1. Employ person centred communication strategies used for the interaction with service-users and healthcare professionals.

Communication

2. Describe how core legal duties, ethical principles and professional standards inform decision-making and conduct within paramedic practice

Knowledge & Understanding

3. Demonstrate understanding of the hierarchy of evidence within research to develop critical thinking.

Research Skills

4. Describe the principles of leadership styles and how they can inform your clinical and professional development

Leadership & Professional Judgement

Case-Based Presentation (15 minutes)

Weighting: 100%

Assesses all module learning outcomes

Option 1: Live Face-to-Face Presentation
You will deliver the presentation in person to an academic audience, supported by PowerPoint slides, within a 15-minute timeframe.

Option 2: Audio-Recorded Presentation
You will submit a 15-minute narrated PowerPoint presentation. The narration must clearly demonstrate the same level of analysis, integration of evidence, and professional reasoning as would be expected in the live format.

You analyse a realistic paramedic scenario and demonstrate your understanding of communication, ethics, professional standards, evidence appraisal and leadership. You will be required to explain how person-centred communication strategies shape safe and effective interaction with service-users and colleagues, and describe how legal, ethical and professional frameworks inform clinical decision-making within the case.

Your presentation must also evaluate the quality and trustworthiness of evidence used to support your decisions, showing an understanding of why some evidence sources are more robust than others. Finally, you will reflect on appropriate leadership approaches relevant to the scenario and discuss how these principles inform your own professional development.

Rationale:

This assessment enables you to integrate key professional knowledge domains essential for paramedic practice, including communication, ethical and legal reasoning, evidence-informed decision-making and leadership. A case-based presentation encourages you to apply theoretical concepts to authentic situations, demonstrate professional judgement and articulate clear, reasoned explanations. This format supports the development of confidence in verbal communication and prepares you for multidisciplinary discussions and reflective practice within clinical environments.

This module introduces the core professional knowledge that underpins safe, ethical and person-centred paramedic practice. Content includes:

Person-centred communication strategies appropriate to diverse individuals, families and healthcare professionals, including active listening, empathy, clarity, managing difficult conversations and adapting communication to context.

Legal, ethical and professional frameworks relevant to paramedic practice, including duty of care, consent, capacity, confidentiality, safeguarding, equality and diversity, accountability, and the role of professional standards in guiding conduct.

Understanding evidence and its trustworthiness, including hierarchies of evidence, study design basics, reliability and validity, bias, guideline development, and the use of evidence in pre-hospital decision-making.

Foundations of leadership in paramedic practice, covering leadership styles, followership, professional behaviour, situational awareness, teamwork, psychological safety and the impact of leadership on clinical culture and patient outcomes.

Application of concepts through case-based learning, enabling integration of communication, ethical reasoning, evidence appraisal and leadership approaches within realistic clinical scenarios.

Develop the professional judgement, communication skills and ethical awareness that define high-quality paramedic practice.

This module explores how person-centred communication, legal and ethical duties, professional standards and evidence-informed reasoning shape safe decision-making in the pre-hospital environment. You will also examine core leadership principles and their role in effective teamwork and clinical culture. Through discussion, case analysis and guided learning, you will build the confidence to apply these concepts to real-world scenarios, strengthening your professional identity and preparing you for the responsibilities of modern paramedic practice.

Learning will focus on developing your understanding of the professional, legal, ethical and evidence-informed foundations that underpin safe paramedic practice. Teaching will be delivered through lead lectures, seminars, debates, discussions and pre-recorded content, with an emphasis on applying person-centred communication strategies, professional standards, evidence appraisal and leadership concepts to realistic paramedic scenarios. Online materials within the university’s virtual learning environment (VLE) will introduce key themes before taught sessions.

Face-to-face tutorials will use structured tasks, case studies and collaborative activities to consolidate and extend your learning. Specialist guest lecturers, service users and carers will contribute professional and lived experience, helping you understand how these principles inform day-to-day paramedic decision-making and behaviour.

Griffiths, L. & Mooney, G. (2023). Professional Practice in Paramedicine. Class Professional Publishing.

A contemporary UK text covering professionalism, ethical duty, communication, reflective practice, and the expectations of new paramedics. Excellent foundation for this module.

Blaber, A. (2020). Paramedic Skills: A Person-Centred Approach (2nd ed.). Open University Press.

Although addressing skills broadly, the early chapters focus on person-centred communication, empathy, professionalism and safe decision-making—core to MLO1 and MLO2.

College of Paramedics (2024). Paramedic Curriculum Guidance (6th Edition). College of Paramedics.

The UK professional framework outlining ethical duties, legal responsibilities, professional standards, leadership expectations and communication principles.

Wyllie, A. & Hughes, R. (2021). Leadership and Management in Paramedic Practice. Class Professional Publishing.

Covers leadership styles, teamwork, human factors and developing professional identity—strong alignment with MLO4.

Glasper, E. & Rees, C. (2020). Ethics, Law and Professional Issues for Nursing and Healthcare Professionals (5th ed.). Pearson (UK Edition).

A UK-specific legal and ethical text used widely in paramedic and healthcare programmes; supports MLO2 and evidence-based professional conduct.

VLE - Blackboard (Virtual Learning Environments).

Microsoft Teams

Simulation Centre

Hi Fidelity Simulation Equipment

Classrooms.

Library support.

Academic Mentor support.

Group tutorials.

Lectures.

Seminars.