Unit of competency details

Descriptor 

This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required to prepare for treatment of client's and to negotiate a treatment plan with them, according to homœopathic principles and practice

Application 

This unit applies to work in homœopathy

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 treatment strategy

1.1 Determine the treatment strategy according to the homœopathic diagnosis and the therapeutic needs of the client

1.2 Ascertain contraindications to treatment  and modify treatment strategy according to homœopathic principles

1.3 Take into consideration treatment and advice provided by other health care professionals in determining the strategy to be used

1.4 Select treatment strategy appropriate to the client's phase /stage of disease 

1.5 Take into consideration possible client compliance issues  in specific treatment options

1.6 Select medicines  according to the law of similars  and on the basis of established homœopathic clinical practice

1.7 Select the most appropriate posology 

1.8 Select the most appropriate administration method 

2. Formulate a plan to identify and manage obstacles to cure

2.1 Identify and assess obstacles to cure 

2.2 Negotiate dietary modifications , if appropriate

2.3 Negotiate lifestyle modifications , if appropriate

3. Discuss the treatment strategy with the client

3.1 Allocate sufficient time to discuss the treatment strategy, appropriate to the client's needs

3.2 Negotiate client compliance 

3.3 Clarify discrepancies  between the practitioner's and the client's perception of the condition and therapeutic expectations

3.4 Communicate relevant information from medical or diagnostic reports where appropriate

3.5 Clarify responsibilities of practitioner and client  within the treatment plan

3.6 Negotiate the management of selected treatment in relation to any other current therapies

3.7 Discuss treatment evaluation /follow up strategies 

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:

• Anatomy and physiology
• Appropriate methods of administration of homœopathic medicines
• Basic nutritional requirements for the various ages and stages of life
• Community resources and support services
• Contraindications of treatment and obstacles to cure
• Current state and federal medical Acts and notifiable diseases legislation
• Demonstrated sound philosophical logic and knowledge of clinical medicine and the pathophysiological process that could inhibit and/or hinder selected treatment
• Dietary requirements of particular conditions and diseases
• Disease processes
• Homœopathic medicines for a range of common diseases or conditions
• How to assess a medical emergency
• Lifestyle factors conducive to good health
• Lifestyle factors relevant to treatment of specific conditions and diseases
• Materia medica of sufficient scope and depth (derivation of data, systems of classification, keynotes, clinical indications) to enable accurate differentiation of indicated medicines in a broad range of acute and chronic conditions
• Medical tests and diagnostic procedures
• Miasmatic nature of homœopathic symptomatology
• Pathophysiology and aetiology of disease
• Posology
• Potencies (decimal, centesimal, LM/Q) and mother tincture
• Potential impact on children of volume of alcohol component in the homœopathic medicine
• Proving methods from a variety of sources.
• Recommendations made by Hahnemann and others for protection against depotentising the medicines
• The possible reactions to a homœopathic medicine in the phase/stage of disease
• The presenting phase of disease and whether that phase is treatable with homœopathy
• The principles of homœopathic case analysis, prescribing, and case management
• The underlying condition, including knowledge of pathology
• The use of placebo and the conditions and situations that warrant it

continued  ...

Essential knowledge  (contd ):

• Referral procedure
• The role of other health care professionals and support services
• Various disease processes such as those for epidemic diseases, pandemic diseases, sporadic diseases, immune deficiencies, communicable contagious diseases
• When homœopathic treatment is not a viable option for the client
• When palliative treatment is indicated

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 communication and negotiation skills
• Determine the posology appropriate for the phase/stage of disease, according to the clinical approach the practitioner uses
• Identify clinical signs of nutritional imbalance
• Identify treatment options and establish treatment regimes
• Interpret pathology test results in relation to the selection of appropriate posology
• Negotiate strategies to overcome any obstacles to cure
• Prepare treatment plans
• Provide treatment
• Read and interpret medical reports and other data relevant to the case
• Research allopathic drugs, including iatrogenic potential, interactions and requirements for withdrawal
• Research allopathic drugs, including iatrogenic potential, interactions and requirements for withdrawal
• Select a medicine, placebo or no medicine, according to what would be homœopathic for the client
• Take into account opportunities to address waste minimisation, environmental responsibility and sustainable practice issues
• Use interpersonal and questioning skills

