Written Assessment topic: 

"Written Assessment: Review of key topics in prehospital trauma management”

For this essay, you are required to explore three critical topics in the field of paramedic trauma and emergency management, based on current peer-reviewed literature from the last 10 years. Your analysis should address the following: 

1. What impact does prehospital antibiotic administration have in trauma care, for the management of open fractures, considering benefits, limitations, infection outcomes and patient morbidity?

2. How do needle decompression, finger/open thoracostomy and tube thoracostomy compare in terms of indications, effectiveness, complications, ongoing procedure monitoring. If initial chest decompression is unsuccessful, what should paramedics consider and do next to troubleshoot a tension pneumothorax and manage the patient?

3. Review and explain changes from traditional to contemporary pre-hospital C-spine management. Explain the impact that traditional spinal immobilisation techniques (rigid collars, hard boards, Taping heads, supine positioning) have on patients with a concurrent Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) with consideration to the Monro-Kellie Doctrine.

Your essay should be structured as follows: 

• Section 1: Prehospital Antibiotic use in trauma (for open fractures) (+/-600 words) 
• Section 2: Tension pneumothorax management (+/-600 words) 
• Section 3: Traditional spinal immobilisation effects on Traumatic Brain Injury management (+/-600 words) 
• Conclusion: Summarize the findings from each section, highlight their implications for paramedic practice, and discuss any gaps in research or areas for future exploration. (200 - 400 words)

Your assessment should be professional and academic in tone. 

Level of GenAI use allowed:

Level 2: You may use AI for planning, idea development, and research. Your final submission should show how you have developed and refined these ideas.

Any use of GenAI tools must be acknowledged in a statement on the submission.

The minimum word count is 2000 words and the maximum word count is 2200 words.  This does not include references. 

The assessment should include a cover page (include your name and student number, the unit code (PMSC13014), the word count (excluding title page, in-text citations, and reference list))

Ambulance guidelines should not be used as sources; rely exclusively on peer-reviewed literature for your research. Ensure that each section is well-researched and properly cited using APA format for both in-text citations and the reference list.

The written assessment is worth 60% of your overall unit mark, you must achieve a minimum pass mark of 50% to pass this assessment. Please refer to the Moodle site for additional task information such as assignment marking rubric.

A 5% late penalty applies per day that the assignment is overdue (past the 72 -hour grace period).

During the compulsory residential schools, you are required to complete and achieve a pass in both Part A and Part B of the Residential school.

Part A: Consists of two objective structured clinical examinations (OSCE's). You will be assessed via two OSCE’s: one will involve assessment and management of a patient presenting with traumatic injuries, and one will involve application of knowledge and assessment of a multi-casualty incident.

Part B: Consists of a critical reflection. Following the OSCE's assessments, you will undertake a critical reflection of your performance.

The practical assessment will allow you to apply your theoretical learnings within a simulated practical environment. The practical assessment will evaluate your procedural and declarative knowledge of the various assessments, skills and pharmacology learned throughout this unit.  

The practical assessment will be assessed in line with the rubric provided on the unit Moodle page.

The practical assessment is a pass/fail assessment task. You must pass both Part A: (OSCEs) and Part B: (Critical reflection) to pass this assessment item and the overall unit.

Part A:

• One reattempt OSCE will be offered for the practical assessment if a single OSCE is failed upon first attempt.
• If both OSCEs are failed, no reattempts will be offered and a fail grade will be awarded for the practical assessment.
• You must pass this assessment item to pass the overall unit.

Part B:

• You are eligible for one reattempt of Part B only if you passed Part A on your first attempt.
• If Part A required a reattempt, no reattempt is available for Part B.
• If both the initial and reattempt critical reflections are failed, a "Fail" grade will be awarded for the practical assessment and the unit.
• You must pass this assessment item to pass the overall unit.

Assessments with unsafe practices will be moderated by the Unit Coordinator and therefore feedback will not be provided immediately at the completion of your assessment day or residential school.

Unsafe practice in this unit is classed as anything, by act or omission that: causes immediate harm or has the potential to cause harm to yourself, partner, patient or bystanders and/or any procedure/skill or pharmacology administered, that is performed outside your scope of practice.

Examples include 

• Unsafe defibrillation
• Incorrect joules delivered during defibrillation
• Defibrillation of a non-shockable rhythm
• Failure to recognise a cardiac arrest within one (1) minute
• Failure to defibrillate a shockable rhythm within two (2) minutes
• Failure to perform a complete drug check
• Incorrect sharps disposal or unsafe practice with a sharp
• Performing a skill or procedure outside your scope of practice taught to you in all previous and current units
• Administering pharmacology outside your scope of practice, or administering an incorrect drug or drug dose
• Any grossly unsafe practice, as determined by the assessing academic.

During any form of assessment, if any examples of unsafe practice are witnessed the assessment will continue and be moderated. Upon review and confirmation of unsafe practice, no marks will be awarded for that assessment item. 

In the absence of an approved extension, there will be no opportunity to complete this assessment after the compulsory Residential School for this unit.

The 72-hour grace period does not apply to this assessment.

Level of GenAI use allowed:

Level 1: You must not use Al at any point during the assessment. You must demonstrate your core skills and knowledge.

For this assessment task you will complete a 90-minute quiz on the Moodle website. The online test will assess your knowledge on the pathophysiology of trauma presentations, your capacity to effectively manage trauma cases and application of advanced knowledge of emergency medicine in a mass casualty or major incident event.

This assessment will comprise a mix of multiple-choice, short answer questions, and case management exercises related to the material in this unit

Once started, do not press BACK on your browser or REFRESH the page at any time; your work will be lost as responses are not saved until the quiz is submitted or the allotted time expires.

When the due date expires, any open attempts are automatically submitted; you must therefore start the quiz at least 90-minutes before that deadline, or you will not receive your full time period.

You have 90 minutes to complete the quiz and you will only be given one attempt. When your time limit expires, any open attempts are automatically submitted. This quiz is worth 40% of your overall mark and you must achieve a minimum pass mark of 50% to pass this assessment. If you experience a technical issue you must notify the Unit Coordinator immediately. This is an INDIVIDUAL TASK and must not be collaboratively completed. 

The quiz must be completed by 0900hrs AEST on the Monday 08/06/2026

The 72-hour grace period does not apply to this assessment.

Level of GenAI use allowed:

Level 1: You must not use Al at any point during the assessment. You must demonstrate your core skills and knowledge.