Application

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to provide clients with information about diabetes, its prevalence in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander populations, and to encourage early detection and prevention of certain types.
It requires the ability to discuss risk factors and ways to reduce the risk of diabetes, and to inform clients about diabetes screening programs. It covers the coordination of follow-up for any clients who advise of any health concerns.
Information may be provided to individual clients in the course of general health service provision, or during dedicated group education sessions.
This unit is specific to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people working as health workers or health practitioners. They work as part of a multidisciplinary primary health care team to provide primary health care services and health education activities 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).

What You'll Learn

Assessment Requirements

Performance Evidence

Evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit in the context of the job role, and:
• provide information about diabetes to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients including:
• two individual clients
• one group of a minimum of three people
• on each occasion:
• provide information covering:
• the incidence of diabetes in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities
• type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes, and the early warning signs and symptoms of each
• the nature of type 2 diabetes as a progressive condition
• functional impacts on body organs and systems
• potential serious diabetes related complications
• diabetes risk factors and healthy lifestyle choices that can reduce risk
• the importance of early detection
• diabetes screening programs and test procedures
• seek and evaluate feedback from clients and provide to relevant people within the health service
• discuss health concerns with two clients and respond by coordinating follow-up assessments or appointments.

Knowledge Evidence

Demonstrated knowledge required to complete the tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit:
• organisational procedures for responding to client disclosure of health concerns
• how to access current and credible:
• consumer based education resources about diabetes
• statistics for diabetes in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander and other Australian populations
• visual aids for diabetes education
• for the three main types of diabetes including type 1, type 2 and gestational:
• how they contrast
• plain language definitions and explanations
• early warning signs
• symptoms
• basic knowledge of how the function of body organs and systems are impacted
• overview of main complications sufficient to understand that other resultant serious diseases or conditions can occur:
• heart disease
• stroke
• retinal damage including vision impairment and blindness
• chronic kidney disease
• sexual dysfunction
• nerve damage, infection and potential for amputation
• adverse outcomes of gestational diabetes for mothers and their babies
• prevalence and statistical incidence of diabetes and diabetes related complications in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander populations compared to non-Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander populations
• modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors for diabetes:
• smoking
• physical inactivity
• unhealthy nutrition and body weight
• consumption of alcohol at unsafe levels
• ageing
• genetics
• family history of diabetes
• high blood pressure
• impacts of certain medications
• gestational diabetes and potential to develop type 2 diabetes
• other autoimmune conditions
• the importance of clients modifying their lifestyle to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes
• key elements of Australian national dietary and physical activity guidelines
• the impact of early detection and treatment on:
• progression of diabetes
• reducing the risk of diabetes related complications
• for screening:
• reasons for screening healthy and asymptomatic people
• importance of health assessments and screening tests in the early detection and treatment of diabetes
• diabetes screening programs available in the local community, state or territory, how to access these and any associated costs and benefits paid
• diabetes screening procedures
• general and cultural factors that influence an individual’s decision to participate in screening programs
• appropriate actions to take in response to disclosure of health concerns:
• completing an immediate health assessment and providing referrals
• assisting clients to make appointments with medical practitioners for diagnosis or referral
• activating follow-up to ensure clients are tested
• methods used to evaluate health education activities:
• client evaluation questionnaires
• informal conversations with clients
• self-reflection on client responses to information including any difficulties in understanding
• ways that Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander health workers and practitioners can:
• provide feedback on diabetes awareness activities
• contribute to the evaluation and planning of overall education and prevention programs.

Assessment Conditions

Skills can be demonstrated through:
• work activities completed within an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander health service, or
• simulations and case studies completed within a training organisation, based on comprehensive information about client needs and available screening programs.
Assessment must ensure the use of:
• interaction with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients either through actual work activities or simulations
• current consumer-based education resources about different types of diabetes from credible sources
• consumer-based dietary and exercise guidelines from credible sources which could include those produced by government agencies and diabetes support services
• visual aids for diabetes education
• organisational procedures for responding to client disclosure of health concerns.
Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisations requirements for assessors, and:
• be an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person who has applied the skills and knowledge covered in this unit of competency through experience working as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander health worker or practitioner, or
• be a registered health practitioner or a health educator with experience relevant to this unit of competency and be accompanied by, or have assessments validated by, an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person.

Foundation Skills

• {'skill': 'Reading skills to:', 'description': 'interpret detailed and sometimes unfamiliar plain language consumer-based education resources.'}
• {'skill': 'Oral communication skills to:', 'description': 'provide information to clients using plain language and terms easily understood; ask open and closed probe questions and actively listen to determine client understanding of information.'}
• {'skill': 'Numeracy skills to:', 'description': 'interpret statistics presented as percentages and in charts and graphs.'}
• {'skill': 'Learning skills to:', 'description': 'use information provided in credible evidence-based consumer resources to update and extend knowledge of diabetes.'}

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