing, interview skills, and the application process to assist in bridging the transition between study and employment.

Global and cultural capabilities: To improve health care delivery and outcomes, paramedics must develop the cultural competence to support people from diverse cultures. Public and global health are key threads throughout this programme with a view to improving the health behaviours of the community, identifying cultural factors affecting health behaviour and recognising the health care services which are needed. programme content incorporates perspectives and practices from a range of cultures; through conversations around culture, appreciation, and appropriation students are encouraged to diversify their knowledge and reflect on different experiences; through peer-to-peer learning students are encouraged to share and learn from each other¿s personal and cultural knowledge and perspectives. This will support the development of cultural competence to support the diverse range of communities engaging with services and play a vital role in improving health, preventing, and treating diseases.

Within the programme students are encouraged and supported to explore the current social landscape, social justice, ethical and legal and professional frameworks. The programme content and assessment tasks require students to develop and demonstrate competence in incorporating relevant critical analyses to explore the evidence base to make evaluative judgement. Students are supported to develop cultural sensitivity which relates to the importance of respect, trust, and empathy in therapeutic relationships. This is congruent with their role in promoting cultural awareness when working with colleagues in practice and challenge their own and for others thinking to advocate for service-users, relatives, carers, and key stakeholders.

Resourcefulness and Resilience: Students are guided to develop the ability to reflect, evaluate, adapt, and respond flexibly to unforeseen circumstances throughout the programme within their university learning and within the clinical placement environment.¿ This is fundamental to the development of effective and safe health care professionals. Scenario based examples are used to develop students¿ ability to respond effectively to changing situations.¿ These skills are tested through formative and summative assessments.¿.¿ An integrated programmatic approach and scaffolding helps with both the development of knowledge throughout the academic year and programme and highlights the importance of assessment for learning in the journey of the student.¿

Students are supported to engage with wellbeing services and are encouraged to foster resilience through peer support. This is integrated within the curriculum in year one. In the ever-changing world resilience skills sustain themselves in challenging and difficult working climates. Within the School of Health Sciences all students are supported by the ¿use of Schwartz rounds. The rounds provide an opportunity for healthcare students to attend a facilitated and confidential forum in which both clinical practice and University experiences can be discussed and reflected on. There is an emphasis on the creation of a compassionate community amongst students, through understanding of emotional resonance and the eschewing of problem-solving strategies.

Sustainability: We have a philosophy which aims to create the future healthcare workforce, which is not only fit for today, but which is also future proofed through consideration of an ever-changing healthcare landscape. Students will focus on global challenges of our era that are the focus of current policy processes to develop the necessary social skill as global citizens by focusing on social issue (e.g., increase of uptake of vaccines) from the perspective of diverse target audience.¿
Healthcare resources are finite, and this programme explores the role of health promotion in providing service users with information to make good choices regarding health behaviours.¿ Ethical leadership for sustainable care practices will give learners the knowledge and skills to compassionately address current inequalities and maximize long term outcomes which may positively impact on their own and the world¿s care practices.¿