Foundations to future: Advancing paramedicine

This session aims to highlight key clinical indicators, decision-making under pressure, and practical strategies to support early recognition.

This session guides students through foundational concepts to complex clinical applications, with a focus on recognising, managing, and troubleshooting respiratory compromise. It offers an engaging and confidence-building experience, incorporating real-world insights and progressive skill development suitable for all levels.

This session focuses on essential assessment and management skills to help build student confidence in recognising wound types, applying effective first-line treatments, and understanding practical techniques to improve patient outcomes in pre-hospital settings.

• Haemorrhage control - CAT tourniquet, haemostatic dressings etc
  • Presented by: Dr Tim Makrides PhD
  •  Delve into the principles of major haemorrhage management and explore practical techniques for effective bleeding control. This workshop will cover the use of CAT tourniquets, haemostatic agents, and other critical interventions in high-stakes trauma scenarios. 
• Needle thoracentesis
  • Presented by: Mat Cook
  •  Build your understanding of tension pneumothorax recognition and sharpen your skills in managing chest trauma. This session focuses on the practical application of needle thoracentesis in the dynamic prehospital environment. 
• Traction splinting/splinting/slings
  • Presented by: Steph Nixon
  •  Gain hands-on experience in applying traction splints, slings, and other immobilisation techniques. This workshop focuses on effective strategies to reduce pain, stabilise injuries, and support safe patient transport in the prehospital setting. 
• Airway skills
  • Presented by: Sam Burton
  •  Enhance your airway management capabilities through practical skill development across a variety of clinical scenarios. This session covers the use of basic airway adjuncts through to more advanced devices, with a focus on effective, hands-on application in the prehospital environment. 

This panel discussion will highlight post-university graduation pathways into the profession, including what to do while waiting for a graduate position. Panellists will explore postgraduate courses, alternative careers outside the state system, and practical ways to stay engaged and grow through CPD. The discussion will help students stay motivated, build skills, and discover new pathways while they wait for their ideal role.

This session focuses on practical strategies to recognise and manage workplace fatigue and stress. It aims to equip students with tools to maintain wellbeing, build resilience, and sustain a long, rewarding paramedic career.

The aim of this session is focusing on recognising and managing environmental risks for both patients and practitioners. This session aims to equip students with practical strategies to prevent heat- and cold-related illnesses, ensuring safety and effective care in extreme conditions.

Patients who utilise ambulance services on a frequent bases can be challenging to manage within the context of what is available within the clinical role you are working under. This session looks to discuss avenues for referral pathways, optimising the patient experience and looking at how our own implicit bias can impact on a patient’s trajectory/outcome. This session will also incorporate coronial learnings and deidentified patient cases.

This is an interactive and engaging workshop that introduces participants to the basics of peer review in scientific publishing. Participants will learn the peer review process, collaboratively conduct a preliminary review of a paper, and explore the fundamentals of ethical peer review. The workshop is aimed at those wishing to dip their toe into scientific peer review for the first time, but also for those already involved in peer review who are seeking to further develop themselves and reflect on their current process. The workshop will require participants to do some brief pre-workshop activities, designed to enhance interactivity in the workshop itself.

This workshop will explore the power of POCUS in improving first-pass cannulation success, reducing patient discomfort, and enabling vascular access in patients with challenging anatomy or clinical complexity. Participants will engage in hands-on scanning, image interpretation, and real-time needle guidance techniques, with content tailored to suit both novice and intermediate users.

This engaging and hands-on workshop will focus on the foundations of airway and breathing management, aiming to support attendees in achieving excellence in their own clinical practice.

More information coming soon.

Join us for an interactive 2-hour workshop, "Rethinking Pain Management," Dive into practical skills that empower you to manage acute pain in diverse patient populations, from neurodiverse individuals to older adults and pediatric patients. Enhance your confidence in selecting effective pain therapies by exploring the therapeutic application of Penthrox (methoxyflurane) while engaging in open discussions aimed at challenging myths and misconceptions. Don't miss this opportunity to strengthen your foundational skills and embrace the evolving landscape of patient-centred care!

This session will explore diverse funding sources relevant to paramedicine research, including competitive grants, philanthropic avenues, and internal seed funding. Participants will be guided in developing a preliminary funding strategy for a research idea, aligning funding opportunities with project scope, impact, and personal track record. Please note that attendees will have varying levels of experience, so content should be tailored to suit a broad audience.

