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Follow the links below to find material targeted to the unit's elements, performance criteria, required skills and knowledge

Elements and Performance Criteria

1. Elements define the essential outcomes.
2. Determine client medication requirements
   • Consult client and/or significant others for medication history and allergies
   • Review relevant documentation
   • Identify options and contraindications of commonly used medications and discuss with prescriber and other relevant staff
   • Maintain appropriate records of client medication in line with organisation requirements
3. Interpret and clarify orders and instructions for medication
   • Receive and correctly interpret written and verbal orders and instructions for medications
   • Identify potential drug interactions and refer to the authorised prescriber
   • Consult authorised practitioners and other senior health staff if required to clarify medication instructions
   • Check written and verbal medication instructions against published medicines’ information resources
   • Recognise special precautions and contraindications of use of particular medicines and refer to an appropriate person
4. Support clients in their use of traditional and western medicines
   • Identify traditional/bush medicines commonly used in the local community
   • Support and promote the role of traditional healers and traditional/bush medicines as an adjunct to western medical treatment
   • Identify generic and brand names of medicines used commonly in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander primary health practice, using reference sources as required
   • Provide information to clients on mechanisms of action, dosing and common side-effects
   • Provide Consumer Medicines Information (CMI) and explain to clients as required
   • Support clients to question proposed medical treatments to clarify the purpose, action and any issues relating to medication
   • Obtain feedback from client to determine their understanding of information provided
   • Support clients, where appropriate, to obtain prescription medicines under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and other federal initiatives
5. Deliver information to support clients in the use of medications
   • Deliver clear and accurate information to support the client’s Quality Use of Medicines in a confidential and culturally appropriate and safe manner
   • Check the client’s understanding of information provided and support the client to make decisions and further inquiries about medication use
   • Support clients to obtain access to benefit schemes and other supports as appropriate
   • Evaluate the impact of information on the individual client’s health through follow-up contact
   • Document all information provided about medications according to organisation procedures
6. Provide advice about storage and transport of medication
   • Explain to client the importance of correct and secure storage of medication in the home or other locations, including keeping medication away from children
   • Advise clients of the correct way to handle medication, including cold chain transport for medication requiring refrigeration
   • Explain to clients the importance of only using in date and undamaged medication
   • Provide advice to clients to correctly transport, store and dispose of their medications
7. Provide information and support to community
   • Communicate in a culturally appropriate and safe manner with community members to identify community or specific group requirements for medication information
   • Investigate generic medication information to be provided to support community or specific group needs
   • Identify and make use of culturally appropriate and safe ways to effectively provide information to community and specific groups about medication
   • Support individual members of community or specific groups to gain individual advice about specific medication issues
   • Evaluate the impact of information on the community or a specific group’s awareness and use of medication through follow-up contact with community members
8. Support clients in their use of traditional and western medicines
   • Identify traditional/bush medicines commonly used in the local community
   • Support and promote the role of traditional healers and traditional/bush medicines as an adjunct to western medical treatment
   • Identify generic and brand names of medicines used commonly in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander primary health practice, using reference sources as required
   • Provide information to clients on mechanisms of action, dosing and common side-effects
   • Provide Consumer Medicines Information (CMI) and explain to clients as required
   • Support clients to question proposed medical treatments to clarify the purpose, action and any issues relating to medication
   • Obtain feedback from client to determine their understanding of information provided
   • Support clients, where appropriate, to obtain prescription medicines under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and other federal initiatives
9. Deliver information to support clients in the use of medications
   • Deliver clear and accurate information to support the client’s Quality Use of Medicines in a confidential and culturally appropriate and safe manner
   • Check the client’s understanding of information provided and support the client to make decisions and further inquiries about medication use
   • Support clients to obtain access to benefit schemes and other supports as appropriate
   • Evaluate the impact of information on the individual client’s health through follow-up contact
   • Document all information provided about medications according to organisation procedures
10. Provide advice about storage and transport of medication
    • Explain to client the importance of correct and secure storage of medication in the home or other locations, including keeping medication away from children
    • Advise clients of the correct way to handle medication, including cold chain transport for medication requiring refrigeration
    • Explain to clients the importance of only using in date and undamaged medication
    • Provide advice to clients to correctly transport, store and dispose of their medications
11. Provide information and support to community
    • Communicate in a culturally appropriate and safe manner with community members to identify community or specific group requirements for medication information
    • Investigate generic medication information to be provided to support community or specific group needs
    • Identify and make use of culturally appropriate and safe ways to effectively provide information to community and specific groups about medication
    • Support individual members of community or specific groups to gain individual advice about specific medication issues
    • Evaluate the impact of information on the community or a specific group’s awareness and use of medication through follow-up contact with community members

Performance Evidence

The candidate must show evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage tasks and manage contingencies in the context of the job role.

There must be evidence that the candidate has:

provided clear and accurate information to support the safe use of medicines to least five individual clients. This includes:

- communicating effectively and in a culturally safe and appropriate manner to identify client information needs about medication, and providing information to meet those needs

- undertaking research and using various medication references and resources, such as MIMS, standing orders, guidelines and CMI in line with the Quality Use of Medicines framework and organisational requirements

- using published medication references and resources to:

o check written orders for medicines

o identify medicines by their generic and/or brand names

o note potential drug interactions

o identify special precautions and contraindications

o check terms and abbreviations commonly used in prescribing and administering medications

- confirming information to be provided to the client with relevant health professionals

- working within the scope and parameters of the work role as a member of a multidisciplinary team providing primary health care to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients and community

- maintaining records and documentation in line with organisational requirements

provided clear and accurate information to support the local Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait community, or a section of the community, in the use of medicines by on at least one occasion by:

- using culturally appropriate and safe communication to determine needs for medication information by a community or specific group

- researching and determining the information to be provided

- delivering information in a culturally appropriate and safe manner to a group of community members.

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Knowledge Evidence

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:

application of universal precautions in the administration of medicines

basic medications commonly used in daily role, and effects on the body

federal and state legislation relating to the control, labelling, storage and dispensing of drugs and medication

workplace health and safety issues

organisational policies and procedures relating to drugs and medications

schemes and programs to support access to medications, including the PBS and Close The Gap Initative

relevant services provided by Commonwealth, state and territory to support medication use

signs of anaphylaxis and appropriate management /referral

Quality Use of Medicines and the CMI

National medication access and review initiatives for Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander people

special considerations in use of medicines, including:

- pregnancy and lactation

- renal failure

- anti-coagulant therapy

- potential drug interactions

- differences of medication impact on children and adults

types of locally available/used traditional bush medicines and their benefits.

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