What is the difference between ‘verbal’ and ‘non-verbal’ modes of communication?

Give an

example of when and how you would use each one in your professional environment when

working with a resident/client.

The use of language to move data through talking or gesture-based communication is known as

verbal communication. It's one of the most well-known types, and it's frequently used in things like

introductions and presentations, video conferences and phone calls, gatherings, and one-on-one

conversations. Body language, gestures, and outward looks are all examples of nonverbal

communication. It is frequently used both intentionally and unintentionally. When you hear a

satisfying or pleasing concept or piece of facts, for example, you may unintentionally smile. When

trying to understand the thoughts and feelings of another, nonverbal communication can be quite

helpful.

List five (5) barriers to effective communication in a health and community service context.

Barries to effective communication are:

Language,

cultural diversity,

gender differences,

social position differences, and

physical distances.

A written document can be used as a legal document. With this in mind, when you write a

progress note entry, what are five (5) points you must remember?

Following points needs to be considered when writing a progress note entry:

Improvement notes must always be written and printed in dark ink.

1
No whiteout (adjusting liquid) can be used.

Any changes must have a line drawn through them, the alteration must be initialled, and the data

must be updated.

Where reporting does not use all of the line space, a line must be drawn as far down the page as

practicable.

After an event or occurrence, documentation should be completed as soon as possible.

Explain how the use of computer technology and digital media can improve a resident/client’s

understanding of their medical condition and treatment.

Technology continues to move us forwards and streamline the way we approach medical treatment,

from infusion pumps and dialysis equipment to antibiotics, heart valves, and MRI scanners.

Technology simplifies and expands tasks that formerly required human intervention, allowing

healthcare experts to concentrate their time and energy elsewhere while potentially lowering

overall healthcare costs. Technology has made significant contributions to our understanding of

complicated medical and physiological conditions, as well as lowering the obstacles to providing

direct care to patients.

Social media is being used by healthcare establishments to reach out to patients.

Treatment that is more effective and causes less discomfort.

Patient care and worker efficiency have both improved.

Doctors are more accessible online in the event of an emergency and are better at their jobs.

Explain the legal and ethical considerations relating to a person’s privacy and confidentiality.

The importance of respecting the privacy and confidentiality of clients cannot be overstated. It is not

only an ethical issue, but also a legal one. In general, privacy refers to the right to be left alone, as

well as the freedom from interruption or intrusion.

2
Services for the disabled and the community Workers are frequently exposed to sensitive

information that is shared in confidence. As a general rule, confidentiality dictates that you keep

information about customers secret in order to protect their dignity and their right to the same

fundamental security as everyone else.

Explain the legal aspects of disclosing private information of your client to others.

To protect the patient or others from harm, disclosure is required. If it is not possible to obtain the

patient's consent, you may reveal individual data without consent if the benefits to an individual or

society of the exposure outweigh both the general public's and the patient's interest in keeping the

data private. Failure to protect the privacy of your client's information. If you reveal information

about a client's affairs to a 3rd person without the client's consent or without a legal obligation to do

so, the officials may deem you in violation of the Code and apply sanctions.

Identify three (3) legal and ethical considerations relating to discrimination when interacting with

your clients, their families and other stakeholders.

When working with multiculturalism, there are legal and ethical issues to address. Equality is the

ethical underpinning on which diversity is significantly reliant. Equality in terms of rights,

opportunities, and other factors. A code of ethics is a set of fundamental ethical principles that

educates and directs ethical behaviour in a particular profession. It establishes the essential

principles and obligations of a certain profession. The purpose of this code is to help personnel act

ethically in the pursuit of the industry's values and goals. When working with your clients, their

families, and other stakeholders, some legal and ethical issues connected to discrimination include

respect, treating everyone equally, regardless of gender, age, or religion.

What is meant by duty of care? Explain how it influences the way you work when caring for and

supporting a person in a health and community context.

3
The moral or legal commitment to guarantee the safety of others is known as duty of care. This

implies always operating within your level of competence, never doing or failing to do something

that could harm someone, and always working for the benefit of the people you care about.

A duty of care is a responsibility to avoid being careless or negligent by taking reasonable

precautions to avoid injury. As a caregiver, you have a responsibility to take all reasonable

precautions to reduce the risk of damage. It's a very high level of service. Taking reasonable risks is

factored for each individual.

An ethical and statutory responsibility to protect others while they are in your care, using your

services, or are vulnerable to your activities is known as a duty of care. This involves behaving in

their best interests at all times, not acting – or failing to act – in a way that harms them, and acting

within your capabilities without putting on anything more than your capabilities.

Your legal responsibility of care as a health and social care professional applies to those you assist,

yourself, your co-worker’s, and anybody else who is there in your workplace. If you work in a nursing

home, for example, your duty of care to service employees and cleaners is equally as vital as it is to

service users.

Explain in your own words the legal and ethical considerations relating to mandatory reporting in

a health and community context.

Healthcare staff have a legal and moral obligation to safeguard the patients they are accountable for.

