Paramedic Registered Nurse Dual Degree

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Initiative Type

Education and Training

Status

Deliver

Added

27 April 2018

Last updated

30 September 2023

Summary

The South West Hospital and Health Service (SWHHS) have developed an innovative program to utilize the abundance of duel degree Paramedic/Registered Nurse (RN) graduates that are leaving universities but are unable to utilize both their degrees.

Working with the Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) the SWHHS have developed a program to ensure that graduates are employed and undertake their post degree requirements for employment by both QAS and Queensland Health (QH) through an accredited program. After completion of the program the Paramedic/RN is employed by SWHHS into their Hospital based ambulance sites, enhancing pre-hospital treatment and experience. The solution also enables seamless movement of staff from employment as an RN to Paramedic.

Key dates

Jan 2017

Jan 2018

Implementation sites

South West Hospital and Health Service

Partnerships

Queensland Ambulance Service

Aim

Provide increased employment options for duel graduates in rural and remote locations.

Benefits

Increased workforce flexibility leading to improved knowledge and skills base for the Hospital and Health Service.

Background

Ambulance Services worldwide are increasingly playing wider community healthcare roles. In recent years the capacity for ambulance services to make a significant contribution to improving health services by expanding their role beyond providing emergency pre-hospital care has been recognised.

Rural and remote locations provide the ideal setting in which to instigate expanded roles for paramedics, given the challenges faced by health services in providing equity in access to healthcare services in these areas.

Evaluation and Results

There is an increased number of graduates applying for access to the program and an alternate pathway to career development through the activation of both degrees.

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