The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the Performance Criteria, Required Skills and Knowledge, the Range Statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate this competency unit:

The individual being assessed must provide evidence of specified essential knowledge as well as skills

Observation of performance in the workplace or a simulated workplace (defined as a supervised clinic) is essential for assessment of this unit

Assessment may contain both theoretical and practical components and examples covering a range of clinical situations

Consistency of performance should be demonstrated over the required range of situations relevant to the workplace

Where, for reasons of safety, space, or access to equipment and resources, assessment takes place away from the workplace, the assessment environment should represent workplace conditions as closely as possible

Demonstrated ability to interpret investigative findings

Assessment of sole practitioners must include a range of clinical situations and different client groups covering at minimum, age, culture and gender

Assessment of sole practitioners must consider their unique workplace context, including:

interaction with others in the broader professional community as part of the sole practitioner's workplace

scope of practice as detailed in the qualification and component competency units

holistic/integrated assessment including:

working within the practice framework

performing a health assessment

assessing the client

planning treatment

providing treatment

Context of and specific resources for assessment:

Resources essential for assessment include:

an appropriately stocked and equipped clinic or simulated clinic environment

nutritional value tables for Australian foods &/or suitable dietary analysis software

relevant texts and manuals

appropriate assessment environment

Method of assessment

Observation in the work place

Written assignments with practical demonstration

Case study and scenario as a basis for discussion of issues and strategies to contribute to best practice.

Oral Questioning

Diagnosis from assessment notes or simulated assessments

Clinical skills involving direct client care are to be assessed initially in a simulated clinical setting. If successful, a second assessment is to be conducted during workplace application under direct supervision

Clinic treatment logbooks

Access and equity considerations:

All workers in the health industry should be aware of access and equity issues in relation to their own area of work

All workers should develop their ability to work in a culturally diverse environment

In recognition of particular health issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, workers should be aware of cultural, historical and current issues impacting on health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

Assessors and trainers must take into account relevant access and equity issues, in particular relating to factors impacting on health of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients and communities

Related units:

This unit should be assessed in conjunction with the following related units:

HLTAP501B Analyse health information

HLTCOM404C Communicate effectively with clients

HLTNUT604B Manage work within the clinical nutritional framework

HLTNUT605B Perform clinical nutrition health assessment

This describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level required for this unit.

Essential knowledge:

The candidate must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge required to effectively do the task outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage the task and manage contingencies in the context of the identified work role

This includes knowledge of:

Anatomy and physiology of the body systems

Disease process

Referral processes

Relevant testing and assessment options and procedures

Signs and symptoms of disease and disorder/dysfunction

The contribution of the different schools of thought and historical theories of clinical practice

The possible interactions between supplements, foods and medications

The principles of nutrition

Types of further investigation available (knowledge and understanding)

Essential skills:

It is critical that the candidate demonstrate the ability to effectively do the task outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage the task and manage contingencies in the context of the identified work role

This includes the ability to:

Access and interpret up-to-date information

Apply differential assessment

Apply nutritional principles to diagnosis

Communicate with a range of individuals from diverse backgrounds and cultures

Demonstrate differential diagnostic skills

Establish urgency for treatment required

Formulate a diagnosis based on nutritional medicine principles

Prioritise presenting conditions

Write referrals, appraisal letters and other documentation

The Range Statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Add any essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts.

Signs and symptoms of condition may include:

Physical evidence

Behavioural evidence

States of disorder

Test or examination results

Sensations

Onset

Duration

Location

Causation

Ameliorating and aggravating factors

Symptom qualities (intensity, severity, nature of complaint)

Non-verbal signs and symptoms

Functional and pathological disturbances

Patterns may refer to:

Temperaments - humoural theory - eg choleric/ sanguine

Constitutional states eg neuresthenic

Syndromes eg adrenal exhaustion

Functional disorders eg functional hypoglycaemia

Disease/conditions

Knowledge of nutritional principles must include:

Diet as therapy (health maintenance, therapeutic diets, dietary modification)

Therapeutic application of special and functional foods (food as medicine)

Cultural dietary perspectives

Therapeutic&preventive aspects of fasting/detoxification

Nutrient supplementation

Individual unique dietary needs

Behavioural and lifestyle strategies

Principles of diagnosis may include:

Holistic model

Biomedical model

Biopsychological model

Appropriate diagnostic tools/methods may include:

Health history

Physical diagnostic

temperature

auscultation

Anthropometric

Biochemical analysis

Diet diary

Nutritional screening

24 hour recall

Food frequency questionnaire

Physical signs of malnutrition

Iridology

Pathology laboratory tests (blood, urine, stool)

Kinesiology (muscle testing)