• Final-year paramedicine students at Charles Sturt University in Bathurst participated in a multi-casualty scenario to put their clinical skills to the test ahead of graduation

Charles Sturt University third-year paramedicine students participated in a multi-casualty incident (MCI) demonstration on Friday 18 August at the University’s Simulation Centre in Bathurst.

As part of their final subject, the students completed the exercise, which simulated an event causing injury and/or death to a number of patients beyond what an ambulance service would typically handle.

Lecturer in Paramedicine in the Charles Sturt School of Nursing, Paramedicine and Healthcare Sciences Ms Georgina Pickering said the multi-casualty scenario prepared students for real-world clinical practice beyond graduation.

“Students are required to combine all of their prior learning over the course of the degree and put it into practice for this one exercise, demonstrating their sound clinical judgement and decision-making abilities,” Ms Pickering said.

The MCI in this instance was a road traffic accident scenario, with some students ‘acting’ as the casualties for the purpose of the learning simulation.

Ms Pickering said these types of incidents are high pressure and patients’ needs can vary significantly.

“A mass casualty simulation is one with multiple patients, with varying injuries that student paramedics treat simultaneously, so they are required to use triage skills they have learnt during the degree,” she said.

“These scenarios are an opportunity for the students to put both the clinical and soft skills that have been learnt into practice, which places the student paramedics under pressure.

“This ensures students are able to successfully transition to professional paramedic practice.”

Such scenario exercises are a common feature of the Charles Sturt Bachelor of Paramedicine.

ENDS