Handbook

All students are required to complete a 4-week attachment in an Emergency Department. The requirements of the Emergency attachment follow. The remaining 4-week attachment is described in the outline for MFAC3509 Selective Course.

OBJECTIVES - Upon completion of the Emergency attachment you should be able to:

- recognise the clinical features of a patient whose life or health is threatened by an acute illness;

- identify and understand the pathophysiological processes which are occurring in acute presentations;

- appreciate the urgency of priority setting in the acutely ill patient; - intervene to interrupt the processes which are threatening life (ie: apply the skills of cardiopulmonary-cerebral resuscitation);

- plan the management of patients with common acute life threatening or serious problems; - feel comfortable in the emergency care environment;

- understand the principles in the effective interaction with patients and relatives in the critical care environment; - be aware of ethical dilemmas in emergency care;

- appreciate that acute emergency care is a multidisciplinary endeavour.

Learning will be based primarily on clinical experiences during the attachment to an Emergency Department. This will be supported by a tutorial program.

Assessment will include satisfactory completion of the generic learning plan, observed patient assessments (if applicable to attachment).