Elements and Performance Criteria

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.


Need for referral may include:
Client with a counselling need beyond the practitioner's own level of skill
Client in need of ongoing support or counselling
Client with a personality disorder
Disclosure, by a minor, of abuse
Suicidal or homicidal client
Referral to a GP for initial or follow up pathology
Referral to GP/health services because of a/or suspicion of notifiable disease
Practitioner establishes a supervisory, social or sexual relationship with client
Practitioner identifies with client transference or counter-transference


Other health care professionals/services may include but are not limited to:
Professional counsellors or psychologists
Social or health workers
Mental health units or hospitals
Doctors
Psychiatrists
Law officers
Dieticians
Physiotherapists/chiropractors
Complementary health therapists


Complementary health care practitioners may include:
More experienced homoeopaths with or without a speciality
Naturopaths
Herbalists
Acupuncturists
Massage therapists
Osteopaths
Chiropractors


Support services may include:
Local child care centre
Local welfare centre
Local church groups
Local other than Christian groups
Life line
Domestic violence telephone service
Others


Referral may be by:
Written communication
Verbal communication


Client records may include:
A copy of the whole care record
A synopsis of the case record
Homoeopathic specific information via e.g. Standard Case Recoding forms, symptom descriptor forms, treatment evaluation and progress sheets


Briefing may include:
Verbal communication e.g. telephone or face to face
Electronic communication e.g. email
Conventional written letter

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:
Observation of performance in the workplace or a simulated workplace (defined as a supervised clinic) is essential for assessment of this unit
Assessment may contain both theoretical and practical components and examples covering a range of clinical situations
Evidence is required of both knowledge and skills application. The assessee must provide evidence of specified essential knowledge as well as skills
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


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


Context of and specific resources for assessment:
Assessment should replicate workplace conditions as far as possible
Simulations may be used to represent workplace conditions as closely as possible
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
Resources essential for assessment include:
Contact directories


Method of assessment
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
Conventional letters or electronic communication