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 the required range of situations relevant to the workplace
• Where, for reasons of safety, space, or access to equipment and resources, assessment takes place away from the workplace, the assessment environment should represent workplace conditions as closely as possible
• 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

Context of and specific resources for assessment :

• An appropriately stocked and equipped clinic or simulated clinic environment
• Relevant texts or medical manuals
• Relevant paper-based/video assessment instruments
• Appropriate assessment environment

Method of assessment :

• Practical demonstration and observation in the work place (if possible)
• Written assignments/projects or questioning should be used to assess knowledge
• Case study and scenario as a basis for discussion of issues and strategies to contribute to best practice
• Clinical skills involving direct client care are to be assessed initially in a simulated clinical setting (laboratory). If successful, a second assessment is to be conducted during workplace application under direct supervision
• Explanations for plan preparations
• Oral questioning and discussion

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 should be assessed in conjunction with the following related competency units:

• HLTCOM404C Communicate effectively with clients
• HLTHOM608C Provide homoeopathic treatment and manage the case

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.

Contraindications to treatment may include :

• Traumatic injuries or conditions requiring immediate medical attention
• Life threatening situations
• Personal or life circumstances
• Ability or willingness to comply with treatment

Phase or stage of the disease must include one of the following :

• Uppermost layer
• Acute presentation/phase totality
• Chronic presentation/phase totality
• Miasmatic presentation/phase totality
• Mixed miasmatic presentation/phase totality
• Pathological phase totality
• Incurable/untreatable state totality

Homœopathic medicines include :

• Those described in homœopathic materia medica
• Sarcodes, nosodes, imponderables, tautopathics and autonosodes
• Any substance proven and prepared according to homœopathic guidelines

Medicines selected according to the law of similars must include consideration of :

• Relevant aphorisms in the Organon of Medicine 5th/6th edition
• Homœopathic principles of the single medicine and minimum dose

Posology must include :

• Selection of potency - decimal (x), centesimal (c) or fifty millesimal (LM/Q) scales, or mother tincture
• Frequency of repetition - single dose, infrequent doses or frequent doses

Appropriate administration method may include :

• Olfactory
• Sublingual
• Cutaneous
• Via fluid medium, alcohol, or water
• Via pilules
• Via powder
• Plussing method

Obstacles to cure may include those factors referred to in the organon , 6th edition , aphorisms  §259 -263 including :

• Diet and eating patterns/habits
• Exercise
• Recreation
• Relaxation
• Hygiene
• Drugs and other substances of addiction
• Emotional health
• Living conditions
• Socio-economic factors
• Occupational factors
• Other aggravating and/or maintaining factors

Negotiate dietary modifications may include advising on the following :

• Foods, beverages and nutritional supplements
• Eating patterns/habits
• Diets for particular disorders and disease states such as:

• cœliac disease
• diabetes mellitus
• diarrhœa
• constipation
• gastric ulcer

Negotiate lifestyle modifications may include providing advice or referral on the following :

• Exercise programs
• Relaxation techniques
• Hygiene
• Recreational drugs and other substances of addiction
• Concurrent medications
• Occupational risks
• Personal or relationship counselling
• Community resources and/or support services

Client compliance refers to :

• Ability to follow instructions or suggestions
• Willingness to follow instructions or suggestions
• Visual impairment

Discrepancies may include :

• Client is unaware of the immediate danger of their condition
• Client is over anxious about their condition
• Client is unaware of maintaining causes acting on their condition
• Practitioner is unaware of some implications of the client's condition
• Practitioner and client have other views about what the main problem is

Responsibilities of the practitioner may include :

• Isolating the sick person
• Notifying doctor about their condition
• Appropriate hygienic behaviour
• Appropriate sexual behaviour
• Notifying state health authorities of notifiable / communicable disease
• Commitment to the treatment plan
• Providing the treatment and follow-up
• Discussing relevant contraindications or potential complications to treatment
• Reviewing the treatment plan
• Adjusting the treatment plan

Responsibilities of the client may include :

• Following instruction/advice during and post treatment
• Advising practitioner of any relevant contraindications or potential complications to treatment
• Advising practitioner of compliance issues
• Commitment to the treatment plan

Treatment evaluation strategies may include :

• Discussing and reviewing response to treatment
• Reviewing achievement of treatment goals
• Monitoring time frame for achieving treatment goals