Unit of competency Outline
Date retreived
22/07/2026 5:47 PM AWST
22/07/2026 5:47 PM AWST
Whilst all efforts are made to provide accurate and timely information from the relevant source/documentation, please be aware that the information supplied may not be the most current version. The accuracy of the detail has not been confirmed by the Department and therefore should not be relied upon without first confirming the contents.
Practise in the contemporary aged care environment
Practise in the contemporary aged care environment
Unit of competency
National Code
HLTEN615B
HLTEN615B
State Code
D8240
D8240
TGA Status
Replaced
Replaced
DTWD Status
Replaced
Replaced
State Implementation and Classification
Approved Date
21/07/2011
Field of Education
060301 - General Nursing
Original Release Date
21/07/2011
Nominal Hours
80
Description
DescriptorThis competency unit describes the skills and knowledge required to implement principles of aged care nursing, enabling the Enrolled/Division 2 nurse to provide holistic nursing care to aged clients at an advanced level
Notes
Elements and Performance Criteria
1. Address the health care needs of the older adult in the Australian health care environment
- 1.1 Work with an understanding of the physical and psychological effects of aging on the human body
- 1.2 Work with an understanding of the significance of physical and psychosocial assessment in evaluating the health of older clients
- 1.3 Apply an understanding of funding arrangements for aged care and extended care environment
- 1.4 Address documentation requirements to assist the funding that impacts on aged care provision
- 1.5 Recognise crisis situations and implement emergency management as required
- 1.6 Provide a physically and psychologically safe environment for the older client
- 1.7 Communicate effectively with older person experiencing sensory loss
2. Assess health care needs of older clients
- 2.1 Perform a holistic assessment of the client in consultation/collaboration with the registered nurse
- 2.2 Incorporate an in-depth understanding of anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology into nursing practice as applied to the various manifestations of the ageing process and clinical manifestations of ageing
- 2.3 Discuss with the client the physical and psychosocial impact of ageing on their activities of daily living
- 2.4 Identify common problems and complications the client may encounter
- 2.5 Communicate effectively with clients, family and health team members
3. Contribute to planning appropriate care for the older client
- 3.1 Use contemporary assessment tools accurately
- 3.2 Establish a database of resource personnel to assist in decision making for the older client
- 3.3 Use a problem-solving framework to plan appropriate nursing management strategies in consultation/collaboration with the registered nurse
- 3.4 Develop an individualised plan of care for the older client in consultation/collaboration with the client and the health care team
- 3.5 Ensure care plan reflects client's current nursing needs and nursing actions designed to maximise the older client's function and minimise potential complications
- 3.6 Apply an understanding of risk management principles in planning client care
- 3.7 Ensure planned care and therapeutic interventions aim to assist client/s to achieve optimal health outcomes
- 3.8 Regularly review plan of care and modify to reflect changes in condition of older client
- 3.9 Identify aged care client needs requiring research to improve nursing practice
- 3.10 Implement evidence based practice to care of older clients
4. Assist to perform clinical nursing skills appropriate to the management of the older client
- 4.1 Prioritise nursing interventions according to client needs
- 4.2 Modify nursing interventions using critical thinking and problem solving approaches, to reflect changes in client's condition
- 4.3 Update nursing interventions to assist client, and identified significant others to meet expected outcomes, including health promotion and/or education
- 4.4 Monitor nursing interventions, review those that fail to address client needs and revise in consultation/collaboration with health care team
- 4.5 Ensure appropriate pre-, intra- and post-diagnostic procedures are undertaken in line with organisation policies and procedures
- 4.6 Ensure medication administration is based on sound knowledge of principles of drug actions and side effects in accordance with health unit policies and procedures
- 4.7 Ensure rehabilitation principles underpin appropriate nursing interventions for the older client as required
5. Assess the needs of clients experiencing loss and grief
- 5.1 Work with an understanding of the effects of grief on the physical, emotional, cognitive, behavioural, social and spiritual domains of a person's experience
- 5.2 Review client knowledge of their condition, self management and therapies
- 5.3 Recognise determinants impacting or potentially impacting on the client's experience of grief and on identified significant other/s
- 5.4 Recognise the potential or actual manifestation of a complicated grief reaction
- 5.5 Review the significant other's knowledge of the client's condition, management and therapies
- 5.6 Use counselling skills to encourage clients and/or significant other/s to verbalise grief experience
- 5.7 Support client and/or significant others experiencing loss and grief
- 5.8 Use effective communication skills to break adverse news or assist a health care team member to break adverse news to a client and/or significant other/s
6. Provide support for peers and colleagues
- 6.1 Recognise the symptoms of stress and professional carer burnout in peers and colleagues
- 6.2 Implement appropriate support and safety and welfare measures for peers and colleagues
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.
