Activity 28: Strategic response

Develop appropriate responses for the three-workplace issues outlined in the table below.

Use the organisation's policies and procedures to guide your responses - i.e. the actions you would take, as well as any relevant laws and codes of conducts.

Workplace issue	Response
A staff member be-friending and accepting a gift from his/her client.	answer here>
A staff member disclosing personal information to a client.	answer here>
A staff member talking about a client and revealing their confidential information to others who are not authorised in the staff break room.	answer here>

Activity 29: Work health and safety inspection

Use the organisation's workplace inspection checklist to complete a routine inspection of a common area for hazards. Fill it in and attach below.

Report any serious or ongoing hazards to your Workplace Supervisor to ensure that appropriate corrective actions are completed.

Activity 30: Hazard identification, risk assessment and control

Choose a work activity that you have completed during your placement or that you have observed staff complete. Identify the potential hazards associated with the activity - i.e. the things that could go wrong and how people could get hurt or ill, then assess the likelihood of these things happening and how severe the consequences might be. After identifying and assessing the risk, evaluate if the current controls are effective and being used, or whether additional measures could be used to minimise or eradicate the risk of harm.

Access the organisation's policies and procedures related to risk assessment and control to help you complete this activity and use the template that follows to record your findings.

WHS risk assessment and control form

Step 1: Identify the activity

Description work activity:

Describe the location:

Who may be at risk by the activity?

Step 2: Identify the hazards, risk and rate the risks

1. An activity may be divided into tasks. For each task identify the hazards and associated risks. 2. List existing risk controls and determine a risk rating using the organisation's procedures related to risk assessment and control. Note: the risk rating codes, Improbable (I), Possible (P) and Probable (P) are included in the table that follows. Change the codes as required to align with rating codes in the organisation's procedures. 3. Additional risk controls may be required to achieve an acceptable level of risk. Re-rate the risk if additional risk controls used. Add additional lines if required.

Tasks

Hazards

Associated risks

Risk rating with existing controls

Existing risk controls

Evaluation of existing control effectiveness

Additional risk controls

Risk rating with additional controls

I

P

P

I

P

P

Activity 31: Workplace consultation

Consult with two staff regarding the outcomes of your workplace risk assessment. Ideally the staff should be familiar with the work activity you assessed in Activity 30 and be staff you have worked closely and built a rapport with during your placement.

Check with your Workplace Supervisor that your choice of staff members is okay and work out a suitable time where you could meet to talk about the risk assessment process you have undertaken, the current controls and any additional risk controls you think should be put in place.

Take notes during the meeting, then create a set of minutes in the template below.

Ask the meeting participants to sign the minutes as a record of their attendance.

Minutes of WHS consultative meeting
Date:
Time:
Venue:
Names and positions of each participant
Explanation of the risk assessment process
Findings on effectiveness of the current risk control methods
Recommendations for additional/ revised risk controls and how these relate to WHS policy and procedures, and legislative requirements/ codes of practice.
Recommendations	Relationship to WHS policy/ procedures and legislative requirements/ code of practice etc.
Discussion and feedback on findings
Specialist WHS advice required (if any). Who will this be obtained from?
Discussion and feedback on findings
Will there be any barriers to implementing risk controls?
Action/s to be taken
Which controls are to be put in place? How will these be implemented?
How will the findings of the risk assessment and control process be communicated to staff? Who will do this and when?
Is there any other action that needs to be taken?
How will the implementation plan be monitored and reviewed?
Staff member 1 name:
Staff member 1 signature:
Date:
Staff member 2 name:
Staff member 2 signature:
Date:

Activity 32: Incident reporting

Complete a workplace incident report typically used in the organisation.

You are required to complete the form in its entirety according to workplace procedures and legislative requirements, based either on a real incident that has occurred at the organisation, or a fictitious (made up) incident. If completing the report based on a real incident, remove personal information of any clients, staff or visitors involved in the incident.

If for some reason you are not able use the host organisation's incident report, you may use the one provided in the Appendix at the end of this document for this activity. Be sure to read the report carefully and only fill in what is needed.

