Questions:

Please carefully read through each question. Use terms and jargon that have been presented within this Unit. Refer to your online notes, if needed. Please write a minimum of 50 words for each response, more can be written as required – but keep under 300 words. This is to enable you to fully demonstrate your research and knowledge in this area.

This assignment is versatile to suit students who are currently employed in a healthcare workplace and also students who may not be currently employed.  Where possible, request access to the current policy and procedure documents that are in place at your workplace or education institution. These may be available via the website for your organisation, an intranet site for employees only or in paper versions stored by administration staff. You can ask your manager, supervisor or colleagues to assist with accessing these documents.

If these documents are not available to you, you can search online for equivalent documents from:

• Your State Health Department
• Local Hospital or other healthcare service
• Other government departments and community services.

For example, Queensland Health has a section for Health systems & governance in the footer of their website (http://www.health.qld.gov.au ), in that section there is a link to Policies and standards.

Task 1

Under take a review of the policies and procedures that you can find for:

• Confidentiality, clinical records management, personal information or privacy
• Infection control and/or Personal Protective Equipment
• Emergency procedures, Fire safety or Security
• Child protection and/or Parental consent.

Question 1.1

Where did you source the policy and procedures that you accessed for your review?

If possible, provide a link to where these documents are published on the Internet or upload a copy as a separate file with this assignment. Detail how you searched for and found these documents.

Select one of these policies for an in-depth review, where possible choose a policy that is relevant to your current work responsibilities. Alternatively you can imagine a future job role and select a policy that you believe would be relevant to the work responsibilities of that role.

Question 1.2

What is the job role that you are detailing and the policy you have chosen for an in-depth review?

How is that policy relevant to the work responsibilities the job role detailed?

Question 1.3

For the policy of your in-depth review, outline a situation that could occur if the related procedures were not performed correctly or if there was another type of failure scenario related to the policy. What could be the consequences of a policy breach? Should such an incident be reported? How?

Task 2

Task 2.1

Effectively washing hands is a most important consideration for those working in a healthcare and community services workplaces, it is also relevant information for the general public in maintaining good health. For this task you are required to produce a guide, brochure or poster that relates to how to effectively wash hands. Your document needs to be designed to:

• Be useful to healthcare and community services staff and also the general public
• Be written in simple English so that it can be easily read and understood
• Be supported by images and/or links to videos that demonstrate effective hand washing.

You can include details for personal protective equipment (PPE), such as gloves, if you wish.

You will find useful information and resources from the website of Hand Hygiene Australia:

http://www.hha.org.au

You are not being assessed on the artistic quality of your images, you can copy images from the Internet or other sources if that helps.

Your document can be simple, but must be clear with information that is well communicated and easy to understand. Keep in mind that you have a diverse audience, consider individual and cultural differences in your design. Your document could be a Word, PDF or image file.

You can copy and paste or insert your document below or upload it separately with this assignment. 

Task 2.2

There are a number of means by which you could circulate your hand hygiene document. Consider a communication platform that may be in use in the community or health services and explain how you would circulate (and possibly revise) your document for distribution via digital media (such as website or intranet, social media, podcast or video channel etc.) Are these any organisation policies that may need to be considered in the process of publishing the digital communication?

Task 3

Locate a copy of the role or position description (PD) for your current work role or look for a position description for a healthcare or community services work role that you are interested in. Upload a copy of the position description with this assignment. You may be able to find a relevant position description:

• By asking your manager, supervisor, administration or Human Resources office
• On the website of a State Health Department or other health or community services
• By performing a job search for the role and finding an advertisement with PD
• By contacting a health or community service where the role exists and requesting a copy
• On the website, or by contacting, a relevant professional association for the job.

Question 3.1

Does the PD include information that details the industry and related award for the role?

Where else could you go to find relevant information for industry standards and award rates?

Question 3.2

List one of the responsibilities of the role detailed in the PD that would have legislative requirements or accreditation standards that apply. Provide a link to the standards and/or detail what they are. 

Question 3.3

What other healthcare professionals would this work role cooperate with in performing the job responsibilities? Would this include dealing with different levels and sectors of the health industry?

