Performance Evidence
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:
- followed established organisation infection prevention and control procedures on at least 3 separate occasions
- followed established organisation infection prevention and control procedures at least once for each of the following:
- hand hygiene and care of hand
- use of personal protective equipment
- handling of waste
- enforcing clean and contaminated zones
- limitation of contamination
- surface cleaning
Knowledge Evidence
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:
- established guidelines for the prevention and control of infection, including those for:
- personal and hand hygiene:
- how to hand wash
- how to hand rub
- pre-surgical hand preparation
- clinical moments when hand hygiene should be performed with soap and water rather than alcohol-based hand rub
- non-clinical moments for hand hygiene hand care, including guidelines on maintaining intact skin, fingernails and jewellery/watches
- use and scope of personal protective equipment guidelines for:
- glove use
- wearing gowns and waterproof aprons
- wearing masks
- wearing protective glasses
- cleaning procedures and their specified times
- routine surface cleaning
- managing a blood or body fluid spill
- sharps handling and disposal techniques
- reprocessing procedures for equipment
- types of additional precautions and their relevance to particular areas of work or client groups
- types of hazards in the work environment and associated risks and control measures
- chain of infection:
- source of infectious agent
- mode of transmission
- susceptible host
- basis of infection, including:
- bacteria and bacterial spores
- difference between harmless microorganisms and pathogens
- difference between colonisation, infection and disease
- fungi
- viruses
- key modes of disease transmission – contact, airborne and droplet:
- paths of transmission including direct contact, aerosols and penetrating injuries
- risk of acquisition
- sources of infecting microorganisms including persons who are carriers, in the incubation phase of the disease or those who are acutely ill
- factors that increase the susceptibility to infection:
- immune status
- wounds or devices
- medications and comorbidities
- age
Assessment Conditions
Skills must have been demonstrated in the workplace with the addition of simulations and scenarios where the full range of contexts and situations have not been provided in the workplace or may occur only rarely.
The following conditions must be met for this unit:
- use of suitable facilities, equipment and resources, including:
- organisational infection prevention and control guidelines
- personal protective equipment
- hand hygiene facilities and equipment
- medical or client care equipment relevant to the workplace
- clinical and other waste and waste disposal equipment
- areas for cleaning
- equipment for cleaning, including sterilised sharps if relevant to role
- modelling of industry operating conditions, including integration of problem solving activities to which the candidate responds
Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015/AQTF mandatory competency requirements for assessors.