Activity 33: Coordinate a simulated emergency situation

Coordinate and lead a rehearsal of the organisation's emergency and evacuation procedures for a simulated emergency such as a fire, gas or water leak, bushfire, flood, bomb threat, personal threat, behavioural disturbances such as violent or threatening behaviour etc. Complete all required workplace documentation - i.e. an emergency evacuation practice record and attach in the space below.

If you are not able to submit a completed workplace form, you will find a suitable example of an emergency evacuation practice record on the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services website. If using this example, please ask your Workplace Supervisor to initial the form to confirm the activity was undertaken in the workplace.

Activity 34: Workplace stressors

In consultation with your Workplace Supervisor and/or by asking for volunteers, identify two staff members who are happy to talk with you about the situations that create the most stress for them at work. Ask each staff member to identify and describe at least two situations to you, and to explain how they think the potential stress caused by these situations affects staff working at the organisation and in the community services sector.

Based on what they tell you, and using the templates that follow, develop strategies that may help staff to deal with the areas of stress identified.

Staff member 1
What are the situations that create the most stress?	How can each stressor be managed?
Area of stress 1:	Area of stress 1:
Area of stress 2:	Area of stress 2:
Area of stress 3:	Area of stress 3:
Now consider staff member 1, what (if any) strategies could be used to respond to the individual needs of this staff member?
Strategy 1:
Strategy 2:
Strategy 3:
If you were the team leader or manager, how could you monitor the stress and emotional wellbeing of staff member 1?

Staff member 2
What are the situations that create the most stress?	How can each stressor be managed?
Area of stress 1:	Area of stress 1:
Area of stress 2:	Area of stress 2:
Area of stress 3:	Area of stress 3:
Now consider staff member 2, what (if any) strategies could be used to respond to the individual needs of this staff member?
Strategy 1:
Strategy 2:
Strategy 3:
If you were the team leader or manager, how could you monitor the stress and emotional wellbeing of staff member 2?

Activity 35: Facilitate a debriefing session

This activity has three parts. You must complete each part.

Part A

During the Skills Assessment Visit, and with your Trainer and Assessor, you will be asked to conduct a structured post-incident debriefing session based either on a real incident that has occurred at the organisation, or a fictitious (made up) incident. It is suggested that you use the same incident from Activity 32 that required you to complete an incident report form, however this is not mandatory, and you may choose another example if you like.

Regardless of the incident chosen, real or made up, you will need to prepare for the session.

To prepare:

access and read the organisation's policies and procedures related to emergency and critical incidents

determine the type of debriefing required (making sure the type you select aligns with the organisation's policies and procedures, the scope of a community service worker's role and your own skillset)

write an agenda (this should show a clear outline of what will happen in the meeting and a clear sequencing of the planned discussion)

prepare any other notes that will help you during the debriefing session

identify and locate any resources that you need (including contact details of where the staff member can get further support and help)

write an incident overview to provide to your Trainer and Assessor (so that they can effectively play the role of the staff member who witnessed or was involved in the incident).

Part B

In this part, you need to conduct the debriefing session.

To conduct the session you will need access to a safe and private environment. It is recommended that you make the necessary arrangements before your Workplace Skills Assessment Visit with your Workplace Supervisor to ensure you have access to a small meeting room, lunchroom or other quiet area as appropriate.

Before you run the session, you will have the opportunity to provide your Trainer and Assessor with a copy of the incident overview and discuss any other information they need to know to help the session run smoothly.

During the session, your Trainer and Assessor will be looking to see you:

explain the debriefing process

use appropriate debriefing and questioning techniques to:

- review the incident

- clarify any questions or concerns

- encourage staff - i.e. the Trainer and Assessor to talk about what happened

- identify current needs.

discuss any issues that arise in the session that are relevant to the incident and attempt to find solutions

share information and advice to help staff - i.e. the Trainer and Assessor to help him/ her to identify and understand the level of risk to his/ her emotional wellbeing and to manage symptoms

offer information and/or handouts on referrals and support agencies that may be required.

Note: your Trainer and Assessor will sign below to confirm you have facilitated the session in accordance with the required criteria.

