Certificate IV in Aged Care

Course overview

This course is for people who work or who want to work in aged care work within a residential facility or have prior experience in aged care work who want to develop their knowledge and skills in this area. It does not
qualify you to provide direct care services to clients. For this, you should complete CHC30208 Certificate III in Aged Care (18167) or CHC30308 Certificate III in Home and Community Care (18169).

When you finish this course you will be able to work independently and undertake team leadership within aged care residential and centre-based services. 

Specifically, you will learn how to assess the service needs of older people with complex needs, plan and monitor service delivery, undertake relevant administrative work, plan and conduct group activities, implement and monitor OH&S policies and procedures, conduct recreation programs for older people and organise an effective work environment.

ENROLLING IN FIRST AID UNITS OF COMPETENCY

If you are seeking to enrol in a First Aid unit of competency such as HLTFA301B Apply first aid, you are advised that to complete the unit you must be able to perform basic life support skills, for example control bleeding and perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). If you have a disability that would prevent you from performing required basic life support skills you are advised that you will not be able to achieve the unit of competency.

REQUIREMENTS AND ADVICE FOR STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN WORK PLACEMENT

Some or all of the following advice will apply to you, depending on your course and the type of organisation where you will be undertaking work placement.

NSW HEALTH WORK PLACEMENT REQUIREMENTS AND ADVICE

National Criminal Record Check Before you undertake clinical work placement in a NSW Health facility you will be required to undertake a Criminal Record Check (CRC) to obtain a National Police Certificate, either through a state or territory police service or through the Australian Federal Police. If you have any criminal records, you will be subject to a risk assessment and must obtain an authority to undertake clinical placements from the Department of Health, Corporate Governance and Risk Management Branch.

You will only be exempt from undertaking a CRC if you are under 18 years of age at the commencement of your course.

NSW Health Student Undertaking

In addition, you will be required to sign the NSW Health Student Undertaking, agreeing to notify NSW Health if you are charged or convicted of any criminal offence after the date of issue of your National Police Certificate or during the completion of your course.

Volunteer/Student Declaration

Before commencing each clinical work placement in a NSW Health facility you will be required to sign and provide a NSW Commission for Children and Young People Volunteer/Student Declaration. This form declares that you are not prohibited from working with children and young people.

Occupational Assessment, Screening and Vaccination against Infectious Disease NSW Health also requires students to undertake Occupational Assessment, Screening and Vaccination against Infectious Diseases. Before commencing work placement you will have to provide NSW Health with your Health Care Worker/Student Vaccination Record Card.

Please note that these requirements may take several months to complete and you will be required to pay for your Criminal Record Check screening and any necessary immunisations.

NSW Health Code of Conduct Finally, before you undertake clinical work placement in a NSW Health facility, you will be given the NSW Health Code of Conduct and be required to sign a form stating that you have read and understood it.

For more information visit the NSW Health website at: http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/ and type 'clinical placement' in search area.

AGED CARE WORK PLACEMENT REQUIREMENTS AND ADVICE

National Criminal Record Check

Before you undertake a work placement in a federally funded Aged Care Facility (or NSW Health facility) you will be required to undertake a Criminal Record Check (CRC) to obtain a National Police Certificate, either through a state or territory police service or through the Australian Federal Police.

Anyone whose Police Certificate shows that they have been convicted of murder or sexual assault, or convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for any other form of assault, is not permitted to work within an aged care service if they are reasonably likely to have access to care recipients. For all other types of convictions and work roles, it is up to approved providers to determine whether the individual is suitable to be hired or to continue in their current roles.

Students will only be exempt from undertaking a CRC if they are under the age of 16 or full-time students under the age of 18 years.

Please note that these requirements may take several months to complete and you will be required to pay for your Criminal Record Check screening and any necessary immunisations.

For more information visit the Department of Health and Ageing website at: http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/Home

COMMUNITY AND CHILDREN'S SERVICES WORK PLACEMENT REQUIREMENTS AND ADVICE

Volunteer/Student Declaration

Before commencing each work placement where you will come into contact with children, you will be required to sign and provide a NSW Commission for Children and Young People Volunteer/Student Declaration. This form declares that you are not prohibited from working with children and young people.

NSW Working with Children Check

Depending on the organisation's work placement policy and procedures, you may also be required to complete a NSW Working with Children Check.

For more information visit the NSW Commission for Children and Young People website at: http://www.kids.nsw.gov.au/

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES IN WORK PLACEMENT

To help you understand your responsibilities in the workplace, you will be given a Student Code of Conduct which indicates expected standards of behaviour in the workplace. Students who have committed a breach of discipline or who are assessed as presenting a significant risk to themselves or others during work placement may be prevented from undertaking or continuing work placement. This may mean they will not complete the course. If you require any further information talk to your teacher.

STUDENT READINESS FOR WORK PLACEMENT

Generally, work placements will only occur after there has been a reasonable amount of student/teacher contact. Wherever possible, an assessment event will be undertaken by students to determine work placement readiness. Based on the evidence provided, the teacher will form a judgement as to the student's readiness to benefit from workplace learning and perform workplace duties with:

the required level of expertise

due regard to ethical conduct

avoidance of behaviour posing an unacceptable level of risk to themselves, workplace employer/employees or clients/customers, including those in vulnerable circumstances.

