PARA1001 Integrating Cultural Safety and Indigenous Health with Paramedic Professional Practice

This topic will prepare the paramedic to make sensible, practical, and culturally safe decisions about their practice particularly as it relates to the care of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and the individual across their lifespan. Specifically, it will enable the paramedic to adapt within their authorized scope of practice to meet the needs of different groups distinguished by cultural and socio-economic factors. Strong themes around cultural safety and cultural/social determinants as they apply to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health will help build cultural competence by establishing the congruent behaviours and attitudes required of the paramedic to effectively deliver safe, accessible and responsive healthcare free of racism in cross-cultural situations. This will be achieved by reinforcing the ongoing need for critical reflection of health practitioner knowledge, skills, attitudes, practising behaviours and power differentials to establish culturally safe environments for both the practitioner and patient.

This topic aims to ensure paramedics display appropriate professional behaviour that:

• Is culturally safe enabling Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients to access safe and responsive healthcare, free of racism
• Respects socio-cultural difference, is empathetic and non-discriminatory
• Allows appropriate adjustments to communication style to suit the needs of the patient including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
• Identifies patients who are vulnerable or otherwise most at risk and particularly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
• Displays leadership and role modelling of culturally safe practice as members of the healthcare team

1. Describe the social and cultural determinants influencing the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
2. Examine colonisation and systemic racism, social, cultural, behavioural and economic factors which impact individual and community health
3. Explore and address individual racism, your own biases, assumptions, stereotypes and prejudices to provide care that is holistic and free of bias and racism
4. Appraise the importance of self-determined decision-making, partnership and collaboration in healthcare which is driven by the individual, family and community
5. Foster a safe working environment through leadership to support the rights and dignity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and colleagues
6. Demonstrate cultural competence to effectively deliver safe, accessible and responsive healthcare free of racism in cross-cultural situations