Date:
Session facilitated in accordance with required criteria	Yes No
Trainer and Assessor signature

Part C

Use the space below to document the outcomes of the debriefing. For example, note any actions that were agreed on, such as additional support at work through discussions with a staff member who has had a similar experience or has years of service and can offer helpful insights, follow-up support such as counselling or accessing the employee assistance program, dispute resolution, additional training, updating of policies and procedures etc.

Appendix

Client feedback form (for use in Activity 17)

Client feedback form
Student name
Date
Please describe three skills/ things this student performs well. Please give examples to support your response.
Please provide three skills which require further improvement. Please give examples to support your response.
Client name (optional)
Client signature (optional)
Date

Incident report form (for use in Activity 32 as required)

Incident report form
Section A - complete for all incidents
Site/ Program		If other (please specify)
Client name
Date of incident		Time
Person completing
Name of person affected		Client Staff Other
Names of others involved
Was there an injury/ potential injury to (complete Section B)?	Client Staff Other
Was there an illness (complete Section B)?	Client Staff Other
Was there a behaviour?	Yes No
Details of the Incident (use first initial of first name and full last name)
What happened before the incident (including contributing factors and triggers)?
What happened during the incident?
What happened after the incident (including actions taken)?
Is there a need for critical debriefing?	Yes No
If yes, please indicate debriefing type required.	Critical Incident debriefing Discussions with supervisor Additional support
Was restrictive practice used?	Yes No
Do you have any suggestions how this type of incident can be prevented in the future? If yes, please specify.
Signature of person completing
Section B -Injury/ illness (only complete for injury/ illness to staff or client)
Type of injury	Electric shock Bite/ sting Skin puncture/ cut Facture/ dislocation Grazes/ abrasions Contact with no bruising injury Repetitive strain Amputation Bruising/ crushing Concussion Burns/ scalds Loss of consciousness Sprain/ strain Multiple injuries Poisoning Psychological Other (please specify)
Type of illness	Infection (bacterial) Infection (viral) Vomiting/ diarrhoea Other (please specify)
Complete for staff injury only	At work During overtime On way to/ from work Other (please specify)
Did the person return to work?	Yes No
Did the person?	Stay onsite Go home
Was medical treatment provided?	Yes No
If yes, please indicate type of treatment provided.	Hospital (specify name of hospital) First aid (specify name of first aider) Visited doctor
Has the Return-to-Work (RTW) Coordinator been notified?	Yes No
Section C - Team Leader/ Manager comments (usually by Team Leader)
Date form received
Person completing		Position
Names of others consulted
Type of incident	Client behaviour resulting in potential/ actual injury to another client (if physical contact was made, ensure Section B completed) Client behaviour resulting in potential/ actual injury to staff if physical contact was made, ensure Section B completed and forward copy to RTW Coordinator) Client behaviour resulting in medication not being taken Medication (complete medication error report) Client illness (ensure Section B is completed) Staff illness (ensure Section B is completed) Other (please specify)
Does the client have a BIS Plan?	Yes (review plan) No (review need for a plan)
Recommendations and follow up including review of plans and risk profiles (include details of who will complete and by when)
Strategies put in place to prevent this type of incident in the future
Risk management required?	Yes No
If injury - Register of injuries completed	Yes No
If injury - incident report sent to RTW Coordinator	Yes No
If medication - medication error report completed	Yes No
Relevant Civic Divisions/ Organisation's/ Services advised of incident	Yes No
Client Risk Profile updated	Yes No
Incident debriefing provided	Yes No
Date
Signature of the person completing
Section D - Incident Acknowledgement (usually by Senior Manager for site program)
Date form received
Person completing		Position
Name of others consulted
Recommendations and follow up including review of plans and risk profiles (include details of who will complete and by when)
All actions completed	Yes No (If no, advise when incident will be closed). Date:
Date incident closed off
Signature of the person completing
Section E - Incident review (usually by Specialist Support Team, HR or Quality Team)
Date form received
Person completing		Position
Comments
Improvement to process required	Yes (complete Improvement Request) No
Signature of the person completing