Application
This unit describes the required skills and knowledge to provide Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander women, infants and their families with specialist health care services in postnatal and infant health.
This 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. Provide health information, support and care after birth for women, infants and families | 1.1 Perform maternal and infant physical assessment and record observations of mother and infant in line with standard protocols and organisational guidelines 1.2 Provide information and support for self-care and wellbeing in the postnatal period 1.3 Provide advice on routine care of the newborn to mothers and refer as appropriate and within organisational guidelines and/or procedures 1.4 Implement strategies to establish and support breastfeeding 1.5 Discuss with the client the importance of nutrition, exercise, rest, sleep and support with domestic tasks and care of family in the immediate postnatal period 1.6 Identify minor postnatal problems for mother and newborn and provide appropriate advice 1.7 Identify potentially serious health conditions for mother and newborn and refer to senior health staff 1.8 Provide information on contraceptive options 1.9 Deliver, implement and monitor care in the postnatal period as per standard treatment protocols and in accordance with legislative guidelines 1.10 Undertake immediate care in response to at-risk situations 1.11 Observe and support maternal-infant attachment |
2. Organise and evaluate maternal health programs | 2.1 Maintain registers of women undergoing postnatal care according to organisational policies and procedures 2.2 Keep schedules of participation in postnatal care and use to organise continuing care for women 2.3 Organise and/or provide reminders, transport and other assistance to attend care according to women’s needs 2.4 Provide support to other staff participating in provision of postnatal care 2.5 Maintain referral and communication networks with medical staff, specialist obstetricians, midwives, allied health staff, birthing facility staff and female community Elders 2.6 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:
delivered postnatal health care for at least five clients, including:
conducting comprehensive health checks related to postnatal and infant health
providing treatment, medicine and other health care services appropriate to postnatal and infant health in a safe and effective manner and within guidelines
providing information, guidance and support to clients and their families with postnatal and/or infant health issues
monitoring the outcomes of postnatal and infant health care services and making any required revisions to services, care plans or information provided
recognising situations requiring immediate or urgent action, and implementing appropriate procedures
implementing strategies to support breastfeeding
discussing the importance of nutrition, exercise, rest and sleep
identifying minor postnatal problems for mother and newborn
communicating effectively with client to:
obtain information from client
provide advice and information on self-care, wellbeing, routine care of newborns and contraceptive options
discuss postnatal and infant health care issues
recording all observations of mother and/or newborn according to organisation procedures
maintaining registers of mothers undergoing postnatal care, keeping schedules of participation and statistics on attendance
supporting mothers and babies to attend follow-up appointments for health services
supervised at least one staff member participating in postnatal 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:
key aspects of anatomy/physiology, pharmacology, pathology and basic microbiology relevant to postnatal and infant health
knowledge of microbiology relevant to postnatal and infant health and prevention of infection or cross infection
postnatal nutritional needs of women and infants, including support of breastfeeding and other nutritional needs of the infant
health conditions, obstetric problems and associated issues related to postnatal and infant health
strategies to:
improve maternal and neonatal health in the community
address clients presenting with postnatal problems
coordinate provision of optimum level of maternal health service delivery
postnatal medical problems requiring referral
effective postnatal care practices for mother and baby
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
relevant evaluation criteria for monitoring effectiveness of specific postnatal and infant health management program
organisation policies and procedures, generally, and in particular relating to client confidentiality
role of the Aboriginal Health Worker in counselling and health education
vaccination schedules
minor and major complications of pregnancy and required treatments
realistic expectation of client condition during monitoring of progress.
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. | |
Numeracy | in order to perform physical assessment of mother and infant, including measuring height, length and weight |
Other foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit.