Unit of competency details

HLT07 Version 4 

HLT07 Version 5 

Comments 

HLTFA301C Apply first aid

HLTFA311A Apply first aid

Updated in V5 - changes to competency outcomes of first aid units

Descriptor 

This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required to provide first aid response, life support, management of casualty(s), the incident and other first aiders, until the arrival of medical or other assistance

Application 

These skills and knowledge may be applied in a range of situations, including community and workplace settings

Training Package users should ensure implementation is consistent with any specific workplace and/or relevant legislative requirements in relation to first aid, including State/Territory requirements for currency

Application of these skills and knowledge should be contextualised as required to address specific industry, enterprise or workplace requirements and to address specific risks and hazards and associated injuries

A current Senior First Aid, Workplace Level 2 or Level 2 qualification may provide evidence of skills and knowledge required by this competency unit. However, as with all evidence of competence, evidence must be assessed against the requirements specified in the unit of competency

Employability Skills 

This unit contains Employability Skills

Elements define the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

The Performance Criteria specify the level of performance required to demonstrate achievement of the Element. Terms in italics are elaborated in the Range Statement.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Assess the situation

1.1 Identify assess and minimise hazards in the situation that may pose a risk of injury or illness to self and others

1.2 Minimise immediate risk to self and casualty's health and safety by controlling any hazard in accordance with work health and safety requirements

1.3 Assess casualty and identify injuries, illnesses and conditions

2. Apply first aid procedures

2.1 Adopt a communication style to match the casualty’s level of consciousness

2.2 Use available resources and equipment to make the casualty as comfortable as possible

2.3 Respond to the casualty in a culturally aware, sensitive and respectful manner

2.4 Determine and explain relevant first aid procedures to provide comfort

2.5 Seek consent from casualty prior to applying first aid management

2.6 Provide first aid management in accordance with established first aid principles and procedures

2.7 Seek first aid assistance from others in a timely manner and as appropriate

2.8 Correctly operate first aid equipment for first aid management according to manufacturer/supplier’s instructions and procedures

2.9 Use safe manual handling techniques

2.10 Monitor casualty's condition and respond in accordance with established first aid principles and procedures

2.11 Finalise casualty management according to casualty’s needs and first aid principles

3. Communicate details of the incident

3.1 Request ambulance support and/or appropriate medical assistance according to relevant circumstance

3.2 Accurately convey observation of casualty’s condition and management activities to ambulance services / relieving personnel

3.3 Accurately assess and report details of casualty’s physical condition, changes in conditions, management and response to management in line with established procedures

3.4 Maintain confidentiality of records and information in line with privacy principles and statutory and/or organisation policies

4. Evaluate own performance

4.1 Seek feedback from appropriate clinical expert

4.2 Recognise the possible psychological impacts on rescuers involved in critical incidents

4.3 Participate in debriefing/evaluation to improve future response and address individual needs

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

Essential knowledge:

The candidate must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge required to effectively do the task outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage the task and manage contingencies in the context of the identified work role

This includes a demonstrated understanding of:

• Awareness of stress management techniques and available support
• First aid management, based on a risk assessment relevant to the workplace or community setting of:

• abdominal injuries
• allergic reactions
• altered and loss of consciousness
• asthma
• anaphylaxis
• bleeding
• burns – thermal, chemical, friction, electrical
• cardiac arrest
• chest pain
• choking/airway obstruction
• drowning
• envenomation – snake, spider, insect and marine bites and stings
• environmental impact such as hypothermia, hyperthermia, dehydration, heat stroke
• injuries- cold and crush injuries; eye and ear injuries; head, neck and spinal injuries; minor skin injuries; needle stick injuries; soft tissue injuries including sprains, strains, dislocations, fractures
• medical conditions, including cardiac conditions, epilepsy, diabetes, asthma and other respiratory conditions
• poisoning and toxic substances (including chemical contamination)
• respiratory distress
• seizures
• shock
• stroke
• substance misuse – common drugs and alcohol, including illicit drugs
• unconsciousness, not breathing or not breathing normally

• Guidelines for provision of first aid as outlined in Australian Resuscitation Council (ARC) Guidelines and guidelines of Australian national peak clinical bodies and State / Territory legislation and regulations
• Social / legal issues including:

• duty of care
• confidentiality
• importance of debriefing
• need to be culturally aware, sensitive and respectful
• own skills and limitations

• Understanding of:

• basic work health and safety requirements in the provision of first aid
• basic principles and concepts underlying the practice of first aid
• chain of survival
• infection control principles and procedures, including use of standard precautions
• priorities of management in first aid when dealing with life threatening conditions
• procedures for dealing with major and minor injury and illness

• Understanding of the use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED), including when to use and when not to
• Understanding the causes of asphyxia due to body position

Essential skills:

It is critical that the candidate demonstrate the ability to effectively do the task outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage the task and manage contingencies in the context of the identified work role

This includes the ability to:

• Apply first aid principles
• Call an ambulance and/or medical assistance according to relevant circumstances and report casualty(s) condition
• Communicate effectively and assertively in an incident
• Conduct an initial casualty assessment
• Management of:

• Anaphylaxis using adrenalin auto-injector
• Avoiding asphyxia due to body position
• Bronchospasm using bronchodilator and spacer device
• Cardiac arrest using single rescuer procedure, including the demonstration of a seamless changeover between operators
• External haemorrhage
• Fractures, sprains and strains using arm slings, roller bandages and other appropriate immobilisation techniques
• Unconscious casualty including using a recovery position

• Demonstrate:

• ability to call an ambulance
• consideration of the welfare of the casualty
• safe manual handling
• site management to prevent further injury
• understanding of causes contributing to asphyxia due to body position

