Inherent requirements – Bachelor of Dermal Sciences

This relates to the understanding and ability to comply with Australian and Victorian law and professional accreditation regulations. Examples include:

• Child protection and safety legislation (including the ability to pass a Working with Children Check) 
• Criminal History / Police Checks 
• Occupational health and safety 
• Anti-discrimination legislation.

Rationale

Knowledge, understanding, and compliance with legislative and regulatory requirements are necessary in order to reduce the risk of harm to self and others in clinical and related settings; compliance with these professional regulations and the Australian Law ensures students are both responsible and accountable for their practice.

Examples

Respond to the AHPRA Guidelines for medical practitioners who perform cosmetic surgery and procedures: https://www.ahpra.gov.au/Resources/Cosmetic-surgery-hub/Information-for…;

Comply with relevant legislation including child protection and safety, work health and safety, and anti-discrimination legislation. For examples of applicable Australian Federal legislations visit https://www.comlaw.gov.au/

This relates to the student's ability to understand and adhere to standards, codes, guidelines and policies that facilitates safe, competent interactions and relationships for students and the people they engage with. 

Examples include: 

• Complying with academic and non-academic conduct codes and policies, including academic integrity policies 
• Understanding and complying with professional standards, codes of practice, and guidelines.

Rationale

Compliance with standards, codes, guidelines and policies that facilitates safe, competent interactions and relationships for students and the people they engage with in the many environments of practice is required for the physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual well-being of all.

Examples

Comply with academic and non-academic conduct codes and policies and professional standards.

Code of Ethical Practice and Standards of Practice: https://www.dermalclinicians.com.au/guidance-for-dermalhealth-professionals 

Identify and enact relevant applications of these codes and standards, including those relating to academic integrity, informed consent, privacy, confidentiality, and equitable and respectful behaviour in academic and clinical settings.

Where relevant, this relates to considerations of current scope of practice, workplace health and safety, and any other matter related to safety. 

Examples include: 

• Ability to understand and comply with all relevant workplace health and safety policies and practices 
• Ability to identify and respond to alarm systems 
• Ability to understand and demonstrate compliance with current scope of practice 
• Ability to manage one's own health in a manner that promotes the ability to fulfil the requirements of study, placements, and the role/s for which the study typically equips the graduate.

Rationale

Compliance with current scope of practice, workplace health and safety, infection control considerations and effective and timely response to alarm systems are required to provide safe environments for students, staff and others.

Examples

Limit task performance to current scope of practice as a dermal student within the course.

Capability to complete fundamental tasks of a dermal clinician related to scope of practice including skin assessment, treatment planning and delivery, effective patient/client communication, clinical decision making, clinical note taking and record keeping.

Comply with relevant workplace health & safety policies for product and equipment use, processing and storage.

Comply with relevant Australian Standards for the safe use of lasers and intense light sources.

Work safely with patients/clients with infectious diseases and with reduced immunity.

Be able to respond to adverse clinical events following risk management protocols.

Be able to respond to alarm systems to maintain safety and/or effective health management for self and patients/clients. 

Management of one's own time and health to allow for fulfilment of all requirements related to study, placements, and activities underpinning the development of graduate capabilities.

This relates to the student's capacity for knowledge acquisition, utilisation and retention. It also includes metacognitive capacity such as awareness of one's own thinking, and the ability to reflect, evaluate, adapt and implement new cognitive strategies. 

Examples include: 

• Focus, memory, attention to detail, theoretical deliberation, and practical functioning sufficient to meet the course objectives 
• Ability to reflect and take personal responsibility 
• Ability to apply knowledge in practical and theoretical assessment settings. 

Cognition - knowledge & cognitive

Knowledge acquisition, utilisation and retention spanning and drawing together all coursework subjects. Cognitive skills for focus, memory, attention to detail, theoretical deliberation, and practical functioning.

Rationale

Understanding and retention of coursework information and the effective processing of this information is required for appropriate, safe and effective delivery of care/practice.

Examples

Prioritise patient/client safety and effective healthcare provision by appropriately applying knowledge of theory, research evidence, policies and procedures in the clinical environment.

Conceptualise and effectively apply knowledge and capabilities developed from theoretical and practical content and apply this within the context of individual assessment tasks.

Appropriately adapt to patient/client responses to assessments and interventions to individualise and enhance patient/client care.

Translate concepts and practical capabilities from the academic setting to professional clinical settings.

Cognition - metacognition

Awareness of own thinking, and skills to reflect, evaluate, adapt and implement new cognitive strategies for improved learning.

Rationale

Understanding and ongoing learning about oneself as an instrument in patient/client care is required for safe and effective delivery of practice.

