This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to undertake work activities in compliance with organisational procedures that prevent and control infection. It involves implementing standard and transmission-based precautions, identifying infection hazards, and assessing and responding to infection risks.

The unit applies to all workers required to undertake their activities in compliance with the infection prevention and control procedures in place in their workplace.

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

The candidate must demonstrate the ability to complete the tasks outlined in the elements, performance criteria and foundation skills of this unit, including evidence of the ability to:

apply organisational infection prevention and control procedures to own work activities on at least three different occasions

identify at least two different infection hazards, assess the risk they pose, and respond to each within scope of own role and responsibilities and according to organisational infection prevention and control procedures.

In the course of the above, the candidate must:

demonstrate the use of required precautions and control measures, as required for own work activities

confine at least one resource or piece of equipment that is suspected of being contaminated, according to organisational infection prevention and control procedures

dispose of waste according to organisational infection prevention and control procedures.

The candidate must be able to demonstrate knowledge to complete the tasks outlined in the elements, performance criteria and foundation skills of this unit, including knowledge of:

nature and types of infection-related hazards in own work environment

chain of infection:

source of infectious agent

mode of transmission

susceptible host and factors that increase susceptibility

key modes of disease transmission – contact, airborne and droplet:

paths of transmission, including direct contact, aerosols and penetrating injuries

risk of acquisition

sources of infecting microorganisms, including persons who are carriers, in the incubation phase of the disease or those who are acutely ill

precautions and control measures for infection hazards associated with own role and work activities, including standard and transmission-based precautions:

required personal health and hygiene, including:

checking and reporting indicators of own ill health

respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette

hand hygiene: procedures for hand washing and hand rubbing; and situations requiring the use of soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub

guidelines on maintaining fingernails and intact skin

guidelines on wearing jewellery and watches

social distancing measures

organisational procedures relating to own role and work activities, including for:

identifying hazards associated with own work activities and workplace environment, including infection-related hazards

assessing risks associated with identified hazards, including determining the likelihood and severity of harm

reporting hazards that put self and others at risk, including infection hazards

identifying, sourcing and checking the serviceability of PPE required in own role and work activities:

eye protection: protective glasses or goggles

gloves

masks or face shields

protective clothing and footwear

completing incident reports

organisational infection prevention and control procedures relating to own role, work activities and physical environment, including for:

escalating hazard prevention and control matters outside scope of own role

handling, transporting, reprocessing or processing resources and equipment used in the course of own work activities in a manner that:

prevents skin and mucous membrane exposure, contamination and transfer of pathogens

limits contamination of resources and equipment

controls the spread of infection

handling and disposing of waste relating to own work activities, including contaminated waste

environmental cleaning of own work area, including cleaning and disinfecting surfaces: procedures and specified schedules

confining contaminated resources and equipment to designated areas

confining workplace records and materials to clean areas

responding to exposure to infection of self or others, including to body fluids

infection prevention and control protocols required by own work activities:

placing appropriate signs when and where appropriate

removing spills

separating and maintaining clean and contaminated areas

manufacturer specifications relating to resources and equipment used and maintained in the course of own work activities.

Skills in this unit must be demonstrated in a workplace or simulated environment where the conditions are typical of those in a working environment in this industry.

This includes access to:

suitable facilities, equipment and resources, including:

organisational infection prevention and control procedures and guidelines

PPE suited to work role and job requirements

hygiene facilities and equipment relevant to workplace

waste disposal equipment suited to waste generated during work activities

areas for cleaning.

Assessors of this unit must satisfy the requirements for assessors in applicable vocational education and training legislation, frameworks and/or standards.

This section describes those language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills that are essential to performance but not explicit in the performance criteria.

Cross-Sector – Infection Prevention and Control