This engaging and hands-on workshop will equip paramedics with the skills and confidence to use eFAST effectively in assessing shocked or hypotensive patients in the field.

The session will cover the principles and practical application of the eFAST exam in the assessment of undifferentiated hypotension and trauma. Participants will learn to acquire and interpret core ultrasound views, recognise red flags, and apply findings to inform immediate care decisions. Content will cater to a range of experience levels, from novice to intermediate, with opportunities for hands-on scanning and case-based discussions.

Circulation management can have profound effects on morbidity and mortality. For paramedics and emergency health professionals, having a solid understanding of primary foundational interventions and their importance is crucial to be able to then build upon and supplement them with secondary management and critical care.

This interactive session will explore the various management options in circulation management, from big impact interventions that can be done even when you’re off duty, to “high acuity, low occurrence” critical care procedures, and everything in between!

This engaging, hands-on workshop will equip paramedics with contemporary skills in joint assessment, taping, splinting, and strapping techniques relevant to both urban and remote practice settings.

The session will focus on the assessment and functional management of common musculoskeletal injuries, with an emphasis on safe and effective strapping, splinting, and taping techniques. Content will be tailored to suit a range of clinical backgrounds and experience levels, with opportunities for practical application and real-world case discussions.

This session will have an emphasis on the practical approach to assessment.

With the main areas including: 

-          Upper limbs 

-          Lower limbs 

-          The dreaded lower back injury. 

It is hoped that this session will help paramedics understand, develop and add appreciate the subtilties surrounding day-to-day injuries. 

The workshop will be supported by a physiotherapist, offering a multidisciplinary perspective on musculoskeletal injury management, particularly in relation to strapping and taping skills.

This session will delve into the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in systematic reviews, providing a practical overview of when and how to incorporate AI tools into research workflows. We’ll explore real-world applications, discuss the ethical and legal considerations of AI use in evidence synthesis, and examine how to navigate these responsibly.

The workshop includes hands-on activities, so participants are encouraged to bring a laptop and a current or future research idea to begin their own AI-assisted data extraction journey

This hands-on workshop will introduce participants to core POCUS techniques relevant to primary care and paramedicine, including scanning protocols, image interpretation, and clinical integration. The session will accommodate varying levels of experience, offering foundational skills for newcomers and clinical pearls for more experienced users.

While part of a broader series on POCUS—including its use in critical care—this session will specifically highlight the utility of POCUS across the full spectrum of acuity, with a particular focus on lower-acuity and primary care settings.

Explore, Assess, Adapt — A Hands-On Workshop for Paramedics in Every Terrain

Step into the world of Disability and Exposure (D&E) assessment and management like never before! In "D&E in 3D: Disability & Exposure assessment and management for wherever you find yourself" you’ll navigate real-world cases across three dynamic environments. Whether you're stabilizing a patient in the back of an ambulance, managing care in a clinical setting, or improvising in the wild, this interactive 3-hour workshop will sharpen your skills, boost your confidence, and prepare you for anything. Expect hands-on scenarios, practical tips, and plenty of laughs along the way. Come ready to assess, adapt, and take your primary survey game to the next level!

This engaging and practical workshop will equip paramedics with up-to-date knowledge and hands-on skills for assessing and managing complex wounds in the pre-hospital setting.

The session will explore best-practice approaches to wound assessment, with a focus on recognising infection, identifying red flags, and making informed decisions around escalation and management. Case-based discussions and practical demonstrations will be included, with content tailored to a broad range of clinical backgrounds and experience levels.

Join Chief Paramedic Shell Piercy as she shares her inspiring journey from ships medic to a leading voice in paramedicine. Shell will reflect on the pivotal lessons learned throughout her career and how they shape her leadership today. She will touch on her current role and how it is involved in shaping the future of paramedicine by building on the fundamentals of paramedic practice.. This keynote promises valuable insights into resilience, innovation, and the evolving scope of paramedicine.

Pain is a personal, complex and subjective experience, not just a simple physical sign. This session explores practical, non-pharmacological approaches to pain management in the prehospital setting that acknowledge this complexity. Simple tools to treat pain, while encouraging a broader, more patient-centred view of the experience of pain.

This session will explore the use of mental rehearsal and task visualisation in preparing for complex clinical scenarios. With a focus on enhancing cognitive readiness, decision-making, and team coordination under pressure, the presenter will share practical strategies that paramedics can apply immediately to improve performance and patient outcomes in high-stakes situations.