Examples

Participate in self and peer reflective activities to interrogate actions, values and behaviours for self-improvement. 

Understand and apply individualised active learning strategies to optimise one's own learning in both academic and professional settings.

Review the outcome of treatment for a patient's/client's presenting concern and then adapt own knowledge for future clinical decisions.

Review and reflect on personal responses and cultural paradigms around patient/client care challenges, and develop safe, effective and professional patient/client care approaches.

Manage and proactively learn from academic and practicum challenges by self-reflection and evaluation.

Reflect on the options, ethical implications, and impact for all the stakeholders in patient/client care decisions.

Be aware of, and take responsibility for, own personal role as a dermal student in professional practice environments.

This includes both writing and reading, and is also linked to English language proficiency (literacy requirements are always established in terms of English). NB: For VE, literacy requirements are based on the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF). 

Examples include: 

• Capacity to comprehend, summarise and reference a range of literature in accordance with appropriate academic conventions in written assignments 
• Producing clear, accurate documentation relating to practical tasks

Rationale

Patient/client care information can be delivered by many different modes and competent literacy skills for these are essential to provide appropriate, safe and effective delivery of care/practice.

Examples

Comprehend, summarise and reference a range of literature in accordance with appropriate academic conventions in written assignments

Interpret written and spoken language to enact verbal directions or document patient/client care plans

Produce accurate, concise and clear dermal documentation which meets legal requirements.

This includes any form of numeracy required to complete the course successfully. For many courses, this will be basic functional numeracy. NB: For VE, numeracy requirements are based on the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF). 

Examples include: 

• Competent reasoning and reliable accuracy with numerical concepts 
• Ability to perform basic mathematical tasks

Rationale

Competent reasoning and reliable accuracy with numerical concepts are essential for safe and effective care/practice.

Examples

Accurately record measurements and treatment parameters in patient/client notes

Calculate and apply parameters for treatment in a time-constrained environment.

This includes verbal, non-verbal and written communication. 

Examples include: 

• Verbal communication in English to a standard that allows fluid, clear, and comprehensible two-way discussions 
• Ability to recognise, interpret and respond to non-verbal cues, to communicate with congruent and respectful non-verbal behaviour, and to be sensitive to individual and/or cultural variations in non-verbal communication 
• Ability to produce English text to the expected standard (NB: This is a skill that may be developed throughout a course, and should be identified as such in any inherent requirements statement).

Communication - verbal

Verbal communication in English to a standard that allows fluid, clear, and comprehensible two-way discussions, tailored to the local English-speaking audiences.

Rationale

Effective verbal communication, in English, with patients/clients and University and clinical staff is required for effective learning and to provide safe and effective delivery of care/practice.

Examples

Convey spoken messages clearly, accurately and effectively in a professional/clinical situation.

Understand and respond to verbal communication accurately and appropriately in a time-constrained environment during patient/client consultation and treatment.

Build rapport with patients/clients to encourage full disclosure of relevant medical and psychosocial information to ensure the safe provision of skin health education and services

Present information to, and engage in developing discussions with, a wide audience, including academic and professional/clinical presentations.

Communication - non-verbal

Non-verbal communication skills that enable respectful communication with others.

Rationale

The ability to recognise, interpret and respond to non-verbal cues, to communicate with congruent and respectful non-verbal behaviour, and to be sensitive to individual and/or cultural variations in non-verbal communication is essential for safe and effective care.

Examples

Recognise cues in a client's/patient’s facial expression, appearance, behaviour, posture, or movement.

Empathetically communicate with clients/patients, incorporating non-verbal behaviour that matches the nature of the information.

Recognise and adjust to differing touch preferences of patients/clients.

Communication - written 

Ability to produce English text to a standard that provides clear and professional-level communication, with language usage and style tailored to the targeted recipients.

Rationale

Effective communication in English text is required to demonstrate applied skills in academic writing conventions and in sustained and organised academic argument and provide safe and effective delivery of care/practice.

Examples

Communicate complex academic and clinical perspectives in writing.

Summarise and appropriately reference a range of literature in written assignments.

Use precise and appropriate language to contribute to both handwritten and electronic patient/client records in a time-constrained environment.

Complete dermal documentation and create patient/client care plans that meet professional standards.

This includes visual, auditory and tactile capacity. NB: Care must be taken to not prescribe any sensory ability as an inherent requirement if the student might be able to achieve the desired result with the use of one or more adjustments. 

Examples include: 

• Ability to interact with visual inputs sufficiently to manage learning environments
• Ability to interact with auditory inputs sufficiently to manage learning environments
• Ability to respond to tactile input and provide appropriate tactile interaction. 

Sensory ability - visual

Ability to interact with visual inputs sufficiently to manage learning environments.