If you require any further information about any work placement requirements, talk to your teacher.

Student Responsibilities in Work Placement

In many TAFE NSW courses, some of the learning and assessment occurs in the workplace or a simulated workplace. A simulated workplace is very similar to a real workplace and may have clients, but is usually within a TAFE NSW campus.

TAFE NSW has a responsibility to protect members of the public (and the students themselves) from being harmed by students taking part in workplace or simulated workplace learning. If there is evidence that your skills or behaviour could present a risk to yourself or other people in the workplace, you may not be allowed to participate in a work placement, at least for a period of time.

To help you understand your responsibilities in the workplace, you will be given a code of practice which indicates expected standards of behaviour. Your teacher will explain to you and your workplace supervisor the range of duties for which you have the skills and knowledge. You must not carry out duties other than those indicated by your teacher.

You need to take particular care if workplace clients are people who may be in vulnerable circumstances - for example, people who are frail, children, young people, people with a disability or people who are receiving a type of service which may put them in vulnerable circumstances (for example, massage therapy or nursing care).

A NSW Commission for Children and Young People Volunteer/Student Declaration must be signed by students in courses where contact will be made with children and young people. This form declares that the student is not prohibited from working with children and young people. In some circumstances students may be required to undertake a criminal records check or a Working with Children Check. Your teacher will give you more information about this.

Students who have committed a breach of discipline or who are assessed as presenting a significant risk to themselves or others during work placement may be prevented from undertaking or continuing further work placement. This may mean they will not complete the course.

Your teacher or an enrolling officer can provide you with more information about this policy. If you are unsure about whether it may prevent you from completing a course you could discuss the matter with a staff member of TAFE NSW Counselling and Career Services.

course structure

The course structure below shows what you must do to complete this course. units/modules are arranged in groups and sometimes also in subgroups.

You must complete each group as specified as well as following the course completion instructions. If a course contains optional groups there will be a statement at the top of the course indicating how many you must do. At the top of any group containing optional subgroups there will be a statement saying how many you must do.

Course contents

Online Study Option

A total of 15 units must be completed - 10 core units plus 5 elective units.

CORE UNITS

All 10 module/units must be completed

Modules/Units	Name
CHCAC412A	Provide services to older people with complex needs
CHCAC416A	Facilitate support responsive to the specific nature of dementia
CHCAC417A	Implement interventions with older people at risk of falls
CHCAD401D	Advocate for clients
CHCCS400B	Work within a relevant legal and ethical framework
CHCICS401A	Facilitate support for personal care needs
CHCICS402A	Facilitate individualised plans
CHCINF403D	Coordinate information systems
CHCNET404A	Facilitate links with other services
CHCORG406B	Supervise work

ELECTIVES UNITS

Please note: Students will need to have undertaken or arrange to undertake the elective module/unit HLTFA301C - Applied First Aid  through a registered training organisation or training program, as only recognition of prior learning can/will be offered for this unit for online study.

At least 5 module/units must be completed

Modules/Units	Name
HLTFA301C	Apply first aid
HLTHIR403C	Work effectively with culturally diverse clients and co-workers
CHCAC410A	Collect technical data to support client health care plan
CHCICS408A	Provide support to people with chronic disease
CHCCS305B	Assist clients with medication
CHCCS424A	Administer and monitor medications

Career Opportunities

Care team leader, day activity worker, accommodation support worker, hostel supervisor, care supervisor, personal care worker.

Entry Requirements

NSW School Certificate or equivalent AND recognised as competent either by a training program or recognition process, against the following compulsory units from CHC30208 Certificate III in Aged Care (or equivalent):

CHCAC318A Work effectively with older people

CHCAC319A Provide support to people living with dementia

CHCCS411A Work effectively in the community sector

CHCICS303A Support individual health and emotional well being

CHCPA301B Deliver care services using a palliative approach

HLTAP301A Recognise healthy body systems in a health care context

Articulation

When you finish this course you can apply for advanced standing in a range of community service sectors including community and welfare services, aged care, disability services, leisure, and health.

Sub courses
Work effectively in the community sector	CHCCS411A
Work effectively with culturally diverse clients and co-workers	HLTHIR403B
Work effectively with older people	CHCAC318A
Provide support to people living with dementia	CHCAC319A
Provide services to older people with complex needs	CHCAC412A
Facilitate support responsive to the specific nature of dementia	CHCAC416A
Implement interventions with older people at risk of falls	CHCAC417A
Advocate for clients	CHCAD401D
Work within a relevant legal and ethical framework	CHCCS400A
Support individual health and emotional well being	CHCICS303A
Facilitate support for personal care needs	CHCICS401A
Facilitate individualised plans	CHCICS402A
Coordinate information systems	CHCINF403C
Facilitate links with other services	CHCNET404A
Supervise work	CHCORG406A
Deliver care services using a palliative approach	CHCPA301B
Recognise healthy body systems in a health care context	HLTAP301A
Apply first aid	HLTFA301B
Collect technical data to support client health care plan	CHCAC410A
Provide support to people with chronic disease	CHCICS408A
Assist clients with medication	CHCCS305B
Administer and monitor medications	CHCCS424A