Question 3.4

What type of issues could be encountered in performing the duties of this work role? What would you do if you identified an area of improvement with how the organisation handled a certain issue? 

Question 3.5

What type of personal skill maintenance or development would be relevant to continuing in this work role? Where would you access information or advice on how to set goals and plan for skill and knowledge development in the role? How should future work goals be focussed?

Answers:

Source for the policy and procedures

 I conducted internet search regarding the policies and procedures of Victoria. In this, I used the following key words: child protection, Victoria’s government policy, Victoria’s Child Protection[1]. This search helped me in bringing all of the policies under one umbrella and selecting the required points and ideas. From the policies, I selected Child Protection for my in-depth review.

1.2 Job role for the policy review

I am entrusted with the responsibility of doing social work. The policy for this is child protection. Both the job role and the policy are interrelated with each other. Upgrading the condition of the children and their families is my first priority. I ought to seek effective policies, which possesses flexibility towards safeguarding the children from the malice like child labor, malnutrition, physical assault, trafficking among others. Assuring the presence of proper investigation is also accounted as one of my important duties and responsibilities[2]. Identifying the needs of the children helps me in providing the necessary care.

1.3 Example related to the non-compliance of the policies and procedures

If a care worker possesses inadequate knowledge about the control measures, abuse and neglect, then he or she is considered guilty. Ignorant attitude in this approach aggravates the complexities in terms of provision of care. Indulging in racial discrimination, when the caregivers need to protect the children, is considered a breach of the policy. The consequences of this breach are intense in their nature[3]. The culprit would encounter imprisonment up to 10 years. Such cases need to be reported on Child Abuse Report Line on 131478, which provides emergency service 24X7.

2.1 Hand Hygiene

Keeping the hands clean is an important aspect for remaining healthy. At least 50-60 minutes can be spared for thoroughly cleaning the hands. Firstly, water needs to be applied on the wet hands to the wrist. Next comes the application of soap solution on the palm. After this, rubbing against the palms is essential. Interfacing the palms and rubbing them is a correct method for washing the hands properly. Placing the left palm on the right hand and rubbing is also an effective means for cleaning the germs and bacteria from the hands[4]. The process needs to be repeated for the best results.

The scientists also opine that rotational rubbing of right thumb clasped on the left palm. Interlocking the palms and rubbing the back of the fingers is one of the other ways of cleaning the hands. Clean water is vital for maintaining the hygiene of the hands. After cleansing the hands, dry towel needs is to be used. Serviette can also be used for this purpose.

Hands can be washed after using the toilet; cleaning the defecated child; before serving food to others; coming from outside; coughing or sneezing[5].

2.2 Communication of hygiene

Revision of the documents and images would be my first job for circulating the information. Noticeboards are an important platform for making the people aware of the steps taken by the health centres. This would provide access to both the community and the health service members. Distribution of brochures would also suffice the task of disseminating the essential information. School websites is one of the other platforms for conveying important information to the service users[6]. Websites are effective in terms of reaching to variety of groups, which results in the promotion of ideas.

3.1 Position description

The position description includes simultaneous presentation of my role within the industry. Typical components of this are the clients, with whom I am likely to work. Along with this, the description consists of the pay package and the working hours. I can collect these information from the website of the social workers union, labor department, human resource department and community centres[7].

3.2 Responsibilities detailed in the position description

• Maintaining accurate records and reports for legal action
• Accredition by Australian Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics and Standards.

This accreditation helps in ensuring whether the workers adhere to the standards for executing the duties and the responsibilities[8]. For more details, the following link can be visited: https://www.aasw.asn.au/practitioner-resources/code-of-ethics

3.3 Accommodation of the healthcare professionals within the work role

Paediatrics, Psychiatrics, palliative care and maternity are simultaneously related with the aspect of social work. Undergoing the training benefitted me in terms of gaining awareness about the levels and sectors of health industry. Guidance and counselling from physiologists helps in efficient execution of the social works.

