ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

1. Identify need for emergency care

1.1 Initial assessment is made of extent and nature of emergency care required.

1.2 Initial assessment is communicated to appropriate personnel in accordance with organisation's policies and procedures.

2. Ensure personal safety of carer and casualty

2.1 Hygiene is maintained for protection of self and casualty.

2.2 Hazards to the carer are identified and appropriate action taken to safeguard against injury.

3. Reassure casualty

3.1 A calm, caring and reassuring manner is adopted in interaction with the casualty and others at the scene.

3.2 Casualty is made comfortable using available resources.

4. Assess casualty and implement emergency care procedures

4.1 Casualty assessed for DRABC.

4.2 Vital signs are continually monitored, recorded and any changes considered in planning treatment and reported as appropriate.

4.3 Treatment appropriate to the casualty's injuries is provided in line with approved first aid techniques and standards.

4.4 First aid equipment is operated in accordance with manufacturer's procedures and instructions, and organisational standards, policies, procedures and protocols.

4.5 Casualty's condition is monitored and reported in accordance with organisation's policies and procedures and treatment modified as necessary.

4.6 Treatment is maintained until qualified medical help takes over.

5. Work cooperatively with personnel from other organisations

5.1 Clear and comprehensive reports are provided to personnel involved in ongoing casualty care.

5.2 Members of other emergency services are assisted in their tasks in accordance with organisation's standards and personal level of responsibility and competence.

6. Recover and restore first aid equipment

6.1 First aid equipment is recovered, cleaned, inspected/tested, stored, restocked and resupplied and medical waste disposed of safely according to organisation's polices and procedures.

6.2 First aid equipment faults are rectified and/or reported in accordance with organisation's policies and procedures.

7. Complete documentation

7.1 Documentation is completed and processed in line with legislative, regulatory and organisation's requirements.

This describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level, required for this unit.

Required Skills

communicating verbally with casualties and others

completing forms

following procedures

providing verbal reports to paramedical personnel

remaining calm under time pressures and in difficult situations

working with others in a team situation

writing reports

Required Knowledge

Occupational Health and Safety guidelines for lifting and carrying

systems of the body:

respiratory

skeletal

digestive

circulatory

nervous

urinary

skin

causes and management of unconsciousness

priorities for life support in emergencies including the DRABC (danger, response, airway, breathing ventilation and circulation assessments) model

Health Department guidelines for personal hygiene

Australian Resuscitation Council resuscitation guidelines

applying resuscitation techniques

controlling bleeding

casualty assessment

principles of initial casualty management

management of fractures and soft tissue injuries

management of burns

personal level of responsibility

limitations

competency

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

Competency in this unit must be established through the practical demonstration of first aid skills, maintaining universal precautions and safety awareness.

Accurate documentation and a caring approach to injured persons during first aid activities are critical.

Consistency in performance

Evidence should be gathered over a period of time in a range of actual or simulated workplace environments

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Context of assessment

Exercise or simulation, or a series of tasks are required to demonstrate competence in this unit. This may involve setting scenarios to be completed either individually or as a member of a team. Written or verbal questions may be used as supporting evidence.

Specific resources for assessment

Access to first aid equipment used in general operations is essential.

Conditions under which this competency may be required include:

operating during any rescue or response situation including specialist rescue

hazardous environmental conditions—adverse weather

after dark operations

difficult terrain

debris

traffic

time pressures

varying time frames—short term

sudden impacts

protracted response operations

limited access to equipment necessitating the use of improvised techniques

Equipment may include:

first aid kit

personal protective equipment

stretchers including improvised

Details of incident obtained from:

casualty

visual assessment of scene

others at scene

Maintaining personal safety may include:

washing hands

using gloves

Caring manner may include:

personal introduction and identification consistent with other priorities

showing empathy

communication with casualty

voice tone and volume

reassurance and gentle treatment all in a culturally appropriate manner

Hazards may include:

bodily fluids

traffic

environmental hazards

downed wires

bystanders

drugs

sharps

First aid techniques and standards may include:

Guidelines to Australian Resuscitation Council resuscitation standards

State and Territory regulations

Others may include:

family

friends at scene

Appropriate action may include:

protecting scene

isolating scene

relocating casualty

Reporting as appropriate may include:

team leader

supervisor

medical personnel

paramedical personnel

emergency medical technician

Treatment includes:

applying resuscitation techniques

controlling bleeding

managing fractures

managing soft tissue injuries

dressing burns and scalds

Qualified health care personnel may include:

specialist personnel

medical personnel

Organisation’s standards, policies, procedures and protocols may include:

legislation relevant to the provision of emergency care

legislation relevant to the organisation

operational Standard Operating Procedures

operational performance standards

Reporting casualty’s condition may include:

need for confidentiality

status on arrival

treatment provided

history

observations made

changes in conditions

timeframes

Documentation may include:

written reports

casualty details

approved forms

verbal report

personal notes

Moving casualty may include:

individually or with assistance

observing decency in regard to culture

a range of manual handling techniques and lifts and carries

Processing documentation may include:

providing reports to authorised personnel

filing reports

diary entries

logs