Attendees will gain valuable guidance on structuring effective mental rehearsal, including scenario building, sensory cues, and stress inoculation techniques. The session will also cover visualisation techniques for both technical procedures and team-based dynamics, drawing on real-world examples from critical care and prehospital environments.

This session will focus on preparation and training strategies for major incidents and advanced clinical procedures in the prehospital environment. Drawing on extensive experience in performing high-acuity, low-occurrence (HALO) interventions, the presenter will guide attendees through best-practice approaches for preparing clinicians to manage these rare but high-stakes events.

The session will explore how clinicians at all levels can build and maintain readiness for HALO skills through structured simulation, deliberate practice, cognitive walkthroughs, and team-based scenario planning. Particular emphasis will be placed on preparation for major incidents where complexity, coordination, and decision-making under pressure are critical. Attendees will gain valuable insights into maintaining skill competency over time, managing performance in dynamic environments, and preparing for both the clinical and operational aspects of care

This session aims to discuss the future of pain management in paramedicine by examining innovative strategies, technologies, and systems that can reshape clinical practice. The session will examine emerging approaches to pain management and highlight opportunities to integrate advances in pharmacology, diagnostics, and care coordination into paramedic practice to improve the care of patients experiencing pain.

High acuity, low occurrence (HALO) skills are intended to benefit our most critically unwell patients. However, by their very nature, are risky and, without regular practice or exposure, vulnerable to performance decay–potentially leading to error and patient harm. So, what can we do about it? 

Using cricothyroidotomy as an example, this session will explore the science around skill retention and decay, highlight the importance of ongoing skill maintenance, and offer practical, evidence-based strategies to ensure your HALO skills are ready when they’re needed most. 

The High Court of Australia said ‘all medical treatment is preceded by the patient’s choice to undergo it’ but only where the patient has the legal capacity to exercise that choice. Capacity is not assessed as simply ‘yes’ or ‘no’. A person’s capacity waxes and wanes over time, as the young mature they gain capacity, as we age we might lose it. In this presentation the author will look at what the law says about capacity and the rights of very young, and very old, to make their own decisions about health care and its application to paramedicine.

This session explores the evolving global landscape of organ donation following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, with a focus on uncontrolled donation after circulatory death (uDCD). It examines how different systems are approaching the integration of organ donation into prehospital care, and unpacks the logistical, ethical, and clinical challenges involved. Attendees will gain a clearer understanding of the opportunities and barriers facing paramedics in this complex and emerging area of practice.

This special Gala Dinner session will feature two  keynote presentations, one by an Yorta Yorta woman and one by a Māori speaker, highlighting the vital role of Indigenous voices in shaping the future of paramedicine in Australia and New Zealand.

Each speaker will share their personal journey, including its trials, triumphs, and the lessons learned along the way. Their stories will explore the opportunities ahead for future Indigenous paramedics and EMTs, and the importance of culturally safe care and representation in improving health outcomes for Indigenous communities.

This session aims to spark meaningful conversation and inspire collective action to support and grow strong, empowered Indigenous workforces across the paramedicine sector.

The role we all play in providing culturally safe ambulance care. Presented by Michelle Crilly

Hear Michelle Crilly, a proud Aboriginal paramedic shares her personal journey in the ambulance service— including its challenges and triumphs — highlighting the opportunities for future Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander paramedics and emphasising the vital role we all play in providing culturally safe care to improve health outcomes within Indigenous communities.

Foundations of the Future | Te Ara Whakamua. Presented by Cam Rota

Cameron is a passionate advocate for indigenous health equity and cultural transformation within emergency healthcare. With a strong commitment from HHStJ, he supports the Kaupapa Māori Mana Motuhake initiative in Kaikohe, promoting self-determination and community-led solutions for Māori wellbeing. His work delivering cultural competency education across Aotearoa aims to build lasting cultural confidence and safety among healthcare professionals. With a profound understanding of purpose and identity, Cameron helps bridge the gap between clinical practice and indigenous worldviews. His leadership contributes significantly to reshaping paramedicine to be more inclusive, respectful, and effective for all communities across Aotearoa and beyond.

This pre-event session brings together women in paramedicine for a candid, supportive conversation about career journeys, leadership, and the realities of working on-road. It’s a chance to connect, reflect, and elevate women’s voices before day two begins.

