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The Regional Paramedic Symposium is a dynamic two-day interactive event dedicated to advancing the clinical skills and knowledge of paramedics across Australasia. This professional development opportunity brings together paramedics from diverse backgrounds to engage in hands-on workshops, thought-provoking discussions, and evidence-based learning sessions. Designed to address the evolving demands of paramedicine, the symposium focuses on equipping participants with the latest clinical techniques, decision-making frameworks, and innovations in prehospital care. Led by subject matter experts and leaders in paramedic practice, the event fosters a collaborative learning environment, enabling participants to share experiences, challenge perspectives, and strengthen their practice.
Whether exploring emerging trends, refining core competencies, or connecting with peers, the Regional Paramedic Symposium is a cornerstone event for paramedics committed to professional excellence and delivering high-quality care.
Join us for this opportunity to grow, network, and make a lasting impact on paramedic practice.
Day 1 - Thursday 20 November
Enjoy an arrival lunch before choosing one of four interactive hands-on workshops (14:00–17:00), in person only, followed by networking drinks at Little Shack (1 Munster St, Port Macquarie NSW 2444)
Day 2 - Friday 21 November
Experience a full day of engaging conference sessions, with the option to attend in person or join via live stream.
Accommodation Deal: Rydges Port Macquarie are offering RPS attendees a special discounted code, from Wednesday the 19th to Saturday the 22nd of November. Click Here and enter block code - ACP2025
Erica Kreismann, MD, FACEM, is an Emergency Medicine specialist and board-certified executive coach. Her passion for leadership and developing people to their greatest potential led her to found OneWild Coaching in 2022. OWC is grounded in the belief that leading with courage and kindness is the foundation for all great leadership and when we lead from the heart in a way that is authentic and real, we will change the world. Erica moved to Tasmania 15 years ago, recently returning to the US to continue her adventures in building community and connection across continents. She can often be found tucked away with a book in front of the fire, or by following her oversized laugh. You can also follow her daily on LinkedIn.
Damion joined ASNSW as a paramedic in 2005. He has worked in both metropolitan and regional operations over his 20-year career. He completed his ICP training in 2011 and became a substantive Clinical Training Officer in 2019. Since 2021, he has worked as a Paramedic Educator and has also been a casual lecturer at CSU since 2016. He is passionate about prehospital care and promoting a positive and professional culture within ASNSW.
Haley Findlay is a Lecturer at Charles Sturt University and a clinically active Intensive Care and Extended Care Paramedic. With a background spanning paramedicine, nursing, and midwifery, she draws on her paramedic expertise and midwifery practice in both hospital and homebirth settings. She has a strong focus on developing paramedics’ understanding and practical application of the maternity skills required for clinical practice. A current PhD candidate, her research explores paramedic communication during childbirth and its impact on women’s birth experiences.
Ben Phipps has been a paramedic for over twenty years, the last thirteen as a Critical Care Paramedic. A frontline supervisor and Flight CCP on the Sunshine Coast, he has previously worked as a Flight Paramedic in Mackay and Thursday Island, and on-road positions across North & Western QLD. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Government Policy, a Masters in Emergency Health and a Graduate Diploma of Intensive Care Paramedic Practice. Outside of QAS, Ben holds qualifications in several areas including vertical rescue & road crash rescue with Queensland Fire & Rescue. He is a Paramedicine Panel Assessor with the Queensland Civil & Administrative Tribunal, and is married to Rachel with two daughters.
Jen has worked with NSW Ambulance since 1996. In that time, she has fulfilled numerous roles including Paramedic Educator, Extended Care Paramedic, Intensive Care Paramedic, Acute Stroke Advisor and Virtual Clinical Care Centre Senior Clinician. She is currently the Clinical Lead for the Extended Care Paramedic Program. She is a casual academic with Charles Sturt University and holds post graduate qualifications including a Master of Paramedicine - Extended Care. She has a keen interest in the role of paramedics in primary health care.
