Griffith University and the Maldivian Ministry of Health commenced Component 2 of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) funded Australia Awards Short Course, “Paramedic Skills Development” in the Maldives.
Australia Awards are prestigious international Scholarships, Fellowships and Short Courses that offer the next generation of global leaders an opportunity to undertake short-term study, research and professional development opportunities in support of key development and foreign affairs priorities.
The three-week-long in-Maldives course, led by Griffith’sSchool of Medicine‘s Mr Duncan McConnell, aims to build the pre-hospital emergency response capacity of 25 registered nurses and ambulance driver through lectures, workshops, practical sessions and site visits. The Maldives Ministry of Health has highlighted this capacity development as a priority within its Health Master Plan.
Participants expand their theoretical and practical knowledge in areas such as lifting and moving patients, submersion incidents, airway management and trauma.
A site visit to the local Gan Regional Hospital on Laamu Atoll demonstrated the differing availability of paramedical equipment at Regional Hospitals and the smaller Health Centres across the Maldivian atolls and islands.
A key deliverable for Australia Awards recipients during this Short Course is the development of Return to Work Plans. With these, participants apply the knowledge and skills gained from the course on small projects that target small but impactful improvements at their own workplace.
Participants will sit the EMT-B (Emergency Medical Technician — Basic) test at the end of the course, providing an opportunity to expand their knowledge with formal qualifications beyond this course.
The Australia Awards Short Course will conclude with an online component in November.
To find out more about Australia Awards, visit Australia Awards.