More information coming soon.

Introduction: Reasonable Compulsory Overtime (RCO) refers to the work performed by paramedics between the scheduled end of a shift and their actual log off time – an often daily occurrence. While RCO can support continuity of patient care, it also contributes to paramedic fatigue, disrupts work-life balance and raises health and safety concerns. Most industrial agreements state paramedics cannot refuse RCO, but what is reasonable?

Aims: This study aimed to gain consensus on front-line paramedics’ perceptions of conditions that are reasonable and unreasonable for compulsory overtime.

Methods: A three-round online Delphi method was employed, involving frontline paramedics in metropolitan Australian areas. In Round 1, participants provided free-text definitions of RCO and voted for certain conditions of RCO. In subsequent rounds, they voted on conditions for consensus. A content analysis was performed on the qualitative responses and quantitative consensus was reached iteratively. Situations with 80% agreement were said to be ‘reasonable’ or ‘unreasonable’.

Results: Over 145 paramedics from diverse regions and experience levels participated. Consensus was achieved in 17 (50%) of conditions. RCO was found to be reasonable in four conditions, and unreasonable in thirteen conditions – around themes of patient acuity, operational factors (i.e., ramping) or cumulative duration of overtime.

Conclusion: This study presents the first Australian paramedic-led perspective on what constitutes RCO. Although these findings alone may not decrease RCO, they offer a critical foundational step in workforce consultation for policy review. By clarifying these perspectives, this research supports the future development of evidence-based recommendations around RCO to improve both clinician and patient safety and system sustainability.

Background:  Caring for family during death, dying, and bereavement has been established as an important role of paramedics in out-of-hospital death. However, there is little evidence exploring the needs of Indigenous and culturally diverse families in end-of-life care. Addressing this gap requires culturally responsive approaches. Te Whare Tapa Whā, a Māori model of holistic health, offers a framework that can guide inclusive care of psychosocial, family and spiritual needs.

Aim: To explore the experiences of bereaved families in Aotearoa New Zealand and improve paramedic responses in out-of-hospital death.

Methods: Using qualitative methodology guided by kaupapa Māori research methods, we conducted interviews with bereaved family members who experienced an out-of-hospital death where ambulance services responded.  A collaborative story production process was used to co-create electronic stories of family experiences. Data analysis was guided by Braun and Clarke's reflexive thematic analysis.

Results: We conducted 21 interviews with bereaved families, with nearly half of all families identifying as Māori (n=8) or Pasifika (n=2). Events covered a range of clinical scenarios, including both adult and paediatric deaths from cardiac, medical, suicide, and trauma causes. Findings show that families have emotional, cultural, and spiritual needs during death and dying, which were often unspoken and unmet. Using the experiences of bereaved families, we present Te Whare Tapa Whā as a model of responding to the needs of diverse families during out-of-hospital death.   

Discussion: Responding to the needs of Indigenous and culturally diverse patients and family members remains an under-researched area of paramedicine. While traditionally applied to Māori health, the proposed adapted Te Whare Tapa Whā model can help to inform and support holistic culturally responsive family care in the event of a death. Integration of this model into paramedic education and practice presents an opportunity to improve care in these challenging and important situations. 

Introduction: Internationally, female representation in paramedic workforces is changing, reflective of the population, but this change is not without challenges. Females are still underrepresented in management, experience a gender pay gap, and are impacted by inflexible employment models.

Aims: This study describes the comparative work experiences of females in the paramedic workforce in Australasia and consider enablers and barriers to their career progression.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional exploratory survey of paramedic personnel and students from Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. A purpose-built survey collected demographic data, current employment information, workplace satisfaction, workplace flexibility, leave matters, motivation for the profession and future intentions from personnel and demographics, study matters, motivation for entering the profession and future intentions from students.

Results: The survey collected 1236 complete responses between September 2023 and January 2024. 693 (56.1%) self-identified as male, 520 (42.1%) as female, and 23 (1.9%) as non-binary or did not disclose their gender. Women were overrepresented in younger (20-29 years) age categories (37% compared to 20%) and were more likely to have caring responsibilities during childbearing years (20-49 years) (73% compared to 54%). Women were less likely to have post-graduate qualifications especially PhDs (1% compared to 4%) and were overrepresented in lower salary bands ($31-60K) (9% compared to 3%); they also felt less prepared to provide workplace clinical supervision (29% compared to 42% males).

