HLTASXH003 Provide sexual health care

Release: 1

HLTASXH003 Provide sexual health care

Modification History

Not applicable.

Application

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to provide sexual health care to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients as part of a multidisciplinary health care team.

It requires the ability to complete assessments through physical examinations and pathology tests and to develop and implement care plans. Implementation involves making referrals, administering clinical treatments and coordinating ongoing care.

This unit is specific to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people working as health practitioners. They work as part of a multidisciplinary primary health care team to provide primary health care services to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients.

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

No regulatory requirement for certification, occupational or business licensing is linked to this unit at the time of publication. For information about practitioner registration and accredited courses of study, contact the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practice Board of Australia (ATSIHPBA).

Pre-requisite Unit

Nil

Competency Field

Sexual Health

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. Obtain client information and determine scope of sexual health assessment.	1.1. Show respect for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community values, beliefs and gender roles in all client interactions. 1.2. Consult relevant health professionals and available documentation about client’s sexual health. 1.3. Engage client in a sexual and social history discussion to determine risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and blood borne viruses. 1.4. Discuss specific presenting sexual health issues using culturally appropriate and safe communication. 1.5. Explain organisational requirements for maintaining confidentiality of information and permission for disclosure. 1.6. Accurately document client history according to organisational policies and procedures. 1.7. Determine specific examination and test requirements from information gathered.
2. Complete examinations and tests and evaluate results.	2.1. Explain the reason and procedures for each examination and test to the client, confirm understanding and obtain informed consent. 2.2. Discuss the potential emotional impacts of testing positive for HIV, other blood borne viruses and STIs prior to testing. 2.3. Complete examinations and tests based on client’s presentation and according to scope of practice and organisational standard treatment protocols. 2.4. Implement required infection control precautions according to examination and test requirements. 2.5. Conduct physical examination using correct protocols to assess genital and other symptoms, and record details. 2.6. Use correct clinical protocols to collect, record and send specimens for pathology testing. 2.7. Interpret and record results of examinations and tests to identify sexual health conditions. 2.8. Provide clear and accurate reports and consult with other health care team members to verify results and confirm conditions. 2.9. Report any confirmed notifiable STIs according to procedural and legal requirements and within scope of own responsibility.
3. Develop plan and provide care to clients with sexual health problems.	3.1. Develop and document sexual health care plan based on client’s needs and preferences and consultation with multidisciplinary team members. 3.2. Administer treatments according to scope of practice and organisational standard treatment protocols. 3.3. Explain treatments and side-effects and demonstrate and explain, to client, correct techniques for self-care treatments. 3.4. Explain to client importance of reassessments and re-testing in the management of conditions. 3.5. Educate clients with STIs on risk modification and promote safe sex practices to prevent re-infection and cross infection. 3.6. Advise clients with STIs about contact tracing requirements and negotiate roles and responsibilities. 3.7. Facilitate referrals to health professionals and support services according to client needs and preferences. 3.8. Update client records to include details of referrals, treatments, and information provided.
4. Monitor client sexual health and evaluate effectiveness of treatments.	4.1. Monitor client sexual health through scheduled reassessments and tests incorporated in care plan. 4.2. Gain feedback from client about their level of comfort and adherence to health care practices. 4.3. Determine degree of improvement of client’s condition, and compare with expectations of treatments and care plans. 4.4. Review treatments and plan and provide continuity of care, as required, in consultation with client and multidisciplinary team. 4.5. Confirm with clients that they have initiated contact tracing where they agreed to complete.

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 familiar organisational policies and procedures interpret sometimes complex and unfamiliar standard treatment protocols and client records involving medical terminology and abbreviations.
Writing skills to:	produce detailed plans using clear language easily understood by both clients and health care team members use fundamental sentence structure, health terminology and abbreviations to complete forms and reports that require factual information.
Oral communication skills to:	use appropriate terms to tailor discussions and questions to clients of different genders, ages across the lifespan and sexual orientation elicit information from clients in a sensitive, non-judgmental way.
Numeracy skills to:	interpret sometimes complex medical numerical data and abbreviations in standard treatment protocols and client records interpret pathology test results involving graphs, percentages and ratios.
Planning and organising skills to:	determine a structured approach for health assessments and complete physical examinations and tests in a logical, time efficient sequence.
Technology skills to:	select and use medical equipment suited to purpose of physical examination, clinical tests and client characteristics.

Unit Mapping Information

This unit supersedes and is not equivalent to HLTAHW056 Provide sexual and reproductive health care.

Links

Companion Volume implementation guides are found in VETNet - https://vetnet.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=ced1390f-48d9-4ab0-bd50-b015e5485705