Unit of competency details

Descriptor 

This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required to observe the condition of the client and gather information relevant to the case according to ayurvedic treatment principles

Application 

This unit may be applied in a range of health settings

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. Determine the scope of the assessment and the client's needs

1.1 Establish the client's purpose for consultation and identify the symptoms they are experiencing

1.2 Determine the client's eligibility for service using clinic/personal policies

1.3 Clearly explain services able to be provided and limits of available services

1.4 Explore and clarify client's expectation of the service/clinic

1.5 Identify factors likely to have a negative impact on assessment  in consultation with the client and implement strategies to minimise the effects of these factors whenever possible

1.6 Explain personal abilities, level of professional competence and parameters of role to the client and practise within these limits at all times

1.7 Refer client to other health care professionals  where the needs of the client are identified as beyond the scope of the services able to be provided, or if in the opinion of the practitioner the needs of the client are best met by doing

1.8 Identify and promote the legal rights of the client

2. Obtain and record an accurate history  of the client

2.1 Seek information from the client for the client's history in a respectful way with all enquiries asked in a purposeful, systematic and diplomatic manner

2.2 Collect accurate, relevant and well-organised information and record in a form which can be interpreted readily by other professionals

2.3 Manage information in a confidential and secure way

3. Manage the health assessment

3.1 Obtain informed client consent prior to conducting tests, in accordance with relevant legislation and regulations

3.2 Allow adequate time during consultation to gather critical information

3.3 Identify and minimise factors that may interfere with the information gathering process

3.4 Identify, establish and routinely observe essential requirements for the maintenance of clinical and practitioner hygiene

3.5 Anticipate potential sensitivities  of the client, adapt approach accordingly to take these into account and take steps to ensure the client's sense of dignity is maintained at all times

3.6 Pursue and investigate abnormal in a deliberate, logical and appropriate manner

3.7 Assess the reliability of data obtained and establish appropriate clinical correlation with the client's complaint as soon as possible

3.8 Adhere to the protocol required by the agency in proposing tests

3.9 Accurately record all information in a systematic manner in accordance with clinic guidelines

4. Prepare the client for assessment

4.1 Ensure that the client's body is not unnecessarily exposed during assessment/treatment

4.2 Respect client boundaries at all times

4.3 Seek client feedback on comfort levels

5. Make a comprehensive assessment of the client

5.1 Identify signs of condition according to massage therapy framework

5.2 Elicit specific details of signs and symptoms of the presenting complaint/s

5.3 Assess client through palpation, observation and sensory information gathering techniques

5.4 Conduct physical assessment 

5.5 Use other appropriate assessment techniques

5.6 Use questions to clarify results and gain further information in a manner relevant to the client's needs and test results

5.7 Identify contraindications to treatment 

5.8 Conduct functional and special tests and make differential assessments

5.9 Observe and analyse static and dynamic variables of posture

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

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 knowledge of:

• Awareness of critical information required for diagnosis and treatment according to massage therapy framework
• Awareness of time management requirements during consultation
• Atheroma formation and oedema and their effects within the human body
• Ayurvedic indications for massage
• Ayurvedic physiology and anatomy
• Ayurvedic symptomology and pathology
• Digestive, integumentary, nervous, urinary, endocrine and reproductive systems
• Disease causation acute and chronic inflammatory processes wound healing and haemorrhage processes
• Environmental physiology and the effects of
• Ethical and legal implications of enquiry
• Further testing procedures
• Infectious and immunity process
• Main paths of the human respiratory and cardiovascular systems and their physiology
• Marmas
• Neoplasms and pathological skin conditions
• Normotensive and hypertensive characteristics
• Physical signs and symptoms of condition
• Relevant testing and assessment options and procedures
• Structure and function of anatomical systems
• Structure and function of cells, tissues, blood and organs
• Structure and function of skeletal, muscular, cardiovascular and lymphatic systems
• Terminology correct to epidemiology and massage practice
• The 14 major nadis
• The effects of hormones on the body
• The pathological process of thrombosis and embolism
• Tri-Dosha theory

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:

• Demonstrate observation skills
• Discuss and observe treatment protocols
• Identify contra-indications for massage
• Identify prominent bones/structures and major muscle groups through palpation
• Observe and identify variations of posture
• Perform testing and assessment procedures
• Read medical reports
• Read medical test results or documents
• Recognise and adjust to contra-indications for treatment
• Use appropriate ayurvedic assessment techniques
• Use communication skills
• Use communication skills to gain and convey required information
• Use equipment and technology competently and safely
• Use record keeping skills
• Use terminology correct to epidemiology and massage practice

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

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.