Conclusion: Irrespective of the international move toward gender parity in paramedic workforces there are still inequities in the number of women holding advanced education and senior roles. This, alongside increased caring responsibilities and a perceived lack of preparedness to take on leadership roles, are perpetuating the gender divide which has ramifications for workforce retention and turnover. Small scale programs designed to address these issues have had positive impacts but need to be available across the sector.

Emergency services personnel experience both operational and organisational stressors.  While formal and informal workplace supports exist, these are not always accessible or suitable for all, and research suggests that personnel lean on their families and friends for emotional support. Traditionally, this supportive role has been perceived as a burden to families and friends, with caution advised regarding vicarious/secondary trauma.  Gaps in the literature include if and how these non-emergency services family/friend supporters are trained to provide this help and what support systems are available to them? This session will outline the HUGS@Home research programme, co-designed to train first responders' families and friends in psychological first aid. 

This session will provide a brief update on recent initiatives, key achievements, and future priorities for the College

From Conflict to Cold

Challenging contexts, while often uncomfortable, refine the breadth and depth of practice. 

Finding post-experience confidence in the discomfort of acute trauma in Ukraine, and the uncertainty of translating a paramedic’s role into established medical systems in Antarctica, this presentation aims to draw together a small sample size of learnings for paramedics and other allied health professionals in the rapidly expanding field in Australia and the world.

PTSD and Ambulance First Responders (A lived experience)

Presented by: Don Gillies (ASM)

The session will provide a brief outline of my life/work experience that led to my PTSD diagnosis, with an explanation of PTSD and its short/long term impact on my life and my family’s lives.   I will expand on what I have done on my journey personally in regards to treatment & management of my own PTSD, then my subsequent involvement in promotion of destigmatising mental health issues whilst promoting positive mental health in the first response environment

Please note: this session includes sensitive content that some attendees may find confronting. We encourage you to consider your own wellbeing before choosing to attend. Support contact information will be provided for anyone who may need it following the session, and you are welcome to step out at any time.

Accurate and timely assessment is the linchpin of effective stroke care—particularly in the out-of-hospital setting, where clinicians must make rapid decisions with limited information and evolving presentations. This session takes a closer look at how stroke assessment is performed in the prehospital environment, examining the tools, challenges, and considerations that shape early clinical impressions. From established frameworks to emerging approaches, we’ll explore how assessment practices are adapting to meet the demands of contemporary stroke care.

This session explores the complex dynamics of supply versus demand in the paramedic workforce, examining current trends, system constraints, and the critical role of strategic workforce planning. It will address the growing mismatch between the high number of university-trained paramedic graduates and the limited availability of roles within jurisdictional ambulance services. The session will also consider how sustainable career pathways can be developed to support graduates while maintaining service quality, workforce resilience, and long-term sector viability.

 This session aims to explore what stroke looks like in this populations and what their outcomes maybe compared to other populations.

More information coming soon.

Based on current data, by 2050 there will be a stroke suffered every four minutes in Australia and a million people living with the impact of stroke. The same data suggests that for every 15 minutes of delayed treatment, an additional 1 in 25 people die and one month of disability-free life is lost – with rural and remote Australians at the highest risk due to distance.

The Australian Stroke alliance (incorporating over 40 national organisations) is developing light-weight brain scanners to rapidly deliver pre-hospital stroke care. RFDS with ASA is about to commence usability trials on integration of portable brain scanners into aeromedical retrieval using a new First Responder device for Australians living in rural, remote and indigenous communities.

This session will explore the emerging role of Chief Paramedics in health systems – what the role entails, why it matters, and how it can influence everything from education and workforce development to clinical safety, cultural leadership, and the future scope of practice.

Attendees will gain an understanding of how a Chief Paramedic can act as a bridge between policy and practice, advocate for the profession at the highest levels, and shape the future of paramedicine in partnership with government, educators, and health leaders.

The paramedicine profession stands at a crossroads. While our roots in emergency response have served us well, the demands of modern healthcare are shifting, and so must we. In this session, Dr Tim Makrides explores how paramedicine can evolve beyond traditional models, embracing new roles, technologies, and ways of working. Drawing on system-level experience across Australia and Canada, this session challenges us to rethink scope, identity, and impact — and ask not just what paramedics do, but what they could become

More info coming soon