K/618/4170 ATHE Level 3 Unit 4 Assignment: Working in Health and Social Care Question

K/618/4170 ATHE Level 3 Unit 4 Assignment:

There are fundamental, essential principles that underpin the work of all health and social care practitioners and it is vital that workers understand and know how to apply these aspects which are key to service provision. For example, person centred practice, effective communication and safeguarding and protection.

The Study Skills used, developed and assessed through this assignment are as follows:

• Critical thinking
• Planning, organising and time management
• Research
• Gathering information, note taking and summarising
• Analysis
• Written skills
• Academic skills, including referencing
• Application of IT skills
• Reflection

Task 1

For this task, you are applying for a role within a local health and social care organisation. You are required to prepare a training resource for the interview which includes the following:

• A definition of person centred practice.
• An analysis of how person centred ways of working contribute to continuity of care.
• A description of the role of safeguarding and protection in person centred practice.
• An explanation of the benefits of positive risk taking for individuals accessing services.

Extension activities:

To gain a merit grade you must also:

• Analyse how the 6 Cs of care underpin person centred practice.

To gain a distinction grade you must also:

• Analyse why it is important for health and social care workers to demonstrate person-centred values throughout their working practice.

Learning outcomes and assessment criteria

LO1 AC 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1M1, 1D1

Task 2

Communication is a process to make contact with others to understand their needs and requirements. Communication involves sending and receiving messages in a continuous cycle which is repeated and becomes an important part of all relationships.

Using a health and social care setting you are either familiar with, or have seen in the media, assess the methods of communication used by people accessing the service and people working there.

Prepare a report, in which you:

• Describe the role of communication in health and social care.
• Explain methods of communication used in health and social care.
• Identify barriers to communication in health and social care.
• Describe information handling and recording procedures.
• Explain the principles and practices relating to confidentiality in health and social care.

Extension activities:

To gain a merit grade you must also:

• Evaluate factors that can influence the maintenance of confidentiality in health and social care.

To gain a distinction grade you must also:

• Evaluate strategies used in health and social care settings to overcome barriers to communication.

Learning outcomes and assessment criteria

LO2 AC2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2M1, 2D1

Task 3

For people accessing health and social care services infections can be serious, and in some cases, life-threatening. Regular contact with staff, others using the service, family, and friends all mean infection can easily be passed around, so it is vital to ensure everything is done to help prevent infection occurring.

You have been tasked with preparing a training guide for staff new to the health and social care sector. In the guide you are asked to:

• Explain the cause and spread of infection.
• Explain the importance of preventing and controlling the spread of infection.
• Explain how to reduce the spread of infection

Extension activities:

To gain a merit grade you must also:

• Analyse how an outbreak of infection would be managed in a health and social care setting

To gain a distinction grade you must also:

• Assess how risk assessment can contribute to reducing the spread of infection in a health and social care setting

Learning outcomes and assessment criteria

LO3 AC3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3M1, 3D1.

Task 4

Using a health and social care organisation of your choice, for example a care home or healthcare setting, carry out an analysis and review of their approaches to partnership working. In your review you should:

• Describe different working relationships in health and social care settings
• Explain the role of an advocate in supporting individuals accessing services.
• Explain why it is important to work in partnership with others.
• Evaluate the role of teams in providing a co-ordinated approach to service delivery.

Extension activities:

To gain a merit grade you must also:

Analyse how team leadership can address challenges faced by teams in health and social care.

Learning outcomes and assessment criteria

LO4 AC 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4M1.

Task 5

There are many different kinds of care plans used in health and social care, but they all have the same purpose, which is to ensure that the person gets the same care at all times, to ensure that the care given is recorded and to support the person to identify, manage and, hopefully, meet their needs, wishes and preferences.

You are supporting a person new to the service you work at, and you are involved in prepering their care plan. The person is very anxious, and not at all sure of what is involved in the care planning process. Prepare for them a short information leaflet, in which you:

• Explain the purpose of care planning.
• Outline roles and responsibilities involved in the care planning process.
• Describe how to ensure the individual is involved in all stages of care planning and review.

Extension activities:

To gain a merit grade you must also:

• Analyse ways to overcome barriers to implementing care plans

To gain a distinction grade you must also:

• Critically review the challenges of developing care plans that meet the needs of the individual and their agreed outcomes

Learning outcomes and assessment criteria

LO 5 AC 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5M1, 5D1

Task 6

Supporting the safe and correct administration of medication is a key function of the roles of many carers working in the health and social care sector. Reflect on an occasion when you or someone you know were prescribed medication. Carry out research to enable you to complete an account relating to this person’s medication, and more broadly to the administration of medication. In your account, you must:

• Describe common types of medication and their effects, and potential side effects
• Explain the different routes of medicine administration.
• Describe how to administer medication safely and in line with current legislation and guidelines.
• Explain the records to be completed for the storage, administration, and disposal of medication.

Extension activities:

To gain a distinction grade you must also:

• Analyse standard precautions for infection control for the administration of medication.

Learning outcomes and assessment criteria

LO 6 AC 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6D1