This unit applies to sports trainers who are responsible for providing initial management of common medical conditions for athletes in a sport-specific training or competition setting such as on the playing field, court or open or enclosed areas at sporting events.

Nil

ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

1. Research common medical conditions.

1.1. Source and access information for a range of common medical conditions and their impact on sporting performance.

1.2. Recognise symptoms and signs of a range of common medical conditions in a sports setting.

1.3. Identify contraindications for a range of common medical conditions and advise affected athletes and other relevant stakeholders according to relevant legislation and organisational policies and procedures.

2. Manage existing medical conditions.

2.1. Identify athletes with common medical conditions according to relevant legislation and organisational policies and procedures.

2.2. Advise athletes on strategies to minimise the impact of known existing medical conditions on sporting performance.

2.3. Monitor and respond to athletes who display signs of common medical conditions during sporting activity according to organisational policies and procedures.

2.4. Manage athletes with common medical conditions according to best practice and organisational policies and procedures.

2.5. Refer athletes to a medical practitioner or relevant health professional where required.

2.6. Document treatment of medical conditions according to organisational policies and procedures.

2.7. Implement an ongoing education program for athletes to manage common medical conditions in sporting settings according to organisational policies and procedures.

3. Evaluate management of medical conditions.

3.1. Review the management of the condition in consultation with appropriate personnel.

3.2. Evaluate own performance and identify potential improvements for future management of common medical conditions.

3.3. Make modifications to education programs to manage common medical conditions where required in response to feedback from athletes and own self-reflection outcomes.

Required skills

communication skills to:

consult with athletes to identify common medical conditions and establish the presence of contraindications to participation

advise athletes of strategies to minimise the effects of medical conditions on sporting performance and initial management of common medical conditions

refer athletes to health professionals as appropriate

language and literacy skills to:

source and interpret information about common medical conditions affecting athlete performance

document relevant details of the medical condition and its management

problem-solving skills to:

identify and respond to signs and symptoms of deteriorating common medical conditions

select and apply appropriate management techniques to common medical conditions

adjust in response to athlete's changing condition

self management skills to review and reflect on own performance

teamwork skills to refer athletes to health personnel.

Required knowledge

legislation and organisational policies and procedures to enable effective response and management of common medical conditions during sporting activities

first aid techniques such as Danger, Response, Airway, Breathing, Circulation (DR ABC) regime and responses to enable initial management of common medical conditions

contraindications and precautions for managing sports injuries

signs and symptoms of common medical conditions to enable prompt response

sources of information on common medical conditions to maintain currency of knowledge

strategies to reduce the impact of common medical conditions on sporting performance.

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.

Overview of assessment

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

Evidence of the following is essential:

utilises knowledge of common medical conditions and their impact on sporting performance to determine contraindications to sporting participation and conveys information about the condition to the athlete and coaching staff

selects and applies appropriate techniques to manage the relevant condition and monitors the response of the athlete within organisational systems and best practice sports trainer principles and assesses the need to refer the athlete to appropriate health professionals where appropriate

evaluates and reflects on own performance in managing the condition to identify ways in which initial management of the condition can be improved to maximise performance.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment must ensure operation within own roles and responsibilities and organisational systems and procedures when implementing strategies to manage common medical conditions to demonstrate competency and consistency of performance.

Assessment must also ensure access to:

a sport training or competition setting or environment relevant to the specific sport or environment in which the candidate operates or intends to operate

athletes with common medical conditions relevant to the specific sport or environment in which the candidate operates or intends to operate

first aid equipment and facilities to provide management of common medical conditions.

Method 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 applying appropriate management and first aid techniques to a range of common medical conditions in a sports setting

observation of interaction with athletes, including eliciting information and providing reassurance

oral or written questioning to assess knowledge of the signs and symptoms of a range of common medical conditions and their impact on sporting performance

third-party reports from a supervisor detailing performance.

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

HLTFA301B Apply first aid.

Guidance information for assessment

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.

Information may include:

description of the condition

symptoms of the condition

management of the condition.

Common medical conditions may include:

asthma, and in particular, exercise induced asthma

epilepsy

diabetes.

Symptoms and signs may include:

asthma:

difficulty breathing

difficulty speaking

shortness of breath

quiet and slow response

epilepsy:

convulsions

muscle spasms

loss of consciousness

diabetes:

dizziness

loss of concentration

confusion or disorientation.

Sports setting may include:

on the playing field

change rooms

open or enclosed areas at sporting events

accommodation venues

in transit.

Contraindications may include:

wheezing

chest infection

hypoglycaemia.

Relevant stakeholders may include:

the client

coach or coaches

health professionals

parents or guardians.

Relevant legislation may include:

occupational health and safety

infectious diseases

duty of care

privacy.

Organisational policies and procedures may include:

occupational health and safety

roles and responsibilities of a sports trainer

infection control

reporting and referral

emergency procedures.

Strategies may include:

pre-exercise advice

post-exercise advice

avoiding known triggers

performing warm-up and cool-down.

Best practice may include:

Australian Resuscitation Council (ARC) guidelines

relevant national, state or territory or local organisations' and or associations' Code of Ethics or Code of Conduct.

Health professionals may include:

medical practitioners

paramedics.

Education program may include:

information about the condition

signs and symptoms of the condition

strategies to manage the condition in a sports setting

preventative medications where applicable.

Unit sector

Sport

This unit contains employability skills.