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)

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

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

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:

An appropriately stocked and equipped clinic or simulated clinic environment

Relevant texts and manuals

Appropriate models/diagrams

Appropriate assessment environment

Skilled assessors

Method of assessment

Observation in the workplace

Written assignments/projects or questioning should be used to assess knowledge

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

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

Questioning and discussion

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 after or in conjunction with the following related unit:

HLTREM510B Provide specialised remedial massage treatment

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:

Birth options and settings

Contraindications and precautions

Cultural perspectives on birth and birthing

Gestational disorders

Gestational disorders

Pre and post-partum disorders

The philosophies, principles and tools of remedial massage practice

The theory of paediatric development

The theory of paediatric massage

The treatment of pain, anxiety and other conditions during labour

Therapeutic principles and methods

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:

Appropriately record details of client enquiries according to clinic guidelines

Communicate and work with parent/guardian/carer where relevant when planning treatment

Correctly identify client information needs

Provide client with required information about their condition

Provide treatment appropriately to the needs of the client

Work or model work which demonstrates an understanding of the remedial massage framework

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.

Assessment may include:

Assessment of physical features

Palpation

Observation

Listening

Percussion

Discussion/questioning

Any other method in which the practitioner has been trained to a competent standard

Procedure which is conducted according to legislative and regulatory requirements

Appropriate consent may mean:

Informed consent according to the local and national regulations and legal guidelines

Knowledge of consensual age

Attendance of appropriate adult for wards of State and minors as appropriate

Possession of Blue Card where relevant

Remedial Massage women and children's health treatment may include the following methods:

To be performed in a variety of positions, ie, standing, seated, prone, supine and side recumbent lying, and through clothing as well as conventional table massage.

These include but are not limited to:

Passive joint movement techniques

joints are moved through their range of movement, ie to the point of mild tissue resistance

Passive soft tissue movement

technique is applied with palmer surfaces of the hand, heel of hand and/or fingers

jostling:

shaking of the muscle from origin to insertion

Gliding techniques

effleurage: broad superficial strokes using the entire palm surface of the hands to cover large surface areas of the body

Longitudinal stroking:

deep gliding movement is applied in the direction of the muscle fibres through focal pressure using any of the following; fingers, palm, heel of hands, forearm and/or knuckles

transverse gliding

cross over stroke:

pulling and pushing of the tissue using the hands in a criss-cross manner

Kneading/petrissage

technique is applied with palm surface of the hand, heel of hand and/or fingers

soft tissue is mobilised with rhythmical circular rolling, squeezing or pulling movements

Friction techniques

superficial tissue is moved over an underlying structure in circular, longitudinal or transverse directions

deep repetitive movements of short amplitude are applied usually with thumbs, fingers and knuckles

friction techniques are believed to be beneficial in releasing adherent/scar tissue

continued ...

Remedial Massage women and children's health treatment may include the following methods (contd):

Compressive techniques

digital pressure

compression: successive and rapid pressure, ie a series of short duration compressions, is applied to soft tissue between two structures, ie underlying bone structures and therapist's hand, or hand to hand

Percussion: cupping, tapping, hacking, pummelling and flicking are applied rhythmically using the hands

Temperature therapy

conduction, eg heat packs and immersion baths

friction

Topical applications

Deep tissue massage techniques

Myofacial release: techniques conducted on superficial and/or deep tissues to:

lengthen tissue

reduce adhesions

increase range of movement

decrease compartment pressure

restore elasticity

Manual lymphatic drainage

Trigger point release techniques: apply digital ischemic pressure and/or apply stretching after treatment. It incorporates:

ischemic pressure

stretching

Stretching techniques:

static stretching

dynamic stretching

proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation stretching: contract-relax and hold-relax