Course Title: Apply quality system and continuous improvement processes

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term2 2015

Course Code: MIET6280C

Course Title: Apply quality system and continuous improvement processes

School: 155T Vocational Health and Sciences

Campus: City Campus

Program: C5283 - Diploma of Laboratory Technology (Pathology Testing)

Course Contact: Namrita Kaul

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 4309

Course Contact Email: namrita.kaul@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Namrita Kaul

Tel No: 99254309

namrita.kadalbajoo@rmit.edu.au

Nominal Hours: 80

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

Completion of 1st year courses

Course Description

This unit of competency covers the exercise of good laboratory practice and effective participation in quality improvement teams. Personnel are required to ensure the quality and integrity of their own work and detect non-conformances and work with others to suggest improvements in productivity and quality.


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

MSL934002A Apply quality system and continuous improvement processes

Element:

1. Satisfy quality system requirements in daily work
 

Performance Criteria:

1.1. Access information on quality system requirements for own job function
1.2. Record and report quality control data in accordance with quality system
1.3. Follow quality control procedures to ensure products, or data, are of a defined quality as an aid to acceptance or rejection
1.4. Recognise and report non-conformances or problems
1.5. Conduct work in accordance with sustainable energy work practices
1.6. Promote sustainable energy principles and work practices to other workers
 

Element:

2. Analyse opportunities for corrective and/or optimisation action
 

Performance Criteria:

2.1. Compare current work practices, procedures and process or equipment performance with requirements and/or historical data or records
2.2. Recognise variances that indicate abnormal or sub-optimal performance
2.3. Collect and/or evaluate batch and/or historical records to determine possible causes for sub-optimal performance
2.4. Use appropriate quality improvement techniques to rank the probabilities of possible causes
 

Element:

3. Recommend corrective and/or optimisation actions
 

Performance Criteria:

3.1. Analyse causes to predict likely impacts of changes and decide on the appropriate actions
3.2. Identify required changes to standards and procedures and training
3.3. Report recommendations to designated personnel
 

Element:

4. Participate in the implementation of recommended actions
 

Performance Criteria:

4.1. Implement approved actions and monitor performance following changes to evaluate results
4.2. Implement changes to systems and procedures to eliminate possible causes
4.3. Document outcomes of actions and communicate them to relevant personnel
 

Element:

5. Participate in the development of continuous improvement strategies
 

Performance Criteria:

5.1. Review all relevant features of work practice to identify possible contributing factors leading to sub-optimal performance
5.2. Identify options for removing or controlling the risk of sub-optimal performance
5.3. Assess the adequacy of current controls, quality methods and systems
5.4. Identify opportunities to continuously improve performance
5.5. Develop recommendations for continual improvements of work practices, methods, procedures and equipment effectiveness
5.6. Consult with appropriate personnel to refine recommendations before implementation of approved improvement strategies
5.7. Document outcomes of strategies and communicate them to relevant personnel
 

Learning Outcomes


Outlined in the competencies


Details of Learning Activities

• Online learning material
• Online learning activities
• Online assessment tasks/quizzes
 

Class room activities/peer group learning through discussion board (myRMIT Studies)


Teaching Schedule

Date(week starting)

 

    
6th July 13th July
 

Standards, codes, procedures and/or enterprise requirements:
AS ISO 17025-2005
General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories
AS/NZS ISO 10005:2006 Quality Management Systems – guidelines for Quality plans
NATA
NHRMC Guidelines
AS/NZS ISO 10012:2004 Measurement management systems – requirements for measuring processes and equipment
TGA, GLP

Visit various websites:
complete activities, checklists based on conducting and completing research in these websites
 

  

20 and 27 July

 NATA and its responsibility in
Accreditation of laboratories, inspection bodies, calibration services, producers of certified reference materials and proficiency testing scheme providers throughout Australia. It is also Australia’s compliance monitoring authority for the OECD Principles of GLP.
Using checklists to monitor job progress against time, cost and quality standards
Use of inspection and test plans to check compliance