Chris Smith is an Extended Care Paramedic and Paramedic Educator with extensive experience in specialist paramedic practice and education. He is passionate about supporting paramedics to deliver safe, confident, and evidence-based care through innovative and practical training programs. Chris has played a key role in curriculum development and the implementation of major training reforms, while also supporting state-wide clinical deployments. His work is driven by a commitment to professionalism, evidence-based practice, and the ongoing development of the paramedic profession.
Sean joined Ambulance Service of NSW in 2012. After a few years he ventured towards medical training. In 2019 Sean started at Coffs Harbour Hospital across various specialties, before transitioning to Gold Coast University Hospital this year. Sean was fortunate enough to a year off to travel Australia with his family in 2023. He still enjoys working as a paramedic and moonlight throughout northern NSW.
Dr Tom Fursdon is an Emergency Specialist on the Mid North Coast and a Pre-Hospital and Retrieval Specialist in Newcastle. He is from the UK and undertook medical training in Liverpool. He moved to Port Macquarie in 2014 to begin Emergency Medicine training during which he completed a Pre-Hospital and Retrieval Medicine Fellowship with Hunter Retrieval Service. His clinical interests include critical care medicine, point-of-care ultrasound, and regional anaesthesia. Outside of work he enjoys surfing and spending time with his wife and 2 kids.
Associate Professor Sonja Maria is an academic and paramedic whose work focuses on improving equity, safety, and evidence translation in out-of-hospital care. Her research program includes access to mental health and primary care for priority populations, implementation of clinical practice guidelines, and paramedic workforce capability. She works closely with ambulance organisations, health services, and community groups to support research that leads to practical and meaningful improvements in care.
Stuart has been fortunate to work across metropolitan, regional, and rural areas, ultimately settling in Tamworth to raise his family. After 27 years in the profession, he still loves his job and remains passionate about the work he does.
Jess started her career with the London Ambulance Service before moving to the ACT Ambulance service where she has practiced as an Ambulance Paramedic. Jess teaches lifespan emergencies and is passionate about empowering confident, women centred clinicians in emergency birthing scenarios.
Click the session title to view session overviews
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 12:00 | Lunch and Registration |
| 13:00 |
Birthing emergencies in the out of hospital environment
Haley Findlay (Lecturer, Charles Sturt University) and Jess Rickwood (Paramedic/Scholarly Teaching Fellow Charles Sturt University) |
| 13:00 |
Wound Care
Jen Pedler (Clinical Lead, Extended Care Paramedic Program) and Chris Smith (Paramedic Educator,Extended Care Paramedic Program) |
| 13:00 |
Management of the Critical Patient: A workshop of practical pearls & skills
Ben Phipps (Frontline Supervisor & Flight Critical Paramedic - Queensland Ambulance Service) and Stuart Harris (NSW Ambulance) |
| 14:50 | 10 minute break - attendees then go to their 2nd workshop for the day |
| 15:00 |
Birthing emergencies in the out of hospital environment
Haley Findlay (Lecturer, Charles Sturt University) and Jess Rickwood (Paramedic/Scholarly Teaching Fellow Charles Sturt University) |
| 15:00 |
Wound Care
Jen Pedler (Clinical Lead, Extended Care Paramedic Program) and Chris Smith (Paramedic Educator,Extended Care Paramedic Program) |
| 15:00 |
Management of the Critical Patient: A workshop of practical pearls & skills
Ben Phipps (Frontline Supervisor & Flight Critical Paramedic - Queensland Ambulance Service) and Stuart Harris (Critical Care Paramedic, NSW Ambulance) |
| 17:30 |
Networking Drinks
Little Shack (1 Munster St, Port Macquarie NSW 2444) |
This interactive workshop will strengthen paramedics’ knowledge, confidence, and clinical decision-making in supporting women and managing maternity emergencies. The session will begin with normal physiological birth, emphasising the importance of understanding and supporting normal, integrating this knowledge to recognise when complications arise. Building on this foundation, participants will then explore complex presentations and high-risk maternity emergencies. Emphasis will be placed on early recognition, effective communication, and woman-centred care. This workshop will integrate theory with practice. Participants will leave with the clinical insight and practical skills needed to provide safe, timely, and responsive care to women and newborns in the paramedic setting.
