Higher Certificate in Emergency Medical Care

Purpose

The purpose of the Higher Certificate in Emergency Medical Care is to develop the key competencies required of Emergency Care Assistants who will work under the guidance of Emergency Care Technicians, Emergency Care Practitioners and Medical Officers in a variety of contexts.

Rationale

This qualification is designed to produce entry-level emergency care providers within the emergency medical care and rescue environment thereby replacing the three-week Basic Ambulance Assistant course as the minimum entry level qualification in emergency medical services. This qualification will be particularly useful for individuals wishing to enter the profession, existing as ambulance assistants, existing ambulance emergency assistants and existing operational emergency care orderlies. Holders of this qualification will operate mainly in and around the ambulance, within wide ranging contexts, including rural, urban, military, coastal, corporate, mass gatherings, homes and workplaces. In general, the Emergency Care Assistant will provide a supportive service within the pre-hospital context.

The Higher Certificate in Emergency Medical Care provides an entry point into the career pathway within the emergency services thereby creating access and an opportunity for employment within this field. The qualification will also develop the necessary foundational knowledge; skills and attitudes that form the basis for further study in the field of prehospital emergency medical care and progressions within the Higher Education Qualifications Sub-Framework (HEQSF).

Graduates will register with the Health Professions Council of South Africa and shall be entitled to practice basic and intermediate emergency care primarily in ambulances within South Africa in rural and urban contexts that range from sophisticated emergency medical care facilities to remote primary health care settings.

The qualification also aims to promote a multi-disciplinary approach to effective, efficient patient care. In addition, it aims to produce graduate health care professionals who are cognisant of the South African history and will be able to adapt to the unique circumstances of a changing South Africa with emphasis on equity in health care, social upliftment and reduction of the burden of disease.

This qualification is competency based. In order to achieve clinical competency, notional hours include theoretical and work integrated learning components in approved clinical settings/facilities.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

The Faculty of Health Sciences accepts Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) as an integral part of education and academic practice. It is acknowledged that all learning has value and the Faculty of Humanities will endeavour to assess prior learning and award credit where relevant.

The Faculty manages RPL according to the institution's RPL policy, which will be applied as follows for purposes of this qualification as set out in Faculty policy:

• Through Recognition of Prior Learning, a learner may gain access, or advanced placement, or recognition of status, on condition that he/she continues his/her studies at the institution.
• Recognition takes place in terms of requirements and procedures applied by the Faculty of Health Sciences.
• RPL is finally decided upon by the Dean's Committee of the Faculty.

Entry Requirements

• National Senior Certificate (NSC), NQF Level 4, granting access to Higher Certificate studies.

Or

• National Certificate Vocational (NCV), NQF Level 4, granting access to Higher Certificate studies.

This qualification consists of the following compulsory modules at National Qualifications Framework Level 5 totalling 132 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, 132 Credits

• Anatomy 1, 12 Credits.
• Chemistry, 6 Credits.
• Emergency Medical Care I Theory, 12 Credits.
• Emergency Medical Care I Practical, 24 Credits.
• Clinical Practice I, 36 Credits.
• Mental Health and Wellness, 6 Credits.
• End-User Computing, 6 Credits.
• Foundations of Professional Practice, 12 Credits.
• Physics, 6 Credits.
• Physical Preparedness, 0 Credits.
• Physiology 1, 12 Credits.

