HLT51020 Diploma of Emergency Health Care

Course duration

24 Months
(May reduce depending on study load)

Mode of study

Online, with in-person intensive Clinical Workshops and Clinical Placements.

Pathways

Pathway to university to become a paramedic or straight into work as an Advanced Life Support Medic.

Course overview

The HLT51020 – Diploma of Emergency Health Care will give you the skills to deliver pre-hospital care in a range of roles, or put you on the pathway to becoming a paramedic.

The moments when patients require emergency care are often some of the most vulnerable they’ve ever experienced. This diploma will give you the skills to assess the situation, put the patient at ease and deliver exceptional care.

Whether you’ve worked in healthcare previously or are dreaming of moving into a rewarding career in emergency response, this online course will allow you to fit your studies around your schedule to reach your next career goal.

Download the course overview

 

Accreditation Logos

What you’ll learn

  • This emergency response course is specifically designed to help you build the knowledge, practical skills and empathy to deliver exceptional pre-hospital care.
  • You’ll gain the fundamental skills and knowledge needed to become a paramedic (with further study at university) or to start work as a specialist or remote medic straight away.
  • Through a combination of online study, clinical workshops and placements, you’ll learn how to assess and manage a scene, confirm patients’ physical health and provide advanced life support.
  • You’ll learn how to communicate with, and transport patients effectively in both non-emergency and major incident scenes.

How it works

Learn online, at your own pace and gain hands-on clinical skills with 2x 5-day intensive workshops in NSW, VIC, QLD and W.A. and 160-hours of clinical placement in the field.

Accreditation Logos

Why study this diploma with APC?

Flexible study

Study to your own schedule and choose how you learn: read, watch or listen.

Practical experience and skills

Get hands-on skills with nationwide clinical workshops and real-world work placements.

Developed and delivered by experts

Learn from expert instructors with decades of experience as paramedics or industry medics.

Course details

To apply:

  • Age: Be at least 16 years of age (parental consent required if under 18).
  • Education: At least year-10 high-school or equivalent
  • Residency: Be an AUS/NZ citizen, AUS PR, or hold an approved temporary visa
  • Driver’s license: Hold a current driver’s license* 
  • Technology: Have regular access to a computer and internet, and be comfortable with online study and assessments

*You may apply and enrol holding your learner’s (L) licence, however, you will need a provisional licence (P) before attending workshop 1 (approx. 12 months into your course). Please refer to the student handbook for further reading. 

Pre-intake checks:

  • Language, Literacy and Numeracy: Short quiz to check basic English and math skills, and help us better support you through your course (unless already holding equivalent or higher qualification)
  • Health: Medical declaration to ensure you are fit to study

Clinical placement, prior to the time of placement:

  • Evidence of National Police clearance
  • Working with Children’s check (blue card)
  •  

Studying for a career in healthcare can be rewarding and engaging, but we also know it’s not always easy. Here at APC, you have a whole support team with you every step of the way.

  • Student success team: provide help with everything from platform logins to study tips
  • Trainers and assessors: ensure you understand the training material and guide you through your clinical workshops
  • Other students: connect with our strong student community on our private Facebook group. Ask questions, share tips and encourage each other!

The HLT51020 – Diploma of Emergency Health Care is designed to ensure you learn the skills to deliver advanced life support, and to be ready for anything. Clinical skills learnt include:

  • 12 lead ECG acquisition and interpretation
  • P-wave, QRS, STEMI, Tachycardias
  • In-depth education on clinical practice processes and procedure
  • Pediatric assessment
  • Respiratory assessment
  • Managing trauma
  • Hospital handover
  • Intramuscular injection
  • Nebulisation
  • Haemorrhage control
  • Arterial tourniquets
  • History taking
  • Laryngoscopy
  • Hypovolaemia
  • SADs
  • Korotkoff sounds
  • Capillary refill Time – CRT
  • Acute pain management with Methoxyflurane – Penthrox
  • Glyceryl Trinitrate – GTN
  • Central nervous system
  • Nexus criteria (Intermediate) C Spine

During the diploma, you’ll complete two 5-day clinical workshops.

Our clinical workshops are one of the highlights of the emergency response course for our students. It’s your chance to put everything you’ve learnt into practice, and meet your trainers and fellow students in person.

Workshops can be taken at the Australian Paramedical College HQ in Queensland, or in dedicated training locations in NSW, WA, or VIC.

Clinical workshops are conducted in small groups and can include:

  • Clinical practice environments
  • Equipped, used state Ambulance/s
  • An in-house, life-sized simulator ambulance (QLD only)
  • Scenario and medical emergency simulation facilities
  • The latest paramedical equipment
  • Dedicated stations for self-directed medical learning
  • Fully-equipped lecture rooms

To review the out-of-pocket expenses for a student’s Clinical Workshop, please click here.

The HLT51020 – Diploma of Emergency Health Care requires you to complete a total of 160 hours of clinical placement.

Clinical placement is classed as ‘supervised activities in a pre-hospital medical support role’.

Placements may be conducted within event medical services, private first response or security companies, sporting associations, non-emergency patient transport, State Emergency Service, GP surgeries or as a medic with a mining company.

Students are required to find and apply for their own clinical placements. However, our dedicated support team has many links within the industry and may be able to help students source placements if needed.

Learn more about clinical placements here.

Graduates of the HLT51020 – Diploma of Emergency Health Care will possess theoretical and practical knowledge and skills for specialised and/or skilled work and/or further learning.

Knowledge: technical and theoretical knowledge in a specific area (pre-hospital emergency health care).

Skills: a broad range of cognitive, technical and communication skills to select and apply methods and technologies to:

  • Analyse information to complete a range of activities.
  • Provide and transmit solutions to sometimes complex problems.
  • Transmit information and skills to others.

Application of knowledge and skills: Graduates will be able to apply knowledge and skills to demonstrate autonomy, judgement and defined responsibility in known or changing contexts and within broad but established parameters.

NRT Logo Australian Qualifications Framework logo

 

Choose to pay upfront in full or with a low deposit payment plan.
Chat to one of our friendly Course Advisors about course fees and payment options.

Career outcomes

Start your life-saving career now

Fill in a short application form and one of our Career Advisors will give you a call to discuss the course and your goals in more detail. They’ll also answer any questions you might have.