This practical, hands-on session will enhance participants’ skills in wound assessment and management in the out-of-hospital setting. It will cover wound identification, cleaning, dressing selection, and infection prevention, supported by real-world, scenario-based learning. The focus will be on safe, effective, and patient-centred care in both trauma and non-trauma contexts; equipping paramedics with practical strategies they can immediately apply in their practice.
This workshop will be facilitated by two senior Intensive & Critical Care Paramedics with decades of experience each in managing the complex medical & trauma case. You’ll get first-hand experience at advanced airway, chest & fracture injury management plus intraosseous and intravenous access tips. This workshop will be engaging and practical and help you build skills for your next critical patient.
This interactive workshop will strengthen paramedics’ knowledge, confidence, and clinical decision-making in supporting women and managing maternity emergencies. The session will begin with normal physiological birth, emphasising the importance of understanding and supporting normal, integrating this knowledge to recognise when complications arise. Building on this foundation, participants will then explore complex presentations and high-risk maternity emergencies. Emphasis will be placed on early recognition, effective communication, and woman-centred care. This workshop will integrate theory with practice. Participants will leave with the clinical insight and practical skills needed to provide safe, timely, and responsive care to women and newborns in the paramedic setting.
This practical, hands-on session will enhance participants’ skills in wound assessment and management in the out-of-hospital setting. It will cover wound identification, cleaning, dressing selection, and infection prevention, supported by real-world, scenario-based learning. The focus will be on safe, effective, and patient-centred care in both trauma and non-trauma contexts; equipping paramedics with practical strategies they can immediately apply in their practice.
This workshop will be facilitated by two senior Intensive & Critical Care Paramedics with decades of experience each in managing the complex medical & trauma case. You’ll get first-hand experience at advanced airway, chest & fracture injury management plus intraosseous and intravenous access tips. This workshop will be engaging and practical and help you build skills for your next critical patient.
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 08:30 |
Conference Open
Conference MC: Damion Koivu (Paramedic Educator ICP Mid North Coast Continuing education ASNSW) |
| 08:45 |
Approaching sepsis, from pre-hospital to the ICU
Dr Sean O'Brien (Intensive Care Registrar, Gold Coast University Hospital and Intensive Care Paramedic, NSW Ambulance) |
| 09:45 |
Analgesia in the Pre-Hospital Setting
Dr Tom Fursdon (Pre-Hospital and Retrieval Specialist, Hunter Retrieval Service and Emergency Medicine Specialist, Mid North Coast LHD) |
| 10:45 | MORNING TEA |
| 11:05 |
Between the Lines: Navigating Complexity in Critical Care Retrieval
Stuart Harris (Critical Care Paramedic, NSW Ambulance) |
| 11:50 |
What's your problem? Turning Clinical Questions into Research That Matters
Associate Professor Sonja Maria (Associate Professor in Paramedicine, Charles Sturt University) |
| 12:35 | LUNCH |
| 13:25 |
Fern’s Birth: What Women Need from Paramedics During Childbirth
Haley Findlay (Intensive Care Paramedic, Extended Care Paramedic, Registered Midwife, Nurse & CSU lecturer) |
| 14:10 |
“He’s got a hole in his head” – Case review on a difficult airway
Ben Phipps (Frontline Supervisor & Flight Critical Paramedic - Queensland Ambulance Service) |
| 14:55 | AFTERNOON TEA |
| 15:25 |
Panel Discussion
Dr Sean O'Brien, Ben Phipps, Dr Tom Fursdon, Sonja Maria and Haley Findlay |
| 16:05 |
Closing Keynote - No one’s coming to save you (but we can save each other)
Dr Erica Kreismann (Founder OneWild Coaching (Former Executive Medical Director and Director of Emergency Medicine)) |
| 17:05 |
Conference Close
Conference MC: Damion Koivu (Paramedic Educator ICP Mid North Coast Continuing education ASNSW) |
This session will link pre-hospital sepsis management and explore how this relates to cardiovascular physiology. I will also explain what happens to patients who are sick enough to be managed in an ICU.
