Course Title: Process reusable instruments and equipment in health work

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term1 2016

Course Code: HWSS5711C

Course Title: Process reusable instruments and equipment in health work

School: 155T Vocational Health and Sciences

Campus: City Campus

Program: C3299 - Certificate III in Dental Assisting

Course Contact: Ms. Suzanne Dellas Fatone

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9341 1406

Course Contact Email: sue.fatone@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Dental Health Program Manager: Mr Nicholas Greer
Office hours: Monday to Friday 8:30 to 4:30 pm
Telephone +61 3 3941 14020
Email: nicholas.greer@rmit.edu.au 
 

Ms. Sandra Torbica 
Office hours: Monday to Thursday 8:30 to 4:30 pm
Telephone +61 3 3941 1408
Email: sandra.torbica@rmit.edu.au
 

Nominal Hours: 30

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

This unit must be assessed after successful achievement of pre-requisite:

      HLTIN301C Comply with infection control policies and procedures

Course Description

This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required for workers in the health care setting to clean and sterilise reusable instruments and equipment and to maintain associated environments. All procedures must be carried out in accordance with current infection control guidelines, Australian and New Zealand Standards and the policies and procedures of the health care establishment.


All tasks must be carried out in accordance with State or Territory legislative requirements that affect work practices of the health care establishment and/or health care worker


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

HLTIN302C Process reusable instruments and equipment in health work

Element:

1. Prepare to clean used items

Performance Criteria:

1.1 Follow safe work practices and standard precautions at all times in accordance with legislative and workplace guidelines
1.2 Dispose of sharps and sharps debris into a container that meets Australian/New Zealand Standards at the point-of-use
1.3 Segregate and dispose of waste according to organisation and legislative requirements

Element:

2. Clean and dry used items

Performance Criteria:

2.1 Maintain work flow protocols in instrument reprocessing area
2.2 Prepare instruments for cleaning
2.3 Select and safely use appropriate cleaning agents
2.4 Use cleaning methods that avoid the generation of aerosols
2.5 Dry and inspect instruments for damage and remaining debris
2.6 Monitor the cleaning process

Element:

3. Prepare and pack items for sterilisation

Performance Criteria:

3.1 Open and unlock instruments with hinges or ratchets
3.2 Prepare instrument trays in accordance with workplace protocols
3.3 Package or wrap critical site instruments in a manner that prevents damage to delicate items
3.4 Place the appropriate chemical indicator into packages as required in accordance with current Australian/New Zealand Standards and workplace protocols
3.5 Label packs with the contents of the pack and batch control data as required in accordance with current Australian/New Zealand Standards and workplace protocols
3.6 Seal wrapped trays with steriliser indicator tape as required in accordance with current Australian/New Zealand Standards and workplace protocols

Element:

4. Sterilise loads

Performance Criteria:

4.1 Operate the steriliser safely and in accordance with manufacturer instructions, legislative guidelines and workplace protocols
4.2 Monitor each sterilising cycle and record the details as specified in current Australian/New Zealand Standards
4.3 Maintain records for each sterilising cycle as required in accordance with current Australian/New Zealand Standards and workplace protocols
4.4 Unload the steriliser on the completion of the drying cycle to ensure sterility of items
4.5 Follow criteria for release of processed items as specified in current Australian/New Zealand Standards
4.6 Store sterile packs to maintain sterility in accordance with workplace protocols

Element:

5. Maintain sterilising equipment

Performance Criteria:

5.1 Clean and check sterilisers routinely as required in accordance with current Australian/New Zealand Standards and workplace protocols
5.2 Follow the preventive maintenance program as established by the workplace in conjunction with manufacturer or maintenance contractor
5.3 Monitor the sterilising cycles at the intervals specified in current Australian/New Zealand Standards

Learning Outcomes


1.1 Follow safe work practices and standard precautions at all times in accordance with legislative and workplace guidelines
1.2 Dispose of sharps and sharps debris into a container that meets Australian/New Zealand Standards at the point-of-use
1.3 Segregate and dispose of waste according to organisation and legislative requirements