Rationale

Ability to interact with visual inputs sufficiently to manage learning environments. Elements in the working and learning environment are delivered by visual means, and the ability to learn from or respond to these inputs is required to provide safe and effective practice.

Examples

Process visual information necessary for accurate assessment of patients/clients which informs appropriate intervention.

Observe and detect subtle changes in a patient's/client's response to therapeutic procedures e.g. skin colour and/or appearance.

Sensory ability - auditory

Ability to interact with auditory inputs sufficiently to manage learning environments.

Rationale

Elements in the learning and working environments are delivered by auditory means, and the ability to learn from or respond to these inputs is required to provide safe and effective practice.

Examples

Detect and discriminate alarms, emergency calls over PA systems, and urgent verbal information for patient/client care • Follow developing discussions with colleagues for patient/client care decisions. 

Sensory ability - tactile 

Ability to respond to tactile input and provide tactile interaction.

Rationale

Elements in the learning and working environment are detected and measured by tactile means, and the ability to learn from or respond to these inputs is required to provide safe and effective practice. The appropriate use of touch as a part of effective patient/client care is also required.

Examples

Using touch to conduct a physical skin assessment.

Provide patient/client care through appropriate touch.

This includes both gross and fine motor ability. NB: Care must be taken to not prescribe any motor ability as an inherent requirement if the student might be able to achieve the desired result with the use of one or more adjustments. 

Examples include:

• Strength, range of motion, coordination and mobility sufficient to meet the requirements of the study, including placements included in the course
• Manual dexterity and fine motor skills sufficient to meet the requirements of the study, including placements included in the course Motor ability - gross: Strength, range of motion, coordination and mobility.

Rationale

A wide range of physical patient/client care actions in a time-constrained environment is required to provide safe and effective practice.

Examples

Move readily around patients/clients, between work areas and patients/clients, and around varying surfaces and levels, to complete tasks within time-frames.

Access bedside equipment and work across patients/clients without contaminating surfaces.

Manipulate and maintain use of laser and light based devices and accessory equipment during the provision of treatments 

Motor ability - fine 

Manual dexterity and fine motor skills.

Rationale

A wide range of fine-motor manual tasks in a time-constrained environment are required to provide safe and effective practice.

Examples

Perform the insertion of fine needles required for electrolysis and diathermy treatments.

Open sterile packaging without contaminating contents.

Contribute to both handwritten and electronic medical records 

This includes a person's ability to sustain their performance in a given activity or series of activities over time. Care must be taken to not prescribe sustained performance in a way that allows no room for temporary changes to performance levels due to illness or other factors. 

Examples include: 

• Ability to sustain a working posture, associated manual tasks, cognitive engagement, performance level and emotional control for the full duration of any task required as part of the course or any placement

Rationale

A range of complex, multi-component or extended patient/client care tasks carried out over a period of time and in a time-constrained environments is required to provide safe and effective practice.

Examples

Sustain study practices and clinical performance to sufficiently engage with the learning workload for a study period, and for the degree, within a constrained time-frame.

Maintaining appropriate time management to provide healthcare services to the expected number of patients/clients in a given time frame.

Sustain a working posture, associated manual tasks, cognitive engagement, performance level and emotional control for the full duration of a client care process e.g. full leg hair reduction treatment using a laser or light based device and plume extraction device; scar reduction therapies for a burn patient/client.

Sustain performance for durations that are manageable within overall shift- planning for patient/client care.

This includes the personal flexibility and resilience required to adapt behaviour to different situations, even when they are stressful or difficult. NB: Care must be taken to allow room in the inherent requirements for the individual to demonstrate behavioural adaptability through withdrawing from activities for a time to undertake medical interventions and self-care measures. 

Examples include: 

• Ability to adjust ways of working to work within teams of varied personal and professional backgrounds
• Being receptive and responding appropriately to constructive feedback
• Maintaining respectful communication practices in times of increased stressors or workloads
• Adjusting to changing circumstances in a way that allows self-care.

Rationale

Behavioural adaptation is required to manage personal emotional responses as an individual and within teams in changing and unpredictable environments, including emergency situations and times of human distress. 

Students will also be required to adapt their behaviour appropriately during times of additional stressors in their own lives, whether this adaptation involves ways of continuing to engage with their role or withdrawing for self-care for a period.

Examples

Adjust ways of working within teams of varied personal and professional backgrounds and clinical opinions to facilitate effective patient/client decisions.

Cope with own emotions and behaviour effectively when dealing with changing responses of individuals and families in the clinical setting.

Be receptive and respond appropriately to constructive feedback.

Maintain respectful communication practices in times of increased stressors or workloads.

Adjust to changing circumstances in a way that allows self-care while maintaining a professional-level focus on the patient/client.