Elements and Performance Criteria

Contra-indications to treatment and possible complicating factors may include:
Acute surgical and medical conditions such as cardiac arrest, acute hypoglycaemic shock, paralytic ileus and loss of consciousness
Traumatic injuries or conditions requiring immediate medical attention
Life threatening situations
Personal or life circumstances
Ability or willingness to comply with treatment
Allergies/sensitivities
Past treatment history
Current conditions/disease state
Current medications/treatments
Contra-indications for use of certain excipients and bases
Lack of client/patient consent

Treatments may include:
Aharatatva (Treatment according to Ayurvedic Dietary and Nutrition principles based on Rasa and Guna Siddhanta)
Dravyaguna (Treatment by means of Ayurvedic preparations based on herbs, minerals and metals.)
Shodhana Chikitsa (Purification or Detoxification treatment)
Shamana Chikitsa (Pacification or Rejuvenation)
Abhyanga (Massage or Oleation treatment)
Pancha Karma (Five-fold Ayurvedic cleansing process)
Langhana Chikitsa (Fasting or restricted diet or food intake)
Rasayana Chikitsa (Rejuvenation Treatment)
Yoga Therapy
Lifestyle modifications
Dinacharya advice (Ayurvedic daily routine)
Ritucharya advice (Ayurvedicseasonal routine)
Restoration of gyan, vignan, dhairya, shriti

Client/patient compliance refers to:
Ability to follow instructions or suggestions
Willingness to follow instructions or suggestions

Discrepancies may include:
Client/patient is unaware of the immediate danger of their condition
Client/patient is over-anxious about their condition
Client/patient is unaware of maintaining causes acting on their condition
Practitioner is unaware of some implications of the client/patient's condition
Practitioner and client/patient have different views about what the main problem is
Contrary information may have been believed/adopted

Practitioner responsibilities may include:
Isolating the sick person
Notifying doctor about their condition
Appropriate hygienic behaviour
Appropriate ethical behaviour
Notifying state health authorities of notifiable/communicable disease
Commitment to the treatment plan
Discussing relevant contra-indications or potential complications to treatment
Review of treatment plan
Discussion with other practitioners involved in client/patient's case

Client/patient responsibilities may include:
Following instruction/advice during and post treatment
Advising practitioner of any relevant contra-indications or potential complications to treatment
Advising practitioner of other types of treatment being used
Advising practitioner of compliance issues
Commitment to the treatment plan

Treatment evaluation strategies may include:
Discussion and review of response to treatment
Reviewing achievement of treatment goals
Monitoring timeframe for achieving treatment goals

Critical aspects of assessment:
Demonstrated ability to identify treatment options and establish treatment regimes
Demonstrated ability to prepare treatment plans
Demonstrated ability to understand and discuss medical reports and other data relevant to the case
Knowledge of remedies/treatments and dosages used to treat particular conditions
Demonstrated ability to prescribe treatments according to the timeframe appropriate to the client/patient condition and the treatments selected, and to the dosage recommended for the client/patient age group
Demonstrated ability to select dietary regimes for specific conditions
Knowledge of legal and ethical considerations in treating clients with remedies/treatments
Knowledge of lifestyle factors relevant to treatment of specific conditions and diseases
Demonstrated consideration of the impact of client/patient vitality on selected treatments
Knowledge of possible obstacles to cure
Knowledge of community resources and support services
Demonstrated communication and negotiation skills
Demonstrated ability to provide advice
Demonstrated ability to adequately record findings and treatment plan

Concurrent assessment and relationship with other units:
Work within an Ayurvedic framework
Communicate effectively with clients
Apply Ayurvedic diagnostic framework

Underpinning knowledge and skills:
Knowledge of common disease states and functional problems of each bodily system
Knowledge of the Ayurvedic principles and practice of treating common conditions
Knowledge of the active principles of the treatments used for each condition/system
Knowledge of the principles of formulation (including dosage and duration of treatment)
Knowledge of supplementary measures in the management of the condition/system (dietary considerations, exercise)
Ability to apply methods of treating and managing disease process of each system using Ayurvedic formulations/treatments
Knowledge of tridosha theory
Knowledge of the Ayurvedic materia medica including ganas herbs, ras shastra and bhyashjia kalpana of Ayurvedic traditional formulations, or the equivalent herbs available in Australia
Knowledge of the ingredients and procedures for formulation of Ayurvedic preparations
Knowledge of major formulations with respect to their use for general symptoms, psychological and physiological indications
Knowledge of minor formulations in respect to their most important indications
Knowledge of groups of formulations and how to distinguish between them
Knowledge of the clinical indications of remedies relevant to specific circumstances - infectious diseases, first aid and injuries
Knowledge of the interaction of treatments with foods, herbs, nutritional supplements and drugs
Knowledge of Ayurvedic pharmacology
Knowledge of allopathic drugs, their classifications, usage and side effects
Knowledge of medical terminology
Knowledge of Ayurvedic pharmacokinetics - drug administration, absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion
Knowledge of Ayurvedic pharmacodynamics and the theory of drug action - factors modifying drug effect and dosage; drug toxicity and toxicology
Knowledge of drug abuse - signs, consequences, treatment, community resources available
Knowledge of drugs used in pregnancy and breast feeding
Knowledge of drugs used to treat disorders of each system of the body
Knowledge of medical reports and diagnostic procedures
Knowledge of the possible responses and contra-indications to treatments
Knowledge of drug interactions
Knowledge of pathogenesis according to Ayurveda
Ability to access and understand reference material on the effects of current conventional drug therapies and their withdrawal
Ability to access and interpret up-to-date information
Knowledge and understanding of methods of preparing treatment and management plans
Knowledge of indications, contra-indications, precautions, negative effects of treatment
Knowledge of considerations of social issues on treatment availability and outcome (eg economic factors, access to disabled patients, language communication
Interpersonal and questioning skills

Resource implications:
Resource requirements may include:
An appropriately stocked and equipped clinic or simulated clinic environment
Relevant texts or medical manuals
Documented process to enable the access and interpretation of up-to-date information
Relevant assessment instruments
Appropriate assessment environment
Skilled assessors

Method of assessment:
Assessment may include:
Practical demonstration
Simulations
Explanations for plan preparations
Oral questioning and discussion
Practical assignments
Written, multiple choice or short answer tests
Case studies and scenarios
Observation in a practical setting
Research work

Context of assessment:
This unit is most appropriately assessed in the workplace or in a simulated workplace and under the normal range of work conditions. Assessment may contain both theoretical and practical components and examples covering a range of clinical situations.