People suffer when these duties are disregarded. Furthermore, healthcare personnel may be held

liable for these actions. Doing the correct thing for the patient is what ethical action or responsibility

entails.

The government's demand that certain categories of people report suspected cases of child abuse

and neglect to government authorities is known as mandatory reporting. Parliaments in all

Australian states and territory have implemented obligatory reporting laws of various descriptions.

4
In a health and community context, ‘translation’ often encompasses both the interpretation and

conversion of one language to another via a translator. Explain the legal and ethical considerations

relating to the use of translation services

The ethical duties assumed during language services are just as crucial as the actual conversion of

words to ensure the success and completion of the translation or interpretations. Professionals in

the translation sector are familiar with the concept of ethics.

They will not interfere with personal opinions or counsel clients, and they will strive to maintain

relationships with major expert associations in order to stay up to date on the most recent expert

measures and conventions. The translation is done in such a way that it accurately reflects the

original text's content.

There must be no word additions or deletions. The terms, on the other hand, changed as their

synonyms did. It's a lovely approach to change a specific piece of content. The style and approach

used to translate the document into another language should be distinct. It should not be

unprofessional in any way.

The procedure used in the original text should be followed. The repeats are omitted by the

translator. It aids the reader in grasping information correctly.

Explain the legal and ethical considerations relating to informed consent in a health and

community context.

The fundamental concept of respect for people is reflected in informed consent. This means that a

person must have legal ability to offer permission and be able to practice free will without the use of

force, fraud, deception, duress, over-reaching, or any other type of coercion or restraint. having

sufficient information and understanding of the elements of the subject matter at hand in order to

make an informed judgement.

5
When one person knowingly agrees to another's proposal or desires, this is known as assent. For

example, a person with a psychological problem, a young mental age, or who is under the legal age

of sexual consent may willingly participate in a sexual demonstration that falls short of the legal limit

for consent as defined by applicable legislation.

Informed consent is based on the moral and legal principle of patient self-governance, which states

that you, the patient, have the right to make decisions regarding your own health and medical

situations. For treatment, as well as most therapeutic tests and systems, you should offer your

informed consent.

Why it is important to know the requirements, boundaries and limitations of your work role?

The rules and constraints that keep the lines between caregiver and client from blurring are known

as professional boundaries. Legal, ethical, and organisational frameworks provide professional

boundaries to ensure a safe working environment for both the client and the caring personnel. Of

course, there is an intrinsic power differential in the caregiver-client connection. Someone seeking

treatment must be willing to give up a lot of their autonomy and trust to their caregivers in the

hopes that the relationship will not be mistreated.

Boundaries vary from person to person. Knowing your personal boundaries stems from a sense of

self-worth and unique ideals in life. Setting boundaries, on the other hand, isn't always simple. It's a

skill that can take a long time to master. The rules and constraints that keep the lines between

caregiver and client from blurring are known as professional boundaries. Legal, ethical, and

organisational frameworks provide professional boundaries to ensure a safe workplace environment

for both the client and the caring personnel.

List five (5) sources of information for a personal care worker to gather comprehensive data on the

person receiving care and services planned for them.

6
A personal-care-needs assessment may be conducted for a variety of reasons, but whatever the

cause, it entails obtaining data that will aid in identifying the resident's skills and needs. Typically, a

care plan is created as part of a person's unique plan.

Once the data has been thoroughly analysed or reviewed, it may be transformed into the knowledge

needed to clearly articulate the needs and provide a good idea of how they can be satisfied. It's

critical to understand the aim of a care plan needs assessment so you can properly communicate it

to the client. You should also be aware of any financing or regulatory obligations when performing

personal care needs evaluations, as they are additional motivations for doing so.

Assessments.

family interviews.

Screening testing and observation.

converse with the patient.

Any previous care plans.

Identify three (3) legal and ethical considerations that apply to all sources of information in a

health and community service context.

Legal and ethical considerations are as follows:

Caregivers should have the same rights, options, and opportunities as the rest of the population.

Caregivers should be treated with respect and decency.

The health and well-being of caregivers is crucial to the community.

Explain ethical decision-making.

In most circumstances, they have a natural intuition for decision-making and can arrive at the

optimum answer in nanoseconds after hearing about a problem. These are the types of issues that

7
occur on a regular basis and have minor implications. The major judgments that carers must make

on a regular basis, on the other hand, necessitate additional due diligence, thoughtfulness, and

collaboration with colleagues. These issues have major ramifications, and in many circumstances,

the success of an organisation is dependent on competent decision-making. Ethical decision-making

refers to the process of evaluating and selecting options in accordance with moral principles. The

path of making moral decisions entails: Commitment: The desire to make the best decision possible,

regardless of the cost.

What is a conflict of interest? Provide an example that may relate to your work role in the health

and community care context.

When groups or individuals want or focus on different things, or feel that their needs are not being

addressed, disputes happen. Conflicts are a natural element of social interactions and relationships,

and disagreements are widespread. A Muslim woman is concerned about her modesty when it

comes to wearing a hospital gown for surgery. Allowing her to wear pyjamas is a wonderful method

to overcome any argument.

