PHC401 Paediatrics for Pre-hospital Care (8)

CSU Discipline Area: Allied Health (ALHEA)

Duration: One session

Abstract:

This subject will build upon the student's knowledge of paediatric diagnostics and management and relate this to the paediatric patient within a pre-hospital context. The subject will explore emergency paediatric health assessment via a systems approach, diagnostic techniques and the role of the paramedic and health professionals within a pre-hospital environment and its resulting impact on tertiary medical management.

+ Subject Availability Modes and Locations

Session 2
Distance	Bathurst

Continuing students should consult the SAL for current offering details: PHC401

Where differences exist between the Handbook and the SAL, the SAL should be taken as containing the correct subject offering details.

Enrolment restrictions:

Restricted to Post Graduate Certificate in Intensive Care Paramedic Studies students.

Objectives:

Upon successful completion of this subject, students should:

1. Identify:
a) key growth and developmental characteristics of infants and children and their implications.
b) key anatomical, physiological and other differences between infants/children and adults and their implications.
c) "normal" age-group related vital signs of infants/children.

2. Describe techniques for successful interaction with parents/caregivers of acutely ill or injured infants/children, and infant/child death situations (including SIDS).

3. Describe an appropriate assessment and treatment/management plan for infant/child death situations (including SIDS).

4. Describe typical stress reactions and suggested stress management techniques for paramedics dealing with acutely ill or injured infants/children.

5. Describe mobilisation and transport considerations for acutely ill or injured infants/children.

6. Describe anatomical, physiological and pathophysiological differences between infants/children and adults and their implications in airway management and ventilation of paediatric patients.

7. Describe appropriate airway management techniques, adjuncts and ventilation devices for use in paediatric respiratory emergencies, including those affected by potential cervical spinal injury.

8. Discuss the primary aetiologies of:
a) cardiopulmonary failure and arrest in infants/children.
b) fever and infection in infants/children.
c) altered level of consciousness/altered mental status/syncope in infants/children.

9. Discuss the pathophysiology, the assessment and the treatment/management of infants and children experiencing:
- respiratory distress/failure.
- cardiac dysrhythmias.
- chest pain.
- cardiopulmonary failure and arrest.
- hypoperfusion.
- trauma.
- burns.
- dental emergencies.
- altered level of consciousness/ altered mental status and syncope.
- neurological emergencies.
- fever and infection.
- diabetic emergencies.
- thermal emergencies.
- near-drowning.
- poisoning.
- common behavioural emergencies.

10. Discuss the management/treatment plan for:
a) post-traumatic and critical incident stress in paediatrics.
b) disasters and multi-casualty incidents involving infants and children.

11. Discuss the pathophysiology, the assessment findings and management plans associated with child abuse and neglect.

12. Discuss the pathophysiology, the assessment findings and the management/treatment plan for children with special health care needs (including technology assisted children).

13. Demonstrate appropriate assessment and management techniques for different developmental age groups.

14. Demonstrate proper techniques and approaches related to the following:
- measuring paediatric vital signs.
- treating infants and children with respiratory distress.
- performing neonatal, infant and child resuscitation.
- performing infant and child defibrillation and synchronised cardioversion.

Syllabus:

The subject will cover the following topics:

Module 1 Fundamentals of Paediatric Prehospital Care - Key growth and developmental characteristics of infants/ children and their implications - Key anatomical, physiological and other differences between children and adults and their implications - Normal age group related vital signs - Family reactions in paediatric emergencies - Paramedic reactions to paediatric emergencies Module 2 Paediatric Assessment, and Mobilisation/ Transport Considerations - Patient assessment involving infants/ children - Paediatric mobilisation and transport considerations Module 3 Paediatric Respiratory Emergencies - Paediatric airway management and ventilation (including airway adjuncts and ventilation devices) - Paediatric respiratory emergencies Module 4 Paediatric Circulatory Emergencies - Cardiac dysrhythmias in infants/children - Chest pain in children - Cardiopulmonary failure and arrest in children - Hypoperfusion Module 5 Paediatric Trauma - Paediatric trauma - Burns - Dental emergencies Module 6 Neurological Emergencies - Altered mental status and syncope - Paediatric neurological emergencies Module 7 Paediatric Metabolic & Endocrine Disorders - Fever and infection - Diabetic emergencies Module 8 Paediatric Environmental Emergencies - Thermal emergencies - Near-drowning - Poisoning Module 9 Paediatric Psychological Emergencies - Behavioural emergencies - Post-traumatic and critical incident stress in paediatrics - Disasters and multi-casualty incidents Module 10 Special Problems in Pre-hospital Paediatric Care - Neonatal resuscitation - Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) - Child abuse and neglect - Children with special health care needs (including technology assisted children)

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