Course summary

Offered in partnership with the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) NHS Trust, the University of Bolton’s BSc (Hons) Paramedic Science degree offers you the knowledge and skills necessary to be eligible to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) as a Paramedic. Your transformation into a paramedic practitioner will develop over this three-year programme with the guidance of experts in multiple fields of medical practice and international medicine. The modules focus on building your intellectual skills and capabilities, clinical judgement skills, and confidence in performing the clinical skills and assessments required of you as a paramedic in a safe, capable and competent way. As a paramedic, no two days will be the same. Our dynamic and multi-disciplinary course team will work to prepare you to assess, evaluate, diagnose and manage the clinical and personal needs of patients of all ages, taking into account the situation and environmental conditions. You’ll gain experience of safe and timely care and transport of critically ill patients while under emergency (blue lights) as well as non-life-threatening conditions. You'll learn the fundamentals of equipping, maintaining and operating in emergency ambulances and rapid response vehicles. We’ll support you to become an effective, capable clinician who can respond to and manage a wide spectrum of emergency and non-emergency situations. These may range from medical emergencies such as cardiac arrest and multi-system traumas, through minor illnesses and injury, to chronic conditions and psychological and mental health events. Your studies will be split between practice and theory. Each year, 600 hours of your time will be centred in practice learning experience with NWAS and other local health care providers, learning the realities of life as a paramedic. You’ll dedicate a further 900 hours per year to your theory studies at the University, complementing and enhancing your learning in the workplace. We’ll guide you as you learn to resuscitate, stabilise, treat and assess patients using sophisticated techniques, equipment and drugs. You’ll have the opportunity to gain experience in our cutting-edge Clinical Simulation Area and Suites, where you can learn techniques and practice using equipment in a safe and controlled environment. Your practice learning experience with NWAS will then build on these skills in the field. Some of the topics you’ll study are out-of-hospital urgent care, trauma management, mental health, chronic conditions, pharmacology, social needs and maternal and obstetric emergencies. If the thought of helping people in these dynamic circumstances gets your blood rushing, then this is the course for you. While developing your clinical knowledge and skills, this course will help build your leadership abilities, emotional intelligence, self-awareness, adaptability, confidence and resilience, preparing you to shoulder the decision-making responsibilities demanded by this healthcare profession. As a paramedic, you’ll need to work with a high level of autonomy in often unpredictable and emergency situations. In addition to your patients, you’ll interact with and support relatives, friends and members of the public. You’ll also need to appreciate and respect the input and remit of a wide range of other healthcare professionals and emergency services such as the Police, Fire and Rescue Services as well as other Emergency Medical Technicians (MDTs). Importantly, you’ll also need to take care of yourself and ensure your own wellbeing and safety while having the comfort of knowing you will always have support from the Univerisity of Bolton through any challenges you have on this course. We’ll support you as you develop essential interpersonal and team working skills, along with vital decision-making and leadership qualities and the ability to remain calm and reassuring under stressful and potentially traumatic situations.