Unit of competency details
HLTAMED004 - Manage medications in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander primary health care (Release 1)
Summary
Usage recommendation:
Current
Releases:
| 1 1 (this release) |
15/Dec/2022 |
Companion volumes:
Unit of competency
Assessment requirements
Training packages that include this unit
Qualifications that include this unit
Classifications
Classification history
| ASCED Module/Unit of Competency Field of Education Identifier | 061305 | Indigenous Health | 08/Feb/2023 | |
The content being displayed has been produced by a third party, while all attempts have been made to make this content as accessible as possible it cannot be guaranteed. If you are encountering issues following the content on this page please consider downloading the content in its original form
Unit of competency
Modification History
Not applicable.
Application
This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to manage the use of medications for an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander primary health service or centre. It requires the ability to work with medical and pharmacy professionals to manage client medications, supervise health workers in their administration of medications, and to manage stocks of medications. It also covers skills to initiate client treatment using standard treatment protocols and in consultation with authorising practitioners.
This unit does not cover skills to assist clients to take medication or to administer medications. Those skills are covered by complementary units.
This unit applies to senior roles in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander organisations that provide primary health care and other support services to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients and communities. It is specific to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people working as health practitioners.
The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State or Territory legislation, Australian standards and industry codes of practice.
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander health practitioners must be authorised, by various regulatory processes, to initiate medications treatment and to manage and dispense medications. This authority is not always linked to an individual’s certification in this unit of competency. Current certification requirements should be checked with the local state or territory department of health and with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practice Board of Australia (ATSIHPBA).
Pre-requisite Unit
HLTAMED003 Administer medications
Competency Field
Medications
Unit Sector
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Health
Elements and Performance Criteria
|
ELEMENTS
|
PERFORMANCE CRITERIA
|
|
Elements describe the essential outcomes
|
Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element.
|
|
1. Manage use of medications.
|
1.1. Establish and maintain systems for managing medication administration in consultation with relevant health professionals and authorised persons.
1.2. Refer individual medication regimens for regular review by authorised practitioner.
1.3. Maintain accurate client records of medication use according to organisational policies and procedures.
|
|
2. Supervise administration of medications by health workers.
|
2.1. Monitor appropriate use and administration of medication by health workers and manage access by authorised personnel.
2.2. Support and instruct health care workers in the safe and efficacious use of medications
2.3. Assist health workers to clarify indications and contraindications for client use of medications.
2.4. Check accuracy of calculated and measured medication dosages prepared by health workers.
|
|
3. Initiate treatment with medication using standing orders and standard treatment protocols.
|
3.1. Use standing orders and standard treatment protocols to assess client health need and identify medication options.
3.2. Consult authorised practitioner as indicated by standing orders or standard treatment protocols and according to organisational policies.
3.3. Dispense medications according to practitioner instructions, organisational policies and procedures and regulatory requirements.
3.4. Update client records to include details of clinical assessment, consultation and treatment initiated.
|
|
4. Manage medication stock control.
|
4.1. Establish and maintain relationships with medical practitioners, pharmacists and suppliers to support management of medication stores.
4.2. Monitor usage patterns for medications to determine minimum working stock and standard orders.
4.3. Check medication stock regularly and order required quantities at regular intervals.
4.4. Store medications securely according to regulatory requirements, in correct environmental conditions and logical accessible order.
4.5. Dispose of out of date and damaged stock safely and according to organisational procedures.
4.6. Prepare medications for transportation using cold chain management methods.
4.7. Maintain accurate records for all stock ordering and control processes.
|
Foundation Skills
|
Foundation skills essential to performance in this unit, but not explicit in the performance criteria are listed here, along with a brief context statement.
|
|
SKILLS
|
DESCRIPTION
|
|
Reading skills to:
|
- interpret detailed and potentially complex organisational policies and procedures covering legal requirements for managing medications
- interpret detailed and sometimes unfamiliar client records, medication instructions and standard treatment manuals involving medication terminology and abbreviations.
|
|
Writing skills to:
|
- use fundamental sentence structure, medication terminology and abbreviations to complete forms and reports that require factual information.
|
|
Oral communication skills to:
|
- ask open and closed probe questions using plain language and actively listen to determine client health need and medication options
- provide clear and unambiguous information to consulting practitioners, and ask clear questions to seek instructions.
|
|
Numeracy skills to:
|
- extract, interpret, calculate and record numerical information of varying complexity for different types of medications
- use fractions, percentages, ratios and volumes
- interpret, use and communicate temporal data, including minutes, hours, days and weeks
- interpret and complete order, delivery and disposal documentation involving addition and multiplication calculations.
|
Unit Mapping Information
This unit supersedes and is not equivalent to HLTAHW071 Manage medicines in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander primary health care.
