Unit of competency details

HLT07 Version  4 

HLT07 Version 5 

Comments 

HLTFA201B Provide basic emergency life support

HLTFA211A Provide basic emergency life support

Significant changes to Required Skills and Knowledge. Changes to Range Statement and some performance criteria. Evidence guide updated

Descriptor 

This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required to recognise and respond to life threatening emergencies using basic life support measures only

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. Respond in an emergency situation

1.1 Recognise emergency situation and identify hazards to health and safety of self and others

1.2 Minimise immediate risk to self and casualty 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

1.4 Assess the need for assistance

2. Apply identified first aid procedures

2.1 Reassure casualty in a caring and calm manner and make comfortable using available resources

2.2 Determine and explain relevant first aid procedures to provide comfort

2.3 Seek consent from casualty prior to applying first aid management

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

2.5 Use identified first aid procedures as required in accordance with established first aid principles, ARC Guidelines, guidelines of Australian national peak clinical bodies and State/Territory legislation and regulations

2.6 Use safe manual handling techniques as required

3. Communicate details of the incident

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

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

3.3 Adopt a communication style to match the casualty's level of consciousness

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

3.5 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 of involvement in critical incidents

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

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:

• ARC guidelines, guidelines of Australian national peak clinical bodies and State/Territory legislation and regulations, including requirements for currency
• Awareness of stress management techniques and available support
• Basic anatomy and physiology relating to:

• absence of:

• normal breathing
• response/consciousness

• choking/airway obstruction
• severe bleeding
• shock

• Chain of survival
• Duty of care requirements
• First aid procedures for:

• airway management
• bleeding control
• care of unconscious
• casualty that is unresponsive/unconscious and not breathing normally
• chest pain
• infection control as it relates to standard precautions
• respiratory distress, including asthma
• severe allergic reaction
• shock

• How to access emergency response support services/personnel
• Need to be culturally aware, sensitive and respectful
• Own skills and limitations
• Privacy and confidentiality requirements
• Relevant workplace hazards
• Understanding of the use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED), including when to use and when not to

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:

• Assess vital signs and response of casualty
• Call an ambulance and/or medical assistance, according to circumstances and report casualty's condition
• Demonstrate first aid casualty management principles:

• assess and minimise danger
• check for response
• maintain casualty's airway, breathing and circulation

• Demonstrate:

• consideration of the welfare of the casualty
• control of external bleeding
• correct procedures for CPR on a resuscitation manikin (i.e. as per units HLTCPR211A Perform CPR)
• implementation of standard precautions
• safe manual handling of casualty

• Identify and minimise hazards to health and safety of self and others in the immediate workplace or community environment
• Plan an appropriate first aid response in line with established first aid principles, ARC Guidelines and guidelines of Australian national peak clinical bodies and State/Territory legislation and regulations and respond to contingencies in line with own skills
• Report details of emergency incident and first aid provided

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 of assessment:

• The individual being assessed must provide evidence of specified 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 knowledge and skills is to be demonstrated in line with ARC Guidelines, guidelines of Australian national peak clinical bodies and State/Territory legislation and regulations

Context and resources required for assessment:

• For assessment purposes, demonstration of skills in CPR procedures requires using a model of the human body (resuscitation manikin) in line with ARC Guidelines
• Demonstration of first aid procedures for severe bleeding must be demonstrated using standard precautions and first aid equipment including trauma dressings

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 unit:

• This unit stands alone and incorporates the content of unit HLTCPR211A Perform CPR

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.

Condition of the casualty must include, but is not limited to:

• Severe bleeding
• Absence of:

• Response/conciousness
• Normal breathing

• Choking/airway obstruction
• Severe allergic reaction

Identified first aid proceduresmust include:

• Airway management
• Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
• Control severe bleeding
• Provide assistance with self-administered medications, such as auto-injector, bronchodilator and space device in line with State/Territory legislation and regulations and and any available medical/pharmaceutical instructions
• Care of the unconscious person

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

• AED (if available)
• Auto-injector
• Bronchodilator and space device
• First aid kit
• Resuscitation mask or barrier

A hazard is:

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

Appropriate clinical expert may include:

• Ambulance officer/paramedic
• Appropriately qualified health care professional