Application
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to contribute to the development, implementation, evaluation and communication of a care plan for individuals with life-threatening or life-limiting illness and/or normal ageing process in a team environment using a palliative approach.
This unit applies to workers in a residential or community context. Work performed requires some discretion and judgement and is carried out under regular direct or indirect supervision.
The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State/Territory legislation, Australian/New Zealand standards and industry codes of practice.
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
Elements define the essential outcomes | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. |
1. Plan a palliative approach to individual care | 1.1 Assist with care planning using a palliative approach to maximise the person’s quality of life and comfort 1.2 Identify immediate and potential future care requirements based on the condition or illness of the person 1.3 Identify current specialist palliative care requirements if relevant 1.4 Ensure planning includes involving and supporting the person, family members, carers and/or significant others 1.5 Ensure care plan holistically addresses the person’s needs that extend over time not just end-of-life |
2. Support individuals to identify their preferences for quality of life choices | 2.1 Consult the person, family members, carers and/or significant others to identify and share information regarding current and changing needs and preferences 2.2 Respect and account for the person’s lifestyle, social, cultural and spiritual choices and needs in developing the care plan 2.3 Ensure the planning process supports the freedom of the person, family, carer and/or significant others to discuss spiritual and cultural issues in an open and non-judgemental way 2.4 Demonstrate respect for the roles of the person and carer in planning, delivering care and decision making 2.5 Address any issues that are outside scope of own role by referring them to the appropriate member of the care team in line with organisation requirements 2.6 Model communication with the person, families, carers and/or significant others that shows empathy and provides emotional support |
3. Assist with advanced care planning | 3.1 Assist with the determining of advance care directives in line with role, organisation, legal and ethical guidelines 3.2 Assist with the documentation of advance care directives in line with the person’s preferences and organisation procedures 3.3 Ensure all advance care directives are communicated and understood by relevant parties in accordance with confidentiality requirements 3.4 Actively support the ethical end-of-life decisions agreed by the person and carer, in line with organisation policy and care plan directives 3.5 Assist with identifying the person’s ongoing decisions, preferences, needs and issues in relation to end-of-life and document in the care plan in consultation with supervisor or appropriate team member 3.6 Observe the impact on the family and carers of the person’s end-of-life decisions, needs and issues and provide support as needed |
4. Take action to alleviate pain and other end-of-life symptoms | 4.1 Plan and document in care plan strategies to maximise comfort in collaboration with supervisor and/or health professional 4.2 Assess the person’s need for pain and symptom relief in line with care plan and report to supervisor and/or health professional 4.3 Provide pain and symptom relief in line with role, care plan, legislation and organisation policy 4.4 Provide appropriate information about the use of pain relieving medication and other treatments to staff, individuals, their family and carers, in consultation with supervisor and/or other health professional, 4.5 Observe, report and document effectiveness of interventions for pain and symptom relief 4.6 Communicate ineffectiveness of interventions to supervisor and/or other health professional and document |
5. Contribute to the development and implementation of end-of-life care strategies | 5.1 Respect and incorporate the person’s preferences including cultural and spiritual wishes when contributing to an end-of-life care plan 5.2 Maintain the dignity of the person when planning end-of-life care and immediately following death 5.3 Observe any signs of a person’s imminent death and/or deterioration and report to appropriate members of the care team in line with organisation requirements 5.4 Provide a supportive environment for the person, families, carers and/or significant others and those involved in their care at end-of-life 5.5 Ensure that decisions made by the person, family, carers and/or significant others are reviewed regularly, communicated to staff and updated on the care plan 5.6 Identify the emotional needs of other individuals and their families, carers and/or significant others affected when a death occurs and provide the necessary support or referrals in line with organisation requirements 5.7 Prepare the person, family, other staff and self for any distressing end-of-life events within own responsibilities |
6. Identify and manage emotional responses in self and others | 6.1 Identify and reflect upon own emotional responses to death and dying and raise and discuss any issues with supervisor and/or other appropriate person 6.2 Identify and reflect upon potential impact of personal responses on self and others and action appropriately 6.3 Inform others about support systems and bereavement care available 6.4 Follow organisation policies and procedures in relation to emotional welfare of self, team members, individuals and family 6.5 Assist colleagues to debrief and discuss bereavement care 6.6 Identify other strategies and resources available for debriefing 6.7 Evaluate effectiveness of emotional response strategies |
Evidence of Performance
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:
assisted in developing and implementing at least 1 care plan using a palliative approach and communicating effectively and empathetically
Evidence of Knowledge
The candidate must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge required to effectively complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage tasks and manage contingencies in the context of the work role. This includes knowledge of:
relevant policies, protocols and practices of the organisation in relation to the provision of both a palliative approach and palliative care
common life threatening, incurable conditions
emotional impact of diagnosis of life-threatening condition
the palliative approach to care of individuals and their family
the difference between curative and palliative approaches in contributing to individual care planning
cultural and spiritual considerations in relation to palliative care
specialist palliative care
palliative care and dementia
palliative approach for children and young people
impact of loss and grief on individuals, carers and workers and the risk of depression
legal and ethical considerations for working in palliative care and advance care directives, including:
dignity of risk
duty of care
human rights
privacy, confidentiality and disclosure
specific jurisdictional legislation on advance care planning and advance care directives as it applies to the work role
work role boundaries – responsibilities and limitations
pain management and strategies to maximise comfort
hydration and nutrition requirements during a palliative approach and at end-of-life
the various signs of imminent death and deterioration
Assessment Conditions
Skills must be demonstrated in the workplace or in a simulated environment that reflects workplace conditions.
The following conditions must be met for this unit:
modelling typical workplace conditions, including:
typical workplace documentation and reporting processes
scenarios and simulations in provision of care using a palliative approach in a range of contexts
palliative care plans and equipment and/or resources outlined in plan
Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015/AQTF mandatory competency requirements for assessors.
Foundation Skills
The Foundation Skills describe those required skills (such as language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills) that are essential to performance.
Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.