2.1 Maintain work flow protocols in instrument reprocessing area
2.2 Prepare instruments for cleaning
2.3 Select and safely use appropriate cleaning agents
2.4 Use cleaning methods that avoid the generation of aerosols
2.5 Dry and inspect instruments for damage and remaining debris
2.6 Monitor the cleaning process

3.1 Open and unlock instruments with hinges or ratchets
3.2 Prepare instrument trays in accordance with workplace protocols
3.3 Package or wrap critical site instruments in a manner that prevents damage to delicate items
3.4 Place the appropriate chemical indicator into packages as required in accordance with current Australian/New Zealand Standards and workplace protocols
3.5 Label packs with the contents of the pack and batch control data as required in accordance with current Australian/New Zealand Standards and workplace protocols
3.6 Seal wrapped trays with steriliser indicator tape as required in accordance with current Australian/New Zealand Standards and workplace protocols

4.1 Operate the steriliser safely and in accordance with manufacturer instructions, legislative guidelines and workplace protocols
4.2 Monitor each sterilising cycle and record the details as specified in current Australian/New Zealand Standards
4.3 Maintain records for each sterilising cycle as required in accordance with current Australian/New Zealand Standards and workplace protocols
4.4 Unload the steriliser on the completion of the drying cycle to ensure sterility of items
4.5 Follow criteria for release of processed items as specified in current Australian/New Zealand Standards
4.6 Store sterile packs to maintain sterility in accordance with workplace protocols

5.1 Clean and check sterilisers routinely as required in accordance with current Australian/New Zealand Standards and workplace protocols
5.2 Follow the preventive maintenance program as established by the workplace in conjunction with manufacturer or maintenance contractor
5.3 Monitor the sterilising cycles at the intervals specified in current Australian/New Zealand Standards


Details of Learning Activities

A combination of learning activities will support student’s learning in this unit, such as

  • Facilitator led classroom based lecture and or workshop using PowerPoint Presentations
  • Demonstration and classroom discussion
  • Facilitator led practical clinical demonstration
  • Group discussions
  • Participation in group activities based on simulated workplace exercises
  • Online learning resources accessed via myRMIT Studies (BlackBoard)
    including online tests or quizzes
  • Practical clinical practice, peer evaluation/feedback session
  • Written classroom tasks
  • Self managed research to support completion of project.    


Teaching Schedule


This unit  is scheduled for delivery for both Trainee Groups and Non Trainee Groups as per the timetable issued on Phase 1 Day 1
as is also located on Blackboard. The classes will be delivered over Phases 2 and 3 of the program on level 3 or 2 of Building
154 (within the Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne). Notification will be provided via student email if the date or location
change.

The following scheduled per timetable issued on Phase 1 Day1 and is provided on BlackBoard (subject to change at the
discretion of RMIT, in this event notification will be provided to your student email.

Phase 2 Topics:

Theory classes:

  • WHS issues for reprocessing instruments,
  • The difference between sterilization & disinfection
  • The steps of successful reprocessing of instruments (Prepare to clean used items, Cleaning and drying of used items,
    Preparation and packing of items, Sterilisation, Storage)
  • Operation & management of an ultrasonic cleaning unit, types and cycles of steam sterilizers
  • Wet load management
  • Maintenance of sterilizing equipment + Record keeping
  • Chemical indicators

Practical classes
Practcial classes  will be delivered in the Infection Control Room at RMIT where the teacher will provide demonstration
and assistance as you practice on the following:

  • Performance testing of class B steam sterilizer cycles
  • The use of different chemical indicators
  • The steps of successful reprocessing of instruments,
  • Load release,
  • Tracking of instruments,
  • Steam sterilizer maintenance.

Phase 3 Topics:

  • Simulated clinical assessment (half hour).
  • Written assessment one hour.
     


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts

Bird. D. & Robinson D (2014) Torres & Ehrlich Modern Dental Assisting, 11th Ed. W.B.
ADA Guidelines for Infection Control second edition, 2012


References


Other Resources


Students will be expected to utilise a range of recent and appropriate library, electronic, text and other resources.
Students will be provided with resources and tools for learning in this course through myRMIT Studies (BlackBoard).