Understanding NATA, TGA and OECD, their role in labs in australia 

  

3rd August 

 

 Basic Descriptive Stats,
Sampling procedures
Review of basic stats
Complete activities based on basic stats
Sampling procedures
 		  

10th and 17th August

 Root Cause Analysis
Implementing preventive strategies
Identifying and rectifying a problem

 ( 24th August is mid semester exam week and 31st August is Student Vacation week) No mid semester exam for this course		  

 7th Sept 14th Sept and 21st Sept


 

 Histograms, Scatterplot, control charts, Ishikawa diagram, Pareto Chart,  
28th Sept Sustainable energy principles
 		  
5th, 12th and 19th Oct

 

Data entry, brief reports, maintaining communication/line of communication within the organisation and outside organisation

Revision
 

  
26th Oct Exam - End sem  


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts

Online resources will be provided during the semester


References

Class room handouts and online resources will be provided throughout the semester.


Other Resources


Overview of Assessment

The participant must demonstrate an understanding of all elements of a particular competency to be deemed competent. Assessment methods have been designed to measure achievement of each competency in a flexible manner over a range of assessment tasks.

Assessment will incorporate a variety of methods including technical requirements documentation, in class exercises, quizzes, and presentations. Participants are advised that they are likely to be asked to personally demonstrate their assessment work to their teacher to ensure that the relevant competency standards are being met.
 


Assessment Tasks

 

 

Task 1
Quiz 1  In- class:  Using websites to understand how to follow enterprise procedures for documenting and reporting information about quality
Quiz 2 In- class: Role of laboratory services, Quality control procedures including standards imposed by regulatory and licensing bodies
Quiz 3 In- class: Conducting Statistical Analysis including Minitab assessment
To be satisfactory in Task 1, you are required to successfully complete all the three quizzes.


Task 2 (Participation in Discussion Board/Forum)
Thread 1  - Based on:  Various Organisations and their role in maintaining Quality in labs
Thread 2  - Based on: To analyse opportunities for Corrective and/or optimisation action
Thread 3  - Based on Recommend corrective action and or optimisation actions
Thread 4  - Based on - Participate in the development of continuous improvement strategies
Project: In class presentation - Based on: Work in accordance with sustainable energy work practices and promote sustainable energy principles and work practices to other workers
To be satisfactory in Task 2, you are required to participate successfully in all the four Discussion Forums and the Project

Task 3 End Semester Exam 

Task 1: 30%, Task 2(Discussion Board): 20%, Project: 20%, End semester exam: 30%

Dates for these tasks will be provided on Blackboard(myRMIT)


Assessment Matrix

Other Information

Assessment Information

This course is graded in accordance with competency-based assessment, but which also utilise graded assessment
CHD Competent with High Distinction (80 – 100%)
CDI Competent with Distinction (70 – 79%)
CC Competent with Credit (60 – 69%)
CAG Competency Achieved – Graded (50 – 59%)
NYC Not Yet Competent
DNS Did Not Submit for assessment

• To pass the course you need to pass, on average, each type of assessment (exams and assignments etc.) For example, if there are two exams you need to have an average of 50% to pass and you also need to have passed the other assessment types. You can’t make up marks from one type of assessment to another (e.g. pass the exams but fail the assignment component).


• Late work that is submitted without an application for an extension (see below) will not be corrected.


• APPLICATION FOR EXTENSION OF TIME FOR SUBMISSION OF ASSESSABLE WORK - A student may apply for an extension of up to 7 days from the original due date. They must lodge the application form (available onlinehttp://www1.rmit.edu.au/students/assessment/extension) at least 24 hours before the due date. The application is lodged with the School Admin Office on Level 6, Bdg 51. Students requiring longer extensions must apply for SPECIAL CONSIDERATION.


• For missed assessments such as exams- you (& your doctor if you are sick) must fill out a special consideration form. This form must be lodged online with supporting evidence prior to, or within, 48 hours of the scheduled time of examination http://www1.rmit.edu.au/students/specialconsideration 

Course Overview: Access Course Overview