Application
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to provide Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander women with specialist antenatal health care services.
The unit applies to those Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Health Workers working independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team to deliver primary health care services to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients and communities.
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 specify the level of performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. |
1. Plan and deliver health care during pregnancy | 1.1 Take and document general, social and obstetric health history 1.2 Identify signs and symptoms of pregnancy and calculate expected date of delivery 1.3 Develop an antenatal care plan based on standard protocols and consultations with relevant health professionals 1.4 Provide information to women on healthy living and maternal health risks 1.5 Perform antenatal clinical assessments in line with standard protocols and client requirements in accordance with job role and legislative frameworks 1.6 Provide information on safe birthing options, signs of labour, stages of labour, pain management techniques and family attendance at delivery 1.7 Identify common conditions and potentially serious complications of pregnancy, provide advice, care and appropriate referrals 1.8 Support women to attend appointments as per their antenatal care plan 1.9 Practice within a multidisciplinary team to provide culturally appropriate support, services and care |
2. Monitor and evaluate antenatal health care | 2.1 Monitor continuing antenatal care according to organisation procedures 2.2 Regularly update information on obstetric history and antenatal care assessment at the planned birthing facility according to organisation procedures 2.3 Review progress and outcomes in consultation with pregnant woman 2.4 Maintain registers of women undergoing antenatal care according to organisation policies and procedures 2.5 Keep schedules of participation in antenatal care and use to organise continuing care according to woman’s needs 2.6 Organise and/or provide reminders, transport and other assistance to attend care according to women’s needs 2.7 Provide supervision of other staff participating in provision of antenatal care 2.8 Maintain referral and communication networks with medical staff, specialist obstetricians, midwives, allied health staff, birthing facility staff and female community Elders 2.9 Keep statistics on attendance for antenatal care and birthing outcomes and use to evaluate maternal health programs |
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:
provided antenatal care for at least five clients by:
undertaking comprehensive health checks specific to antenatal care for each client
documenting a general, social and obstetric health history
recognising and acting upon situations requiring immediate or urgent action
providing treatment, medicine and other health care services appropriate to antenatal health in a safe and effective manner and within guidelines
providing information, guidance and support to clients and their families with antenatal health issues
monitoring the outcomes of antenatal health care services and made any required revisions to services, care plans or information provided
liaising between service providers, individuals, families and community groups to support antenatal health
holistically evaluating impact and outcome of treatment on client’s physical, mental and emotional condition and behaviour
making timely and appropriate referrals, providing accurate and relevant details to clients and referral agencies
provided supervision for at least one other staff member providing antenatal health care
Evidence of 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:
organisation policies and procedures relating to client confidentiality
role of the Aboriginal Health Worker in counselling and health education
anatomy/physiology, pharmacology, pathology and basic microbiology relevant to pregnancy
microbiology relevant to antenatal health and prevention of infection or cross infection
nutritional needs of pregnant women
health conditions, obstetric problems and associated issues related to pregnancy
strategies to:
improve antenatal health in the community
address clients presenting with antenatal problems
coordinate provision of optimum level of maternal health service delivery
relevant assessment methods and use of associated equipment and testing procedures
relevant treatments, medicines and associated care services available
risks and contraindications associated with relevant treatments and medication.
Assessment Conditions
Skills must be demonstrated working:
in a health service or centre
individually or as a member of a multidisciplinary primary health care team
with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients and communities.
In addition, simulations and scenarios must be used where the full range of contexts and situations cannot be provided in the workplace or may occur only rarely. These are situations relating to emergency or unplanned procedures where assessment in these circumstances would be unsafe or is impractical.
Simulated assessment environments must simulate the real-life working environment where these skills and knowledge would be performed, with all the relevant equipment and resources of that working environment.
Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015/AQTF mandatory competency requirements for assessors.
Assessment must be undertaken by a workplace assessor who has expertise in this unit of competency and who is:
an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Health Worker
or:
accompanied by an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person who is a recognised member of the community with experience in primary health care.
Foundation Skills
The Foundation Skills describe those required skills (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. |