Paramedic Science

Teaching resides in three domains of the curriculum: theory, skills and simulation and practice learning. All three domains of teaching aim to encourage and support you to take responsibility for your own learning, and to become increasingly independent and autonomous in your academic and professional development. This approach further seeks to foster an understanding and adoption of a lifelong approach to learning, firmly embedded in professional practice. Teaching is fundamental in attaining this realisation through the integration of the domains of the curriculum with clearly defined relationships within and across academic years.

Theoretical modules provide the underpinning knowledge and intellectual skills as a foundation for both practice and academic development. Teaching adopts a blended, approach combining face-to-face, on-campus learning with synchronous and asynchronous teaching sessions to create a stimulating, flexible and exciting learning experience for you. Formal lectures and seminars are complemented by a ‘flipped classroom’ approach, a blended learning strategy that reverses traditional learning. It is an active learning approach that requires you to complete a range of pre-reading of key information provided via the VLE, prior to attending lectures, which then forms the basis of in-class discussion, activities, and projects. Attendance is mandatory at specific teaching sessions, with a health and safety or patient safety focus, for example, moving and handling, conflict resolution, basic, intermediate, and advanced life support, and trust induction. A clear indication of these sessions will be provided in the module outlines.

Simulation modules provide the bridge between theory and practice. They are designed to enable you to understand and interpret the application of theory in a safe practice environment. Simulation allows you to discover ways in which the theory helps you to solve real-world problems, engage in clinical reasoning and develop practical skills in a safe and supportive environment. In these modules, you broaden you learning opportunities and experience, being able to take risks, make mistakes, evaluate alternative approaches to patient management and hone skills in a safe learning environment. It also allows you to address you learning needs which cannot be assured in the opportunistic learning environment provided in the practice placement modules. Simulation will be undertaken in environments as close to reality as possible, utilising volunteers, service users and mannikins as simulated patients. This approach allows you to engage in experiential learning closely aligned to you levels of knowledge and experience as well as preparing you for undertaking you placements. Simulation will enhance you competence and confidence; it also promotes and develops a sense of professionalism.

In addition, meetings with Personal Academic Tutors are scheduled on at least four occasions in the first year and three occasions in each of the other years of a course. You will be able to access tutorials with the module team and final-year dissertation supervision.

The University places emphasis on enabling you to develop independent learning capabilities that will equip you for lifelong learning and future employment, as well as academic achievement. A mixture of independent study, teaching and academic support from Student Services and Library Services, and the Personal Academic Tutoring system enables you to reflect on progress and build up a profile of skills, achievements and experiences that will help you to flourish and be successful.

This BSc (Hons) Paramedic Science programme is a professional course requiring a minimum of 1200 hours of practice learning. You spend 240 hours in practice placements in year 1 with 480 hours in years 2 and 3. Across the programme, you complete 5 practice learning modules, one in year 1, two in year 2 and two in year 3 to ensure alignment and integration between theory, simulation and placement. Practice education takes the form of short block placements interspersed by theory blocks, allowing theory to be aligned to practice enabling authentic learning.

Practice placements are predominately undertaken with West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust but are complemented by experiences in a range of other settings; for example, residential/nursing homes, primary care emergency department, maternity, mental health, paediatrics, and palliative care placements. The Practice Assessment Document (PAD) for each practice module identifies the academic level you are at, the teaching that has taken place and the expectations of you during that module. This provides a clear focus for teaching and learning for both you and the practice educator. Cumulatively the practice documents allow the you and practice educator to see progression and provide clear insight into additional learning needs and areas for development. Learning opportunities can then be tailored to your particular needs.

The practice element of learning is supported by the practice educator within real-world clinical environments. During placements, you receive direct support and guidance from your practice educator and other supervising healthcare professionals, including coaching as well as mentoring.