Multidisciplinary health care team members could include:
Aged care client and their significant others
Medical and nursing staff
Social workers
Physiotherapists
Occupational therapists
Speech pathologists
Dietitian
Podiatrists
Community services
Transitional rehabilitation services
Health care settings could include:
Residential aged care facilities
Extended care settings
Hospital - private or public
Short stay centres
Respite centres
Community
Day Centres
Assessment of impact of ageing process may include:
Performance of activities of daily living
Loss or limitation to physical function
Impact on sexuality, relationships, self image, body image
Grief and loss
Coping mechanisms
Personal and community support mechanisms
Level of communication
Maintenance/improvement of quality of life
Maintenance/improvement of lifestyle
Impact of secondary disease processes
Age related adjustments and transitions could include:
Role changes
Retirement
Multiple losses
Loneliness
Depression and suicide
Fear of death
Changes in body image
Disease processes include:
Alterations in sensory function
Alterations in cardiac function
Alterations in respiratory function
Alterations in neurological function
Alterations in musculoskeletal function
Alteration in genitourinary function
Alteration in endocrine Function
Alteration in renal function
Oncological disorders
Pressure ulcers
Plans of care may include:
Nursing care plans
Clinical pathways
Treatment plans
Medical notes
Community referrals
Admission and transfer
Rehabilitation plans
Legal and ethical issues include:
Rights and responsibilities of older person
Consent
Power of attorney
Medical Power of attorney
Advocacy
Elder abuse
Restraint
Advanced health directives
Ethical principles
Legislation affecting older person
Research and the older person
Specific nursing interventions/clinical skills could include:
Foundation nursing interventions
Complex nursing interventions
Management of elimination (urinary and bowel) needs including - insertion of indwelling catheters, irrigation of indwelling catheters
Management of permanent and temporary mechanical ventilation including suctioning and bagging
Wound care
Skin care including - assessment and management of skin care
Health teaching in relation to client care needs
Pain management
Manual handling
Co ordination of clinical care
Assessment of oxygen saturation levels
Rehabilitative care practices
Evaluation of planned care includes:
Level of independence in performance of activities of daily living
Participation in rehabilitation programs
Self management of symptoms
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.
Multidisciplinary health care team members could include:
Aged care client and their significant others
Medical and nursing staff
Social workers
Physiotherapists
Occupational therapists
Speech pathologists
Dietitian
Podiatrists
Community services
Transitional rehabilitation services
Health care settings could include:
Residential aged care facilities
Extended care settings
Hospital - private or public
Short stay centres
Respite centres
Community
Day Centres
Assessment of impact of ageing process may include:
Performance of activities of daily living
Loss or limitation to physical function
Impact on sexuality, relationships, self image, body image
Grief and loss
Coping mechanisms
Personal and community support mechanisms
Level of communication
Maintenance/improvement of quality of life
Maintenance/improvement of lifestyle
Impact of secondary disease processes
Age related adjustments and transitions could include:
Role changes
Retirement
Multiple losses
Loneliness
Depression and suicide
Fear of death
Changes in body image
Disease processes include:
Alterations in sensory function
Alterations in cardiac function
Alterations in respiratory function
Alterations in neurological function
Alterations in musculoskeletal function
Alteration in genitourinary function
Alteration in endocrine Function
Alteration in renal function
Oncological disorders
Pressure ulcers
Plans of care may include:
Nursing care plans
Clinical pathways
Treatment plans
Medical notes
Community referrals
Admission and transfer
Rehabilitation plans
Legal and ethical issues include:
Rights and responsibilities of older person
Consent
Power of attorney
Medical Power of attorney
Advocacy
Elder abuse
Restraint
Advanced health directives
Ethical principles
Legislation affecting older person
Research and the older person
Specific nursing interventions/clinical skills could include:
Foundation nursing interventions
Complex nursing interventions
Management of elimination (urinary and bowel) needs including - insertion of indwelling catheters, irrigation of indwelling catheters
Management of permanent and temporary mechanical ventilation including suctioning and bagging
Wound care
Skin care including - assessment and management of skin care
Health teaching in relation to client care needs
Pain management
Manual handling
Co ordination of clinical care
Assessment of oxygen saturation levels
Rehabilitative care practices
Evaluation of planned care includes:
Level of independence in performance of activities of daily living
Participation in rehabilitation programs
Self management of symptoms
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 a work context is essential for assessment of this unit
Consistency of performance should be demonstrated over the required range of workplace situations and should occur on more than one occasion and be assessed by a registered nurse
Context of and specific resources for assessment:
This unit is most appropriately assessed in the clinical workplace or in a simulated clinical work environment and under the normal range of clinical environment conditions prior to assessment in the workplace
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
Method of assessment
Observation in the work place
Written assignments/projects
Case study and scenario as a basis for discussion of issues and strategies to contribute to best practice
Questioning - verbal and writing
Role play/simulation
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
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 a work context is essential for assessment of this unit
Consistency of performance should be demonstrated over the required range of workplace situations and should occur on more than one occasion and be assessed by a registered nurse
Context of and specific resources for assessment:
This unit is most appropriately assessed in the clinical workplace or in a simulated clinical work environment and under the normal range of clinical environment conditions prior to assessment in the workplace
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
Method of assessment
Observation in the work place
Written assignments/projects
Case study and scenario as a basis for discussion of issues and strategies to contribute to best practice
Questioning - verbal and writing
Role play/simulation
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
Replaces
| State Code | National Code | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| C9246 | HLTEN615A | Practise in the contemporary aged care environment | Unit of competency |
Replaced By
| State Code | National Code | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| AVZ88 | HLTENN029 | Apply nursing practice in the contemporary aged care setting | Unit of competency |
| State Code | National Code | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| D111 | HLT61107 | Advanced Diploma of Nursing (Enrolled/Division 2 nursing) | Qualification |