Application
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to provide nursing interventions for people with sexual and reproductive health care needs.
Enrolled nurses providing nursing care in the area of sexual and reproductive health need to hold and apply specialised in-depth knowledge, effectively integrate theory and practice and make reliable clinical assessments and judgements.
This unit applies to enrolled nurses, registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, seeking specialisation in enrolled nurse work that is carried out in consultation and collaboration with registered nurses, and under direct or indirect supervisory arrangements aligned to the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia regulatory authority legislative requirements.
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. Identify and discuss sexual and reproductive health problems | 1.1 Support the person in accessing relevant screening programs and in using contemporary assessment tools to identify health issues 1.2 Interpret observations and pathology results indicating variations from normal sexual and reproductive health status 1.3 Provide information at a primary health care level on the risk factors, indicators and interventions for sexually transmissible infections (STIs) and blood-borne infections (BBIs) 1.4 Use a safe place for discussing with the person contact tracing, disclosure of information and requirements in reporting notifiable STIs or BBIs, in consultation with registered nurse 1.5 Use appropriate health information and resources to the level of the person’s own understanding of their sexual development and health condition 1.6 Make appropriate referrals in consultation with an interdisciplinary team to promote healthy sexual and lifestyle practices |
2. Clarify the impact of sexual and reproductive health condition on the person, family or carer | 2.1 Maintain current knowledge of sexual and reproductive health conditions and associated pathophysiology and apply this knowledge to female and male clinical manifestations 2.2 Identify the psychosocial impact and potential complications for the person and clarify their needs 2.3 Discuss impacts and complications of the person’s condition with the person, and their family or carer as appropriate, within scope of practice |
3. Contribute to team planning and nursing interventions for sexual or reproductive health care | 3.1 Identify specific effects of culture, ageing, disability and illness on sexuality and sexual behaviour for the person 3.2 Identify nursing interventions to incorporate contemporary sexual and reproductive health strategies into practice 3.3 Provide advice related to maintaining sexual and reproductive health in line with community needs and organisation policy and procedures 3.4 Liaise with health team and use appropriate resources and service providers to educate the person, family or carer on sexual health and reproductive health strategies 3.5 Identify the acuity of a person is beyond own skills and knowledge and promptly consult with relevant interdisciplinary health care team 3.6 Critically review the care plan and modify according to the person’s progress toward planned outcomes in consultation and collaboration with registered nurse |
4. Actively promote improvements in sexual and reproductive health | 4.1 Monitor and evaluate own nursing care provided to the person to assist with organisation continuous improvement 4.2 Evaluate nursing interventions provided and consider outcomes against evidence-based best practice in sexual and reproductive health 4.3 Seek out opportunities and participate in professional development, acquiring knowledge to guide own practice and acting as a resource for colleagues |
5. Address contemporary issues in sexual and reproductive health | 5.1 Maintain current knowledge on influences that shape sexuality in current and historical contexts 5.2 Identify and discuss contraception and provide support and health education to the person on their choice of contraception methods 5.3 Identify and discuss pregnancy choices and options for unplanned pregnancies 5.4 Provide education on risk-taking behaviours and promote safe sex practices |
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:
undertaken nursing work in accordance with Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia professional practice standards, codes and guidelines
performed a sexual health assessment on 1 female and 1 male person in the workplace
conducted 2 specific activities in the workplace or simulated environment to support quality and promote innovations in sexual and reproductive health for an interdisciplinary team based on knowledge acquired through own professional development and learning.
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:
historical development of sexual and reproductive health strategies to support women’s and men’s health and wellbeing
health prevention screening options for early identification of women’s and men’s health issues
conditions and factors affecting women’s health and wellbeing, and their impact and treatment, such as:
breast screening
cervical screening
family violence
sexual assault
menopause
vaginal prolapse and continence issues
sexual physiology and the human sexual response
philosophy underpinning sexual and reproductive health management
medical and surgical procedures associated with sexual and reproductive health
anatomy and physiology and pathophysiology of sexual and reproductive health and clinical manifestation of sexual and reproductive conditions – sufficiently in-depth knowledge to make considered judgements and contribute professionally to nursing care
sexual and reproductive health-related matters including:
contraception
health problems affecting sexuality such as
spinal cord injuries
diabetes mellitus
hypertension
infertility
menopause
pregnancy options
puberty
risk taking behaviours
sexual abuse
sexual dysfunction
sexual orientation
healthy sexual behaviours and attitudes and practices such as safer sex practices, and barriers to use of safer sex practices
factors that may interfere with sexual health and emotional wellbeing including influence of alcohol and other drug use on sexual behaviours
sexually transmissible infections (STIs), including:
description, definition, statistics, signs and symptoms, universal precautions
common STIs and blood-borne infections (BBIs)
notifiable STIs and BBIs
transmission, testing and complications related to STIs
contact tracing and partner notification
ways to prevent, manage and treat STIs
risk factors for contracting STIs and BBIs, including:
relationship between STIs and increased risk of contracting BBIs
unprotected anal, vaginal and oral sex
receptive and insertive partners
mother to baby
blood to blood
unsafe drug injection
age- and gender-specific issues related to sexual health for the older adult, young adult, adolescent
community resources or services for sexual and reproductive health promotion and education.
Assessment Conditions
Skills must have been demonstrated in the workplace or in a simulated environment that reflects workplace conditions. The following conditions must be met for this unit:
use of suitable facilities, equipment and resources in line with the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council’s Standards
modelling of industry operating conditions including access to real people for simulations and scenarios in enrolled nursing work.
Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015/AQTF mandatory competency requirements for assessors.
In addition, assessors must hold current registration as a Registered Nurse with Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia.
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.