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

• The individual being assessed must provide evidence of specified essential knowledge as well as skills
• Observation of performance in the workplace or a simulated workplace (defined as a supervised clinic) is essential for assessment of this unit
• Consistency of performance should be demonstrated over a range of workplace situations
• Assessment may contain both theoretical and practical components and examples covering a range of clinical situations
• Evidence is required of both knowledge and skills application
• Assessment of sole practitioners must include a range of clinical situations and different client groups covering at minimum, age, culture and gender
• Assessment of sole practitioners must consider their unique workplace context, including:

• interaction with others in the broader professional community as part of the sole practitioner's workplace
• scope of practice as detailed in the qualification and component competency units
• holistic/integrated assessment including:
• working within the practice framework
• performing a health assessment
• assessing the client
• planning treatment
• providing treatment

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

Context of and specific resources for assessment :

• Assessment should replicate workplace conditions as far as possible
• Simulations may be used to represent workplace conditions as closely as possible
• Where, for reasons of safety, access to equipment and resources and space, assessment takes place away from the workplace, simulations should be used to represent workplace conditions as closely as possible
• Resources essential for assessment include:

• an appropriately stocked and equipped clinic or simulated clinic environment
• relevant assessment instruments
• appropriate assessment environment
• skilled assessors

Method of assessment 

• Case study and scenario as a basis for discussion of issues and strategies to contribute to best practice.
• Examples of assessment notes
• Observation of performance in the work place
• Oral questioning on technique or assessment strategy
• Questioning
• Role play simulation
• Written assignments/projects

Related units :

This unit should be assessed in conjunction with the following related unit:

• HLTCOM404C Communicate effectively with clients

RANGE STATEMENT 

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.

Factors likely to have a negative impact on assessment may include :

• Cultural or gender factors
• Disabilities
• Emotional trauma
• Lack of privacy or focus due to additional parties being present
• Language difficulties

Other health care professional may include :

• Alternative health practitioners
• Counsellors
• Doctors
• Other allied health care professionals
• Social workers

Client history may include :

• Accidents, injuries, operations
• Childhood and adulthood illness
• Date of presentation
• Family history
• General state of health

• physical
• emotional
• allergies
• dietary picture
• sleep pattern
• exercise
• leisure activities

• Hospitalisations
• Identifying personal details
• Main presenting complaint or reason for massage
• Medication, supplements and natural prescriptions - current and previous
• Occupational history and environment
• Other current medical/alternative health care treatment
• Presenting symptom picture
• Previous occurrence of presenting complaint
• Social lifestyle including smoking, social drug usage
• Source of referral (if applicable)

Potential sensitivities may include :

• Ability
• Cultural heritage
• Ethnicity
• Gender
• Language
• Presenting disease state and personal history
• Religious beliefs
• Sexuality

Physical assessment will include attention to :

• Active movements
• Ama assessment
• Characteristics of pain
• Contralateral comparisons
• Doshic evaluation
• Functional movements
• Instability
• Marma palpation
• Palpatory findings
• Parasthesia
• Passive movements
• Pulse assessment
• Resisted movements
• Swelling

Established assessment procedures may include :

• Any other method in which the practitioner has been trained to a competent standard
• Discussion
• Muscle strength tests
• Observation
• Observation of variations of posture
• Palpation
• Percussion
• Procedure which is conducted according to legislative and regulatory requirements
• Pulse
• Range of motion tests
• Temperature

Contraindications to treatment may include :

• Bleeding and bruising
• Changes in habits such as appetite elimination or sleep
• Infection or infectious diseases
• Inflammation
• Influence of prescribed/non prescribed drugs
• Intoxication
• Lumps and tissue changes
• Migraines
• Nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea
• Oedema
• Pain-local sharp, dull, achy, deep, surface
• Rashes and changes in the skin
• Recent severe sprains, bruises or whiplash injuries
• Temperature - hot/cold
• Varicose veins