Paramedic Registered Nurse Dual Degree

Aim

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

Outcomes

• Increased workforce flexibility leading to improved knowledge and skills base for the Hospital and Health Service.
• Ensures  that graduates are employed and undertake their post degree requirements for employment by both QAS and Queensland Health (QH) through an accredited program.
• Enables seamless movement of staff from employment as an RN to Paramedic.

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.

Discussion

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.