Links
Companion Volume implementation guides are found in VETNet - https://vetnet.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=ced1390f-48d9-4ab0-bd50-b015e5485705
Assessment requirements
Modification History
Not applicable.
Performance Evidence
Evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit in the context of the job role, and:
- for three Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients, each with different conditions and medication needs:
- make a recommendation for a medications management review involving an authorised practitioner, review outcomes and update client records
- initiate treatment with medication using standard treatment protocols and practitioner consultation, and document all details in client records
- supervise the administration of medications:
- respond to queries about each of the following client issues referred by health care workers:
- contraindications for use of medications
- potential drug interactions
- adverse drug reactions
- manage access to medications by authorised personnel on four occasions
- check the accuracy of calculated and measured medication dosages prepared by health care workers on four occasions
- check the accuracy of four records of medication administration completed by health care workers
- manage medication stock control:
- discuss supply arrangements with suppliers on two occasions to manage supply and relationships
- review stock on hand and process two bulk orders for medication stock
- on receipt of two incoming deliveries, store and secure a total of six different types of medications including those that require refrigeration
- rotate stock on two occasions
- check existing stock for damaged and out of date medications on two occasions and dispose of two different types of medications safely
- prepare and pack three different types of medications for transportation including one that requires cold chain management
- document all details of stock control activities.
Knowledge Evidence
Demonstrated knowledge required to complete the tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit:
- the role of the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) in classifying medicines into Schedules and what types of medicines are covered by each Schedule
- the role of Therapeutic Goods Orders in managing medicines, how to access these and maintain currency of knowledge
- local state or territory, and federal legal requirements, and associated organisational policies and procedures for:
- labelling medications
- dispensing medications
- storing and maintaining security of medication stocks, and requirements for scheduled medicines
- managing access to medications by authorised personnel
- disposing of medication stocks, and requirements for scheduled medicines
- documenting management of medications including requirements for client records, stock control and security
- legal and organisational responsibilities and role boundaries of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander health practitioners for:
- authorising access to medications
- monitoring and supervising primary health care workers in their administration of medications
- assessing clients, initiating medication treatment and dispensing medications
- requirements for medical consultations prior to initiating treatment with medications:
- types of practitioners who are authorised to provide advice and authorisation for treatment
- methods that can be used to consult including phone, radio and video conference
- information that must be documented in client records
- the role of authorised practitioners, including pharmacists in:
- medication management reviews, including what these involve and how outcomes are documented and used
- preparing dose administration aids
- assisting with the management of medication stores
- stock control methods and associated documents used to:
- manage risks in the control of medication stock
- monitor patterns of medication usage
- record stock levels, order stock and check incoming stock
- organise medication stocks in a logical and accessible order
- secure bulk stocks of medications
- rotate stock for maximum use and minimum wastage
- dispose of bulk amounts of medications safely
- optimum environmental storage conditions for commonly used medications:
- temperature, light and humidity controls
- differences between purpose built vaccine and domestic refrigerators
- the importance of cold chain management in medication quality control
- methods used to prepare and pack medications for transport, including those for cold chain management.
Assessment Conditions
Skills must be demonstrated in a health service workplace within a multidisciplinary primary health care team, and under the supervision of an authorised member of the primary health care team.
Evidence of performance must be gathered:
- during on-the-job assessments in the workplace under live conditions while interacting with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people and team members, or
- during off-the-job assessments in the workplace, not under live conditions, using simulated activities while interacting with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people and team members.
Evidence of workplace performance can be gathered and reported through third party report processes. (Refer to the Companion Volume Implementation Guide for information on third party reporting.)
Evidence can be supplemented by assessments in a simulated workplace environment using simulated activities, scenarios or case studies only when:
- the full range of situations covered by the unit cannot be provided in the individual’s workplace, or
- situations covered by the unit occur only rarely in the individual’s workplace.
Assessment must ensure the use of:
- secure storage location and shelving for medications
- refrigerator dedicated to the storage of medications
- medications including those that require cold storage (placebo medications can be used for any simulated activities)
- packaging containers and materials for transportation of medications including those for cold chain management
- client records:
- medication records
- medication charts
- template stock control documentation including order, delivery and stock disposal documents, and stock control reports
- organisational policies and procedures for the management of medications in a health service or centre.
Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisations requirements for assessors, and:
- be an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person who has applied the skills and knowledge covered in this unit of competency through experience working as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander health practitioner, or
- be a registered health practitioner with experience relevant to this unit of competency and be accompanied by, or have assessments validated by, an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person.
Links
Companion Volume implementation guides are found in VETNet - https://vetnet.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=ced1390f-48d9-4ab0-bd50-b015e5485705
