PARA8005 Acute Assessment and Management of Cardiac Dysrhythmias

2019

4.5

1 x 2-hour seminar weekly
1 x 2-day intensive workshop per semester
1 x 7-hour independent study weekly
1 x 50-minute on-line exercises weekly

1 Admission into GDPICP-Graduate Diploma in Intensive Care Paramedic Studies
1a Admission into MPARA-Master of Paramedic Science
2 PARA8001 - Advanced Bioscience for Intensive Care Paramedic Practice
Must Satisfy: ((1 or 1a) and 2)

Students should have a sound underpinning knowledge of paramedic practice.

Weekly on-line discussions/activities/participation; Practical work; Intensive attendance and participation; Assignments.

Critical to the appropriate management of the critically ill patient is the ability of the Intensive Care Paramedic to recognise the clinical presentation and physiological consequences of clinical situations that can cause or result in alterations to the normal cardiac rhythm. Based on contemporary clinical understanding and best practice, this foundation subject will cover normal cardiac electrophysiology, the interpretation of 12 lead electrocardiogram to diagnose common causes of rhythm alteration, aberrancy and ectopy, the pathophysiological conditions that can result in an altered cardiac rhythm including the effect of various pharmacological and electrophysiological interventions and the clinical assessment and management strategies that can be implemented to manage cardiac dysrhythmias. This underpinning knowledge is critical to enable appropriate clinical decision making and management when dealing with often complex and interacting pathologies that can cause or result in cardiac dysrhythmias.

This topic aims to develop an advanced level of understanding of the physiological and electrophysiological regulation of the normal cardiac rhythm and the various factors that can result in an altered cardiac rhythm as related to ICP practice which forms the foundation on which sound clinical judgement and practice are to be based.

On completion of this topic, students will be expected to be able to:

• Explain the electrophysiological mechanisms responsible for the normal cardiac rhythm.

• Identify and describe the causes of altered cardiac rhythms as relevant to ICP practice.

• Use a 12 lead electrocardiogram to interpret causes of cardiac rhythm alteration, aberrancy and ectopy as relevant to ICP clinical practice.

• Identify and describe the influence of pharmacological agents, co-morbidities and various electrophysiological interventions on the cardiac rhythm as relevant to ICP practice.

• Identify and describe variations to the physiological mechanisms that are responsible for the cardiac rhythm that occur across the life span.

• Demonstrate the appropriate application of ICP clinical procedures and equipment to assess and manage a cardiac dysrhythmia.

• Describe the pharmacology of medications used in ICP clinical practice to manage a patient with a cardiac dysrhythmia.

• Describe and demonstrate the appropriate clinical assessment and management of a patient with a cardiac dysrhythmia including the management of any underlying pathological cause.

• Demonstrate the ability to form and revise clinical judgements and practice plans when presented with new evidence or information as relevant to ICP practice.