HLTPAT008 — Identify and respond to clinical risks in pathology collection

Elements & performance criteria

Performance evidence

• assessed and recognised potential clinical risks from review of information from at least 3 different individuals
• recognised adverse reactions and complications and followed organisational procedures in response to at least 3 different adverse events
• recognised adverse reactions and complications requiring first aid response and provided first aid according to organisational procedures for at least 3 of the following: fainting, arterial puncture, bruising, excessive or prolonged bleeding, diabetic emergency, vomiting

Knowledge evidence

• legal and ethical considerations (national and state/territory) for emergency response, and how these are applied in organisations: duty of care, informed consent, privacy, confidentiality and disclosure, records management, work health and safety
• work role boundaries: scope and limitations of own role in assessing clinical risk, points of referral for risk situations beyond scope of own role
• standard infection control requirements for clinical procedures: hand hygiene, use of personal protective equipment (PPE), avoiding contact with bodily fluids, sharps injury prevention and treatment if sustained, waste management
• Individual's information that may inform assessment of risk: clinical history, allergies, current and recent medications, recent illnesses, reactions/complications to previous collection procedures
• anatomy and physiology relevant to pathology collections: vascular and nervous systems, particularly the close association of blood vessels and nerves of the limbs relevant to pathology collection; arteries, veins and capillaries; heart function – significant structures, greater blood vessels that enter and exit the heart; direction of flow of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood through the heart and lungs; features of collection sites
• types and features of clinical risks commonly associated with pathology collection: reactions and complications to procedure, infection, haemoconcentration, haemolysis, blood components, sharps injury, excessive bleeding, damage to nervous system, vascular damage, location of venous access, concurrent treatments and therapy, intravenous (IV) therapy
• emergency procedures for individual’s reactions and complications
• first aid and care protocols for: fainting, fitting, arterial puncture, bruising, excessive bleeding, diabetic emergency, falls

Foundation skills

• Oral communication skills: interact with individuals, assess individual against pre-test criteria and report findings using some specialised vocabulary.
• Writing skills: complete familiar and unfamiliar documentation.
• Reading skills: interpret routine information in individual’s records, technical and procedural documents, infection control policies, manufacturer specifications and first aid protocols.
• Decision making skills: identify, refer and respond to adverse reactions.

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Questions about assessing HLTPAT008