Join Dr Fursdon as he discusses analgesia in the polytrauma patient. Fentanyl, Ketamine and more…
A case- based overview of the more complex decisions that are made by a medical team in the prehospital setting.
This session will explore how everyday clinical questions can be turned into meaningful research that shapes practice. The focus will be on making research realistic and achievable for paramedics working on the road: identifying a problem, refining a researchable question, choosing a manageable method, and knowing where to go for support. The aim is for participants to leave with a clear sense that research is not something “other people do”, but part of improving care in our own profession.
Step into the role of the paramedic called to Fern’s home, where labour is unfolding quickly. What you do next will influence how she experiences and remembers this profound life event. Drawing on women’s and paramedics’ stories from an ongoing PhD project, this immersive session explores how birth physiology, communication, and approach shape care, and how paramedics can support women to emerge from birth physically well and emotionally safe.
You’ve been dispatched to a patient with critical head and facial injuries in a rural area. You’re by yourself and racing against the clock to secure an airway and stop the bleeding. Participate in a review of a patient with critical head, neck and maxillofacial injuries.
Join us as all presenters from the day come together on stage for an interactive panel discussion, answering your questions and exploring key themes from the sessions.
In a profession built on courage, teamwork, and compassion, it’s easy to forget that leadership isn’t about rank - it’s about how we show up. Drawing on lessons from years in pre-hospital and emergency medicine, coaching, and life on the edge of comfort, Dr Erica Kreismann explores what it really means to grow, lead, and connect in high-stakes, human-centred work. This keynote invites us to take radical ownership of our growth while remembering that greatness is never a solo act - it’s something we build together, one act of courage at a time.
Thanks to all our sponsors for this event
Medical Developments International (MDI) is one of Australia’s leading specialised healthcare companies. With an industry leading range of products in the areas of pain management, asthma and resuscitation, MDI has supplied healthcare professionals and patients innovative solutions since 1971. MDI is a publicly listed company on the Australian Stock Exchange with both its head office and state of the art manufacturing facilities located in Victoria, Australia. With a strong focus on expanding into international healthcare markets, MDI has established a network of manufacturers and distributors to ensure both quality assurance and supply chain solutions are maintained for servicing and delivering to both the local and international sectors.
Accommodation Deal: Rydges Port Macquarie are offering RPS attendees a special discounted code, from Wednesday the 19th to Saturday the 22nd of November. Click Here and enter block code - ACP2025
TICKET INCLUSIONS
Two Day in person Tickets:
Workshop Only Ticket
Conference Only Ticket
Online Ticket
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| MEMBER - ONE DAY - Conference Ticket - Early Bird (In Person - 21 Nov) | $135.00 |
| NON-MEMBER - ONE DAY - Conference Ticket - Early Bird (In Person - 21 Nov) | $185.00 |
| ONLINE TICKET - Member (21 November) - Early Bird | $105.00 |
| ONLINE TICKET - Non-Member (21 November) - Early Bird | $155.00 |
The College is the peak professional body representing and supporting paramedics and student paramedics across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand since 1973.
The College acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the traditional custodians of the land and sea in which we live and work, we recognise their continuing connection to land, sea and culture and pay our respects to Elders past, present and future.
We recognise the unique role of Māori as Tangata Whenua and embrace Te Tiriti o Waitangi, recognising Māori as tino rangatiratanga of Aotearoa New Zealand while supporting the guiding principles of Te Tiriti – Tino rangatiratanga, Equality, Active protection, Options, and Partnership.
