This unit applies to funeral home staff who may or may not be embalmers. This unit is considered to be the basic body preparation requirement for all deceased persons and involves working autonomously with a reasonable level of responsibility.

Nil

ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

1

Conduct preparatory procedures for cleansing and disinfecting deceased bodies.

1.1

Identify and prepare mortuary area and appropriate instruments and equipment according to workplace policies and procedures, and relevant legislation.

1.2

Prepare and use personal protective equipment according to workplace policies and procedures, and relevant legislation.

1.3

Identify and respect any social, cultural and religious requirements.

2

Remove wrapping on deceased persons.

2.1

Disinfect body wrappings using appropriate droplet disinfectant according to infection control practices.

2.2

Open outer body wrappings and ensure containment of body fluids.

2.3

Disinfect inner wrappings or clothing using a droplet disinfectant as required and according to infection control practices.

2.4

Remove inner wrapping and ensure containment of body fluids.

2.5

Place a durable modesty cover on genital area if required.

2.6

Cover mouth and nose with cloth soaked in an appropriate disinfectant.

2.7

Place wrappings in an appropriate biowaste container and ensure containment of body fluids.

2.8

Package clothing separately according to given instructions.

3

Cleanse oral and nasal cavities.

3.1

Aspirate oral and nasal cavities if purge is present.

3.2

Remove cloth covering mouth and nose, and dispose of using appropriate biowaste container.

3.3

Relieve rigor mortis from lower jaw as required.

3.4

Open mouth to enable access and place disinfectant cloth deep inside using long forceps.

4

Cleanse and inspect body.

4.1

Spray all areas of body with appropriate disinfectant and allow to remain on body surface for five minutes.

4.2

Conduct external head and face inspection.

4.3

Wash, rinse and dry all body surfaces using appropriate washing materials according to workplace policies and procedures.

4.4

Access rectal and vaginal orifices and place disinfectant cloth deep inside using large forceps.

4.5

Shampoo and dry cranium hair using germicidal soaps and shampoos according to workplace policies and procedures.

4.6

Perform face shaves and trim beards and moustaches according to workplace policies and procedures.

4.7

Conduct final inspection of body and note anything unusual for further attention.

4.8

Note and document all jewellery according to workplace policies and procedures and remove if required.

5

Relieve rigor mortis in body.

5.1

Manipulate, move and rotate arms, hands, fingers, legs, ankles and toes carefully to relieve rigor mortis.

5.2

Identify and avoid weakened tissue areas which may become damaged through relieving.

6

Clean up tools, equipment and mortuary areas.

6.1

Clean, disinfect or sterilise instruments and equipment according to workplace policies and procedures, and relevant legislation.

6.2

Dispose of waste materials according to workplace policies and procedures, and relevant legislation.

6.3

Store instruments and equipment according to workplace policies and procedures and report faults.

6.4

Clean and disinfect mortuary area according to workplace policies and procedures, and relevant legislation.

6.5

Remove personal protective equipment and process according to workplace policies and procedures and infection control practices.

Required skills

planning and organisational skills to identify and prepare required instruments and equipment

technology skills to identify and apply appropriate equipment

self-management and problem-solving skills to monitor own response to dealing with deceased bodies and take corrective action.

Required knowledge

infection control practices and procedures

workplace policies and procedures for cleansing and disinfecting deceased bodies

sterilisation procedures for mortuary instruments and equipment

properties and uses of germicidal sprays and disinfectants

range of social, cultural and religious requirements

funeral services industry parameters and protocols for dealing with the deceased

broad working knowledge of relevant federal, state or territory, and local government legislation and regulations relating to OHS, infection control and handling human remains.

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

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

Evidence of the following is essential:

ability to remove the wrapping and clothing from the deceased person, cleanse and disinfect the body and relieve rigor mortis

ability to prepare mortuary area and select and use the required instruments and equipment

the cleaning, disinfecting and sterilising of the mortuary area, instruments and equipment at conclusion of the treatment

knowledge of infection control practices

cleansing and disinfecting deceased bodies on multiple occasions to ensure consistency of performance and ability to respond to different situations.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment must ensure:

demonstration of skills in a mortuary facility where deceased bodies may be safely prepared and appropriate mortuary lighting, plumbing and ventilation requirements can be monitored and maintained

access to deceased bodies

access to cleansing and disinfecting products

access to mortuary instruments and equipment

access to personal protective equipment.

Methods of assessment

A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:

observation of candidate preparing mortuary area, instruments and equipment and applying body cleansing and disinfecting procedures

written or verbal questioning to assess knowledge and understanding of infection control practices and properties of disinfectant products

review of portfolios of evidence and third-party workplace reports of on-the-job performance by the candidate.

Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example:

SIFMWK003A Clean and sterilise mortuary items and equipment.

Employability skills embedded in this unit should be assessed holistically with other relevant units that make up the skill set or qualification and in the context of the job role.

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. 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) may also be included.

Instruments and equipment must include:

personal protective equipment

positioning devices

sterilisation equipment

sterilisation chemicals and solutions

dressing table

disinfectant hand solution, paper towels and soap

body grooming equipment

pedestal lamps

linen

first aid kit

packs of padding

cotton packer

plastic sheeting for wrapping bodies

waterproof tape

capsules for transporting babies

aneurysm needle

scissors

forceps

nasal tube aspirator.

Workplace policies and procedures may include:

standard operating policies and procedures

standards and certification requirements

quality assurance procedures

OHS procedures, including:

infection control procedures

manual handling procedures

material handling procedures, including hazardous or infectious materials

emergency procedures, including fire and accident procedures

security procedures.

Relevant legislation, regulations and codes of practice may include:

OHS

Anatomy Act

Human Tissue Act

Skin Penetration Act

Coroner's Act

Public Health Act

Environment Protection Act

local government regulations

funeral services industry code of practice

Worksafe Australia certification and standards.

Personal protective equipment may include:

disposable gloves

heavy duty gloves

barrier gown or suit

waterproof overshoes

waterproof aprons

splash proof masks

eye goggles

face visor

hair cover.

Social, cultural and religious requirements may include:

dress standards

gender of embalming personnel

time required between death and burial or cremation

orientation of the deceased person

restrictions on methods of embalming permissible.

Infection control practices may include:

checking for infectious and transmittable disease

using personal protective equipment

sterilising apparatus and instruments

providing sterile storage areas for instruments

using disinfectants

safe removal and disposal of soiled and contaminated garments

safe ventilation

avoiding invasive procedures on bodies

immunisation

periodic X-rays

seeking medical advice

recording injury and incidence

reporting injury and incidence

providing first aid kit

performing first aid as necessary

labelling clothing.

External head and face inspection must include:

inspecting head hair for lice and mites

inspecting eyes, nose and mouth for maggots.

Sector

Funeral Services

Mortuary Work and Embalming

This unit contains employability skills.