1. Demonstrate effective communication and apply the principles of medical ethics, professional behaviour and the legal framework to the context within which Emergency Care Assistants operate while maintaining personal health, wellness and safety.
2. Demonstrate knowledge of the structure and function of Emergency Medical Service (EMS) systems in South Africa and how they relate to the broader health care structures within the country.
3. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of human and basic sciences underpinning emergency care.
4. Provide emergency medical care within an emergency medical service environment to all sectors of the community within the Emergency Care Assistant scope of practice.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Communicate with patients, colleagues and other service providers effectively, clearly, directly and accurately, with appropriate use of modality including electronic media.
• Use medical conversations and terminology consistent with profession usage.
• Undertake interactions, promote human dignity and with due sensitivity to ethnic, cultural, linguistic, and religious and gender diversity.
• Apply ethical principles of beneficence, autonomy, justice, truth telling, promise keeping and confidentiality correctly in all contexts.
• Ensure all clinical interactions and related practices are in line with the provisions and rules of the codes of ethics of the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) and professional associations.
• Provide accurate and comprehensive explanations of the legal framework within which an emergency service provider and/or Emergency Care Assistant operates.
• Discuss the importance of mental health and wellness on the part of the emergency care provider comprehensively, highlighting their role and importance, with particular reference to the impact on job effectiveness.
• Identify, demonstrate and describe suitable methods for achieving and maintaining operational fitness in terms of lifestyle, diet and exercise techniques, highlighting the impact of physical fitness on self and job effectiveness.
• Identify, demonstrate and apply methods for maintaining personal safety through appropriate risk assessment, scene assessment, decision making and options taking.
• Describe and demonstrate safe and effective lifting, carrying and movement of patients.
• Describe and demonstrate safe and effective use of emergency service vehicles, emergency medical equipment, and its operation including emergency response driving correctly.
• Conduct standard operational routines correctly within an Emergency Medical Service (EMS) environment.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Describe EMS accurately in terms of structure, role and function, both public and private, within the South African context.
• Provide correct explanations of the interdependence and interrelationships occurring between EMS and other Allied Emergency and Health Care structures.
• Explain the role of the health care team correctly in terms of the key responsibilities of each role and the relationships between each role.
• Identify and explain national legislation as applicable to emergency care and rescue services correctly.
• Explain and demonstrate multi-disciplinary approaches to emergency care and rescue scenarios correctly.
• Explain and demonstrate professional communication between and co-operation with patients and stakeholders correctly.
• Explain operational needs correctly.
• Explain factors influencing policy and operation of the emergency care and/or rescue services correctly.
• Identify and address problem areas correctly using problem solving and decision making techniques.
• Explain applicable labour legislation and labour practice correctly.
• Explain and demonstrate the principles of disaster management correctly.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Describe and integrate the composition, general form, spatial orientation and position of structures within the regions of the human body accurately within a clinical context.
• Explain and integrate the physiological functioning of the human body correctly into patient care.
• Key principles of chemistry are correctly explained and applied to emergency medical care and rescue contexts.
• Explain and apply key principles of physics correctly to emergency medical care and rescue contexts.
• Describe drugs used within the scope of practice of the Emergency Care Assistant accurately and comprehensively in terms of class, schedule, trade name, and generic name, mechanism of action, indications, contra-indications, precautions, side effects, packaging, dosage and administration and route of administration.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Identify potential hazards within the emergency service environment correctly in terms of their origins, impact and means of management or mitigation.
• Carry out scene and incident management in line with best practice and established procedures.
• Describe emergency medical care equipment accurately and manage properly manage in terms of function, storage, maintenance and safe use.
• Discuss and implement infection control in line with established procedures.
• Demonstrate integrated patient care and clinical skills/procedures correctly within the scope of practice of an Emergency Care Assistant (ECA).
• Describe and demonstrate the principles of primary health care, disease prevention, health promotion and counselling properly.
• Promote HIV and AIDS awareness in self and among others.
• Describe the role of an Emergency Care Assistant within the primary health care system correctly.
• Perform clinical assessment and clinical decision-making properly in line with the scope of practice of an Emergency Care Assistant.
• Demonstrate the treatment for minor injuries and minor ailments in specific controlled circumstances is correct.
• Render professional emergency care to the sick or injured individual, groups and the community with due consideration for evidence-informed practice.
• Demonstrate all clinical skills within the Emergency Care Assistant scope of practice correctly.
• Accurately recognise emergency care and/or primary health care situation and apply appropriate knowledge and skills concerning to manage the situation by using appropriate equipment.
• Carry out patient hand over out in line with local protocols and procedures.
• Construct medical records which provide sufficient accurate details of patient information and treatment.
• Demonstrate self-critique, realistic, accurate and fair reflection of own clinical competence and practice.
• Offer appropriate clinical advice that will enhance the prevention of further injury or ill health.
• Perform operational routines and procedures within an Emergency Medical Services environment correctly.

Integrated Assessment

Integrated assessment strategies across related modules are applied. The integrated assessment takes the form of an appropriate variety of assessment methods, for example: written and oral examinations, problem-solving assignments, projects, presentations, case studies, portfolios, log-books, clinical reports and objectively structured clinical examination, reflective practice journals and simulated medical and rescue scenarios. Through the university's policies on assessment and moderation, assessment practices will be open, transparent, fair, valid, and reliable to ensure that no student is disadvantaged in any way whatsoever.

Formative Assessment

Learning and assessment are integrated. The scheme of work includes tests and assignments, practical work and competency evaluation of practical skills. The process is continuous and focuses on smaller sections of the work with a limited number of Exit Level Outcomes.

Summative Assessment

Summative assessments evaluate the learners' abilities to manage and integrate a larger body of knowledge and to achieve the Exit Level Outcomes. The summative assessment also focuses on the learners' ability to integrate knowledge and skills in the area of emergency.