PARA8007 Acute Assessment & Management of Special Populations

Prehospital clinicians are required to respond to the needs of all patients across the lifespan (newborn, neonate, adolescent, adult & geriatric) as well as the obstetric and obese patient. Critical to the appropriate management of these demographics is the ability to recognise the variations in anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology which can challenge standard clinical management approaches. This topic will provide a broad foundation of knowledge to enable the intensive care paramedic to identify the appropriate prehospital interventions for these critically ill patients.

This topic aims to provide the high level physiological and pathophysiological understanding required by the intensive care paramedic to effectively manage the complex requirements of special patient populations. These populations include the spectrum from newborn to geriatric patients as well as the obstetric and bariatric patient. The topic will emphasise the unique considerations required within each special population to allow the clinician to:

• Connect the structure and function of human organ systems
• Apply theoretical and factual knowledge of human physiology in a practical context including analysis of physiological measures
• Work effectively and collaboratively in a team environment
• Apply human physiology to a variety of work contexts

1. Connect the anatomical and physiological characteristics associated with special populations, to their common pathological processes
2. Examine the physiological changes resulting from pharmacological interventions in special populations
3. Apply relevant patient assessment principles unique to these special populations for common pathophysiologies encountered in the prehospital setting
4. Demonstrate the ability to implement clinical interventions unique to these special populations within the prehospital environments