• Demonstrate correct procedures for performing CPR using a manikin, including standard precautions (i.e. as per unit HLTCPR211A Perform CPR)
• Demonstrate infection control, including use of standard precautions
• Evaluate own response and identify appropriate improvements where required
• Follow State and Territory work health and safety legislative requirements
• Make prompt and appropriate decisions relating to managing an incident in the workplace
• Plan an appropriate first aid response in line with established first aid principles, ARC Guidelines and guidelines of Australian national peak clinical bodies, industry standards and State / Territory legislation and regulations and respond to contingencies in line with own skills
• Prepare a written incident report or provide information to enable preparation of an incident report
• Provide assistance with self-medication as per subject’s own medication regime and/or administer medication in line with State/Territory legislation and regulations, organisation policies and any available medical/pharmaceutical instructions
• Unpack, activate and follow prompts of an AED

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the Performance Criteria, Required Skills and Knowledge, the Range Statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package. The evidence guide supplements assessment requirements that apply to all units in this Training Package. Users of this evidence guide should first read the package’s assessment guidelines.

Critical aspects of assessment:

• The individual being assessed must provide evidence of essential knowledge and essential skills
• Competence should be demonstrated working individually and as part of a first aid team
• Consistency of performance should be demonstrated over the required range of situations relevant to the workplace or community setting
• Currency of first aid knowledge and skills is to be demonstrated in line with ARC Guidelines and guidelines of Australian national peak clinical bodies and State / Territory legislation and regulations

Context and resources required for assessment:

• Skills in performing first aid procedures are to be assessed through demonstration, with questioning to confirm essential knowledge
• Demonstration of first aid procedures over the required range of situations relevant to the workplace setting must be demonstrated using standard precautions and first aid equipment including roller bandages, triangular bandages, other trauma dressings, bronchodilator and spacer device, adrenalin auto-injectors and AED
• For assessment purposes, demonstration of skills in CPR procedures requires using a model of the human body (resuscitation manikin) in line with ARC Guidelines

Access and equity considerations:

• All workers in the health industry should be aware of access and equity issues in relation to their own area of work
• All workers should develop their ability to work in a culturally diverse environment
• In recognition of particular health issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, workers should be aware of cultural, historical and current issues impacting on health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• Assessors and trainers must take into account relevant access and equity issues, in particular relating to factors impacting on health of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients and communities

Related units:

This unit incorporates the content of units:

• HLTCPR211A Perform CPR
• HLTFA211A Provide basic emergency life support

The Range Statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Add any 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.

Contextualisation to address specific requirements may include:

• First aid provision under specific constraints or circumstances (e.g. in confined spaces, in maritime work environment or in work environment involving identified risks/hazards)
• Focus on first aid management of specific types of injury

Established first aid principles and procedures include:

• Australian Resuscitation Council Guidelines
• Guidelines of Australian national peak clinical bodies
• Primary First Aid Principles to:

• Preserve life
• Prevent illness, injury and condition(s) becoming worse
• Promote recovery
• Protect the unconscious casualty

• State/Territory legislation and regulations

Hazards may include:

• A source or situation with the potential for harm in terms of human injury or ill-health, damage to property, the environment, or a combination of these
• Relevant hazards may be classified under the headings:

• Biological hazards
• Chemical hazards
• Hazards associated with manual handling Physical hazards

Risks may include:

• Environmental risks
• Exposure to blood and other body substances
• Risks associated with the proximity of other workers and bystanders
• Risks from body position
• Risks from equipment, machinery and substances
• Risks from vehicles
• Risks from first aid equipment
• Risk of further injury to the casualty

Casualty’s condition is managed for:

• Abdominal injuries
• Airway obstruction
• Allergic reactions
• Altered and loss of consciousness
• Bleeding
• Body position
• Burns – thermal, chemical, friction, electrical
• Cardiac arrest
• Chest pain
• Choking/airway obstruction
• Drowning
• Envenomation – snake, spider, insect and marine bites and stings
• Environmental impact such as hypothermia, hyperthermia, dehydration, heat stroke
• Injuries: cold and crush injuries; eye and ear injuries; head, neck and spinal injuries; minor skin injuries; needle stick injuries; soft tissue injuries including sprains, strains, dislocations, fractures
• Medical conditions, including cardiac conditions, epilepsy, diabetes, asthma and other respiratory conditions
• Poisoning and toxic substances (including chemical contamination)
• Respiratory distress
• Seizures
• Shock
• Stroke
• Substance misuse – common drugs and alcohol, including illicit drugs
• Unconsciousness, not breathing or not breathing normally

First aid management must take into account:

• Infection control
• Legal and social responsibilities of first aider
• The setting in which first aid is provided, including:

• industry/site specific regulations, codes etc.
• location and nature of the incident
• location of emergency services personnel situational risks associated with, for example, electrical and biological hazards, weather, motor vehicle accidents
• State and Territory work health and safety legislative requirements
• workplace policies and procedures
• WHS requirements

• The use and availability of first aid equipment and resources

Resources and equipment are used appropriate to the risk to be met and may include:

• AED
• Auto-injector
• Bronchodilator and spacer device
• First aid kit
• Puffer/inhaler
• Resuscitation mask or barrier

Appropriate clinical expert may include:

• Ambulance officer/paramedic
• Appropriately qualified health care professional

Report details should include:

• Time
• Description of injury/illness
• First aid management
• Incident details
• Location
• Vital signs

Report details may include:

• Administration of medication including:

• date
• dose
• person administering
• time

• Fluid intake/output, including fluid loss via:

• blood
• faeces
• urine
• vomit
• Injury report forms

• Workplace documents as per organisation requirements