HLTAMAT004 — Assess children's health

Elements & performance criteria

Performance evidence

• complete a health assessment of five different Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children including: - children aged between 0 to 5 years - children aged between 6 to 14 years
• for each of the five children, complete a head to toe physical examination and tests including: - measurement of height, weight and waist circumference and calculation of body mass index - measurement of temperature - measurement of blood pressure, pulse rate and rhythm - measurement of respiratory rate and peak flow - examination of: - eyes, including physical examination and vision test - ears, including otoscopy - mouth, throat, teeth and gums - skin - hands and feet - chest by visual and aural observation of respiration for any signs of congestion or distress - abdomen by visual observation - urinalysis via dipstick testing - blood glucose test with a blood glucose testing meter - haemoglobin test - child growth and development assessment, using a screening tool appropriate for the child’s age and stage of development - examinations for specific presenting problems
• for each of the five children: - evaluate all assessment information and report own interpretation of child’s current health and developmental status to health care team - consult with the health care team to verify assessment results and confirm child’s health and developmental status - discuss assessment outcomes with the child and family or carer - document, in child’s records, accurate details of: - medical and social history - observations, examinations and tests completed - evaluation notes about the health and development of each child - information and referrals provided to the child and family or carer
• from assessments personally completed or from case study assessment documentation: - identify signs, symptoms and implications of four different potentially serious health problems, and report on and refer - identify one mandatory reporting requirement and implement procedures to notify.

Knowledge evidence

• organisational policies and procedures for documenting children’s health assessments
• local state or territory legal requirements, and associated organisational procedures for: - maintaining confidentiality of information provided by minors - obtaining consent for treatment of minors
• signs of children at risk including signs of abuse or neglect, referral options and mandatory reporting requirements: - local state or territory legal requirements - requirements of practitioner codes of conduct - organisational procedures
• overview of the key principles presented in the Charter on the Rights of Children and Young People in Healthcare Services in Australia (or its successor)
• organisational responsibilities and role boundaries of those involved in children’s health assessments: - Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander health practitioners - medical practitioners, registered nurses and other members of the multidisciplinary care team
• the role of standard treatment protocols in children’s health assessments: - types that are used by primary health care organisations including Standard Treatment Manuals (STM) and how to access - purpose, format and inclusions - how to use to identify physical health assessment and test requirements for children
• techniques for effectively communicating during children’s health assessments including those used to: - tailor discussions and questions to different ages - explain examinations and tests to children - ensure child’s comfort and cooperation during examinations and tests
• key information collected and recorded in medical histories specific to children’s health care
• key elements of children’s health assessments
• different types of infection control precautions and when these would be used for different types of physical examinations and tests
• equipment and procedures for health examinations and ‘normal’ reference range for child’s age: - height, weight, waist circumference and body mass index - temperature - blood pressure, pulse rate and rhythm - respiratory and peak flow rate - examination of: - eyes, including physical examination and vision test - ears and hearing, including otoscopy - mouth, throat, teeth and gums - skin - hands and feet - chest by visual and aural observation of respiration for any signs of congestion or distress - abdomen by visual observation - urinalysis via dipstick testing - blood glucose test with a blood glucose testing meter - haemoglobin test
• common health conditions for children, common presenting signs and symptoms and required examinations: - anaemia - asthma - diabetes - malnutrition - obesity - dehydration - respiratory tract infections - urinary tract infections - digestive and gastrointestinal conditions including gastroenteritis - eye infections and vision problems - ear infections and hearing problems - oral infections and dental problems - bacterial, viral, fungal and parasitic skin infections
• serious health conditions of high incidence in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children, and the major signs and symptoms that would trigger referral for investigation to include: - failure to thrive - cardiac conditions including rheumatic heart disease and acute rheumatic fever
• meaning of the term ‘unwell child’ and: - signs and symptoms that indicate the child is seriously unwell - methods to quickly assess child’s condition - quick response actions to manage the febrile child - ways to rehydrate an unwell child
• key features of the major domains of childhood development: - social-emotional - physical - cognitive - language
• overview of age appropriate milestones of growth and development for each of the domains
• main features of screening tools used to assess childhood growth and development: - purpose and utility of assessment tools and how these contribute to an overall assessment - different types of tools designed to evaluate different domains of development.

Foundation skills

• Reading skills: • interpret detailed familiar organisational policies and procedures • interpret sometimes complex and unfamiliar standard treatment protocols and client records involving medical terminology and abbreviations.
• Writing skills: • use fundamental sentence structure, health terminology and abbreviations to complete forms and reports that require factual information.
• Oral communication skills: • ask open and closed probe questions and actively listen to elicit information from children, families/carers and determine understanding of information provided.
• Numeracy skills: • interpret sometimes complex medical numerical data and abbreviations in standard treatment protocols and client records • take and record accurate measurements involving weights, lengths, rates and degrees • complete calculations involving, percentages and ratios • document medical numerical abbreviations in client records.
• Planning and organising skills: • determine a structured approach for health assessments and complete physical examinations and tests in a logical, time efficient sequence.
• Technology skills: • select and use medical equipment suited to purpose of physical examination and child’s age.

Unit content sourced from training.gov.au — © Commonwealth of Australia, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Auditori is not affiliated with the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations.

Questions about assessing HLTAMAT004