3.4 Problems, which can be encountered in performing this type of duties

Parents suffering from psychiatric illness fail to provide emotional cooperation to the children. They lack confidence about explaining the issues to the affected persons. However, the most common issues here is that of compassion fatigue and burnout[9]. I attempt to handle the issue in best possible manner. If I emerge unsuccessful in this area, I sent a proposal to the management, stating my incapability. Motivating the co-workers is one of my other duties. This is in terms of creating an urge within them for executing the tasks efficiently and effectively.

3.5 Personal skill maintenance and development

In case of children welfare, training is important in terms of catering to the psychological and emotional skill development. Sustaining the gained knowledge and practice is crucial for the provision of care in a comprehensive manner[10]. Typical example of this are:

1. Taking notes
2. Organizational skills
3. Adequate knowledge of the strategy and interventions
4. Sense of empathy
5. Critical thinking skills
6. Verbal and written communication skills

The website of Australian Human Rights Commission would help me to gain relevant information on child care.  The information on the role of social workers would help me in assessing the effectiveness of my exposed performance. Visiting the website would enhance my awareness regarding the human rights of the children[11]. My future planning in the domain would include:

• Community based social work
• Awareness campaigns
• Advanced care planning 

Bibliography

7 Steps to Wash your hands properly. https://www.practo.com/healthfeed/7-steps-to-wash your-hands-properly-27361/post

Australian Human Rights Comission (2017). Human rights in action: the role of social workers in detention. Accessed on 18^th March 2018. https://www.humanrights.gov.au/news/speeches/human-rights-action-role-social-workers-detention

Australian Indigenous Health (2018). Handwashing Campaign. Accessed on 18th MArch 2018. http://www.healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au/key-resources/programs-projects?pid=666

Kadushin, A. and Harkness, D., (2014). Supervision in social work. Columbia University Press.

 McDonald, E., Cunningham, T. and Slavin, N., (2015). Evaluating a handwashing with soap program in Australian remote Aboriginal communities: a pre and post intervention study design. BMC public health, 15(1), p.1188.

State Government of Victoria (2017). Child Protection and Family Services. Accessed on 19 March 2018. https://services.dhhs.vic.gov.au/reporting-child-abuse

Thomas, J., (2013). Association of personal distress with burnout, compassion fatigue, and compassion satisfaction among clinical social workers. Journal of Social Service Research, 39(3), pp.365-379.

[1]Australian Human Rights Comission (2017). Human rights in action: the role of social workers in detention. Accessed on 18^th March 2018. https://www.humanrights.gov.au/news/speeches/human-rights-action-role-social-workers-detention

[2] Australian Indigenous Health (2018). Handwashing Campaign. Accessed on 18th MArch 2018. http://www.healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au/key-resources/programs-projects?pid=666

[3] Kadushin, A. and Harkness, D., (2014). Supervision in social work. Columbia University Press.

[4] 7 Steps to Wash your hands properly. https://www.practo.com/healthfeed/7-steps-to-wash your-hands-properly-27361/post

[5] 7 Steps to Wash your hands properly. https://www.practo.com/healthfeed/7-steps-to-wash your-hands-properly-27361/post

[6] McDonald, E., Cunningham, T. and Slavin, N., (2015). Evaluating a handwashing with soap program in Australian remote Aboriginal communities: a pre and post intervention study design. BMC public health, 15(1), p.1188.

[7] McDonald, E., Cunningham, T. and Slavin, N., (2015). Evaluating a handwashing with soap program in Australian remote Aboriginal communities: a pre and post intervention study design. BMC public health, 15(1), p.1188.

[8] State Government of Victoria (2017). Child Protection and Family Services. Accessed on 19 March 2018. https://services.dhhs.vic.gov.au/reporting-child-abuse

[9]Thomas, J., (2013). Association of personal distress with burnout, compassion fatigue, and compassion satisfaction among clinical social workers. Journal of Social Service Research, 39(3), pp.365-379.

[10] State Government of Victoria (2017). Child Protection and Family Services. Accessed on 19 March 2018. https://services.dhhs.vic.gov.au/reporting-child-abuse

[11] Kadushin, A. and Harkness, D., (2014). Supervision in social work. Columbia University Press.