RMIT provides all students with an extension range of online and campus based study support services ranging from:


Overview of Assessment

Assessment will include demonstration of underpinning skills and knowledge, assessment activities may include quizzes, project work, demonstration of skills through practical observation (simulated/workplace environment) and written work.


Assessment Tasks

 

1.  Simulated clinical assessment (Phase 3 as per timetable) 
 To undertake a practical clinical assessment (simulation), students MUST present for the assessment process as follows:

  • Appropriate clinical attire (no shorts,  jeans or tracksuit pants, no bare midriff, no singlet tops).
  • Footwear fully covered in leather/vinyl (not suede).
  • Hair is to be contained by tying back or in appropriate hair cover.
  • Fingernails must be short and clean and no nail varnish to be worn.
  • No artificial fingernails are to be worn
  • The wearing of henna is acceptable.
  • No jewellery to be worn on the hands or wrists. Wedding rings or jewellery that cannot be removed for
    cultural reasons must be taped with an appropriate waterproof tape.
  • All cuts/ skin abrasions on the hands or wrists must be covered with a waterproof dressing

A student that is non-compliant with any of the above requirements will not be permitted to undertake practical assessment
at the scheduled time. The student will be rescheduled to undertake the assessment at a later date.

You will attempt the practical assessment under supervision of the teacher and you will be graded a either a S (Satisfactory) or NYS
(Not yet satisfactory) according to the assessment guidelines outlines in the HLTIN302C Process Reusable Instrument and Equipment
Assessment Overview.
 

2. Written Test Phase 3 as per timetable
The theory test will be conducted at RMIT under exam conditions.


3. HLTIN302C Process Reusable Instruments and Equipment in Health Project Phase 3 as per timetable.
The Process reusable instruments and equipment in health Project is issued on Phase 2, students research
and complete the project which is comprises of short answers and collation of resources. This project is submitted on Phase 3 Day 4 as per timetable.


Assessment Matrix

   
To achieve a grade of CA (Competency achieved) for the unit HLTIN302C/HWSS5711C Process reusable instruments and equipment in health
work, you are required to obtain a pass result for all the following theoretical and practical assessments.

1. Simulated clinical assessment (Phase 3 as per timetable)  

2. Written Test Phase 3 as per timetable
The theory test will be conducted under the supervision at RMIT and is a combination of multiple choice questions, true and false
questions and short answer. A final mark of 60% is required for a pass. 

3. HLTIN302C Process reusable instruments and equipment in health Project (Phase 3 as per timetable)

Failure to complete any of the above listed tasks/assessments will result in an NYC (Not yet competent) for the unit HLTIN302C
Process reusable instruments and equipment in health work. A NYC result will be entered in the student record. This will result in
non-completion of this unit of competence and re-enrolment will be required incurring fees and a return to class work and completion
of any relevant assessments at the time of the re-enrolment.

(The Assessment process must be finalised and a result entered by the end of the RMIT enrolment for the unit HLTIN302C/HWSS5711C
Process reusable instruments in health work). 

Other Information

 
 Plagiarism
RMIT University requires that you present only YOUR work for assessment. Plagiarism is a form of cheating.
It is the presentation of the work or idea of another person. Plagiarism is NOT acceptable. Penalties can
include charges of academic misconduct, cancellation of results and exclusion from your course.
Please note: It is also a disciplinary offence to allow your work to be plagiarised by another student. When signing the
coversheet (electronic or paper based), you are declaring that the work is not plagiarised.

Special consideration
Please note: Students may apply for Special Consideration as per the information via the RMIT website
http://www1.rmit.edu.au/students/specialconsideration  if they believe that to complete assessment for this unit by the
submission date has been affected by factors beyond their control. Special consideration must be lodged prior
to or within 48 hours of the scheduled assessment time or assessment submission date.
The application for Special Consideration is NOT granted automatically on application.


RMIT assessment policies - RMIT University:http://www1.rmit.edu.au/students/assessment  

Assessment Appeal Process
The Appeals Against Assessment policy and procedure applies to all coursework programs in all careers. The appeal process is
staged and students are required to follow each stage in order to ensure their full entitlement to
appeal, this is available on http://www.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=nwjxaifdrgle (unresolved) 

 

Course Overview: Access Course Overview