This unit is intended to address skills and knowledge required by those working under supervision at a Certificate II or III level with Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander communities and may involve emergencies of a medical or non-medical nature

ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

1. Assess the emergency

1.1 Seek information about the emergency from key people and the community, as time permits

1.2 Determine needs of the community and/or community members, in consultation with key people and the community, as time permits

2. Identify existing relevant emergency action plans

2.1 Locate organisational protocols, procedures and plans for responding to emergencies

2.2 Note strategies for responding to emergencies

3. Identify own and others' roles in implementing the emergency action plan

3.1 Identify own roles and responsibilities

3.2 Identify roles and responsibilities of the Emergency Action Plan Co-ordinator

3.3 Identify and contact the emergency action plan coordinator, as required

3.4 Identify and contact other workers with responsibilities for responding to the emergency as required

4. Implement the emergency action plan

4.1 Undertake work according to the strategy for responding to the emergency in line with organisation, community and legislative requirements

4.2 Provide key people and the community with progress reports, as time and client confidentiality permits

4.3 Maintain client and community confidentiality

5. Follow up emergency

5.1 Monitor and review the emergency, in consultation with key people

5.2 Identify follow up services and provide in line with community needs and workers' responsibilities

6. Provide feedback on the emergency action plan

6.1 Provide feedback about the effectiveness of the emergency action plan to key people

6.2 Suggest ways to improve the emergency action plan, if appropriate

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:

Relevant organisation policies, protocols and procedures

Operation of relevant equipment and technology

Local resources

Key community networks

Client confidentiality

Local disaster planning processes

Legislation protocols and policies or guidelines

Networks development

Roles and responsibilities as defined by the emergency action plan

Community views/directions on responding to emergencies.

Cultural and community specific information

A broad knowledge base relating to individual and community health, including:

biology and development

psychology

disease and treatment options

culture and tradition

Essential skills:

It is critical that the candidate demonstrate the ability to:

Consult with community members to identify key needs in an emergency

Comply with existing emergency plans, procedures and protocols in relation to own role in an emergency

Provide feedback about the effectiveness of existing action plans

In addition, the candidate must be able 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:

Manage community issues in an emergency

Apply skills in:

networking, consultation/oral communication/ negotiation, addressing cultural issues and community specific information

assessment, referral and intervention

human resource management

report writing (action plan documentation)

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 of assessment:

The individual being assessed must provide evidence of specified essential knowledge as well as skills

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

Conditions of assessment:

This unit includes skills and knowledge specific to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander culture

Assessment must therefore be undertaken by a workplace assessor who has expertise in the unit of competency or who has the current qualification being assessed and who is:

Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander him/herself

or:

accompanied and advised by an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person who is a recognised member of the community with experience in primary health care

Context of assessment:

Competence should be demonstrated working individually, under supervision or as part of a primary health care team working with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients

Assessment should replicate workplace conditions as far as possible

Related units:

This unit may be assessed independently or in conjunction with other units with associated workplace application

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.

Cultural respect

This competency standard supports the recognition, protection and continued advancement of the inherent rights, cultures and traditions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

It recognises that the improvement of the health status of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people must include attention to physical, spiritual, cultural, emotional and social well-being, community capacity and governance

Its application must be culturally sensitive and supportive of traditional healing and health, knowledge and practices

Community control

Community participation and control in decision-making is essential to all aspects of health work, and the role of the health worker is to support the community in this process

Supervision

Supervision must be conducted in accordance with prevailing state/territory and organisation legislative and regulatory requirements

References to supervision may include either direct or indirect supervision of work by more experienced workers, supervisors, managers or other health professionals

A person at this level should only be required to make decisions about clients within the organisation's standard treatment protocols and associated guidelines

Legislative requirements

Federal, state or territory legislation may impact on workers' practices and responsibilities. Implementation of the competency standards should reflect the legislative framework in which a health worker operates. It is recognised that this may sometimes reduce the application of the Range of Variables in practice. However, assessment in the workplace or through simulation should address all essential skills and knowledge across the Range of Variables

Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Health Workers may be required to operate in situations that do not constitute 'usual practice' due to lack of resources, remote locations and community needs. As a result, they may need to possess more competencies than described by 'usual practice circumstances'

Under all circumstances, the employer must enable the worker to function within the prevailing legislative framework

Key people (to give feedback) may include:

Supervisor/manager

Emergency action plan co-ordinator

Emergencies may include:

Any situations which require an urgent response, including:

trauma experienced by community members and/or the community

other situations that create personal distress to community members and/or the community

hazardous environmental incidents

car and other vehicle accidents

plane crashes

mining accidents

epidemic diseases

any other situations which require an urgent response

bomb threats

Key people may include:

Key members of the community

Community council

Health service providers

Health workers

Other personnel

Emergency action plan refers to:

Guidelines and/or plans for responding to the various types of emergencies that might be predicted in the community or workplace

Strategies for responding to community emergencies may include:

Counselling

Other responses to community trauma

Provision of resources and services

De-briefing

Mobilising other service providers

Raising awareness (both within and externally) of the emergency faced by the community

Ceremonies

Implementing actions requested by the community council

Types of treatment

Providing access to resources

Co-operative arrangements with other service providers, including government and non-government organisations

Evacuation

Resources may include:

Premises/facilities

Equipment and supplies

Vehicles/transport

Specific skills in workers

Emergency Action Plan Co-ordinator is:

The person in the community or service who is assigned the responsibility of coordinating the full implementation of the emergency action plan

This unit contains Employability Skills