Unit of competency

Modification History

Application

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to undertake work activities in compliance with organisational procedures that prevent and control infection. It involves implementing standard and transmission-based precautions, identifying infection hazards, and assessing and responding to infection risks.

The unit applies to all workers required to undertake their activities in compliance with the infection prevention and control procedures in place in their workplace.

The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State/Territory legislation, Australian/New Zealand standards and industry codes of practice.

Unit Sector

Cross-Sector – Infection Prevention and Control

Elements and Performance Criteria

Foundation Skills

This section describes those language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills that are essential to performance but not explicit in the performance criteria.

Unit Mapping Information

No equivalent unit.

Links

Companion Volume Implementation Guides are available from VETNet - https://vetnet.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=11ef6853-ceed-4ba7-9d87-4da407e23c10

Assessment requirements

Modification History

Performance Evidence

The candidate must demonstrate the ability to complete the tasks outlined in the elements, performance criteria and foundation skills of this unit, including evidence of the ability to:

• apply organisational infection prevention and control procedures to own work activities on at least three different occasions
• identify at least two different infection hazards, assess the risk they pose, and respond to each within scope of own role and responsibilities and according to organisational infection prevention and control procedures.

In the course of the above, the candidate must:

• demonstrate the use of required precautions and control measures, as required for own work activities
• confine at least one resource or piece of equipment that is suspected of being contaminated, according to organisational infection prevention and control procedures
• dispose of waste according to organisational infection prevention and control procedures.

Knowledge Evidence

The candidate must be able to demonstrate knowledge to complete the tasks outlined in the elements, performance criteria and foundation skills of this unit, including knowledge of:

• nature and types of infection-related hazards in own work environment
• chain of infection:

• source of infectious agent
• mode of transmission
• susceptible host and factors that increase susceptibility

• 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

• precautions and control measures for infection hazards associated with own role and work activities, including standard and transmission-based precautions:

• required personal health and hygiene, including:

• checking and reporting indicators of own ill health
• respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette
• hand hygiene: procedures for hand washing and hand rubbing; and situations requiring the use of soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub
• guidelines on maintaining fingernails and intact skin
• guidelines on wearing jewellery and watches
• social distancing measures

• organisational procedures relating to own role and work activities, including for:

• identifying hazards associated with own work activities and workplace environment, including infection-related hazards
• assessing risks associated with identified hazards, including determining the likelihood and severity of harm
• reporting hazards that put self and others at risk, including infection hazards
• identifying, sourcing and checking the serviceability of PPE required in own role and work activities:

• eye protection: protective glasses or goggles
• gloves
• masks or face shields
• protective clothing and footwear

• completing incident reports

• organisational infection prevention and control procedures relating to own role, work activities and physical environment, including for:

• escalating hazard prevention and control matters outside scope of own role
• handling, transporting, reprocessing or processing resources and equipment used in the course of own work activities in a manner that:

• prevents skin and mucous membrane exposure, contamination and transfer of pathogens
• limits contamination of resources and equipment
• controls the spread of infection

• handling and disposing of waste relating to own work activities, including contaminated waste
• environmental cleaning of own work area, including cleaning and disinfecting surfaces: procedures and specified schedules
• confining contaminated resources and equipment to designated areas
• confining workplace records and materials to clean areas
• responding to exposure to infection of self or others, including to body fluids

• infection prevention and control protocols required by own work activities:

• placing appropriate signs when and where appropriate
• removing spills
• separating and maintaining clean and contaminated areas

• manufacturer specifications relating to resources and equipment used and maintained in the course of own work activities.

Assessment Conditions

Skills in this unit must be demonstrated in a workplace or simulated environment where the conditions are typical of those in a working environment in this industry.

This includes access to:

• suitable facilities, equipment and resources, including:

• organisational infection prevention and control procedures and guidelines
• PPE suited to work role and job requirements
• hygiene facilities and equipment relevant to workplace
• waste disposal equipment suited to waste generated during work activities
• areas for cleaning.

Assessors of this unit must satisfy the requirements for assessors in applicable vocational education and training legislation, frameworks and/or standards.

Links

Companion Volume Implementation Guides are available from VETNet - https://vetnet.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=11ef6853-ceed-4ba7-9d87-4da407e23c10