Identify two (2) principles of effective communication.

The primary goal of communication is to allow different people in the organisation to exchange

ideas. The communication process should aid in the efficient exchange of information. The solutions

for removing communication barriers also point to more effective communication. What the sender

intends to express should be crystal clear in his thoughts. 'First, completely enlighten oneself,'

according to the idea of successful communication. The message is more successful when the

thought is clear. Communicating should always be done in a straightforward manner. Ideas should

be concise and without ambiguity. The usage of technical terms and words with multiple meanings

should be kept to a bare minimum.

Identify two (2) difference between linear and transactional models of communication.

8
 Linear model of communication Transactional model of communication
One way communication Two-way communication
Example- announcements, orders Use simple language

Explain interpersonal communication.

Interpersonal communication has been defined as the spoken or nonverbal exchange of information,

ideas, and feelings between two or more individuals. It frequently involves face-to-face

communication using voice, facial emotions, body language, and gestures. The effectiveness of

transmitting messages to others is used to assess one's interpersonal communication skills. Internal

carer communication, client meetings, patient performance evaluations, and care plan conversations

are all examples of interpersonal communication that are commonly employed within an

organisation. Furthermore, online chats now account for a significant amount of caregivers'

interpersonal communication in the workplace.

Explain the key difference between motivational interviewing technique and coercive interviewing

approach.

To entice people to join your group, you must use coercion. This means scaring or intimidating

others into feeling compelled to join. Your tactics can be described as coercive if you utilise threats

to acquire what you want from others. Despite the fact that the two approaches are not

incompatible, motivational interviewing does not contain any preparation of customers in social

adjusting abilities. In motivational interviewing, the operating presumption is that vacillation or a

lack of determination is the fundamental impediment to change activation.

Explain the difference between collaboration and confrontation in a health and community care

context.

Collaboration: the agreement of doing work together to get desired result is called collaboration.

Confrontation: arguments, hostility, and conflict between opposing parties is called confrontation.

9
Collaboration differs from confrontation in that cooperation is (uncountable) the

display of working together, whereas showdown is the exhibition of standing up to or

testing another, especially face to face.

What is the influence of each of culture, choice of language and religion on the way we

communicate with each other? 

The way we communicate is highly influence by what our culture is. It states the way we

have been raised, reflects our beliefs, values, attitude etc. Language on the other hand is

itself communication. It is a fundamental factor. Culture shapes the language and

language reflects the culture. Religion is what includes prayers and preaching, reading and

listening to sacred texts, worshiping etc. it reflects what we preach and communicate.

What is the influence of each of the age, health, emotional state and disability of

a person on their communication with others? 

With aging communication skill of a human gradually changes. There is physical

change with aging as the body doesn’t remain as fit as earlier. This reflects the

communication style. Speed lowers and voice slows down. The emotional health

also gets affected with aging and the person is likely to fall into depression. With

such changes in body person doesn’t communicate the way it used to earlier.

Explain the overall structure of the Australian health and

community service system.

Australian health and community service system considered to be

one of the best in the world provides safe, affordable and quality

10
health care. The result of which is that it has longest life

expectations in the world. The health care providers include:

Primary care services delivered by general practitioners,

Medical specialists,

Allied health workers,

Nurses,

Public hospitals,

Primary health networks.

There are many responsibilities of Australian government like:

Providing medical benefit schedule, pharmaceutical benefit

schedule, supporting and regulating private health insurance,

supporting and monitoring quality of primary health services,

maintain number of doctors, buying vaccines etc.

Discuss the characteristics and role of a multidisciplinary team in

managing the healthcare needs of older  people in a health and

community care setting, e.g. aged care facility or a disability service

setting. 

11
A multidisciplinary team is an associated practice of various health

care professionals like Health assistant, registered nurse, respiratory

specialist, speech pathologist, neurologist all these assures the

wellbeing of various aspects of a patient with multiple care needs.

Health assistant Takes care of daily living tasks of patient

like assists in eating, taking medication,

checking vital etc.

Registered nurse Registered nurse is familiar with the

complications and potential risk to the

patient.

Respiratory specialist Their work is to ensure good pulmonary

health. They suggest about respiration and

breathing.

Speech pathologist Speech pathologist facilitates the speech

and delivery of words as well as engulfing

of food through food pipe.

Neurologist They diagnoses the nervous disorders and

provides management of diseases as well

as watch the treatment process.

Provide two (2) examples of the links and interrelationships between different

parts of the Australian health and community service system to support optimum

client service. 

The structure, operation, and interconnections of various sections of the health and

community service system.

12
To promote optimal customer service, the organisation structure and various models

are used.

Person-centered service delivery is based on a set of principles.

rights-based service delivery principles

Team members have various roles and duties.

Multidisciplinary teams: what they are and how they are used

Relationships among members of the health-care and community-based workforce;

the role of support services Other services' linkages and interrelationships

environment of funding

Explore and briefly describe the organisational structure of an aged care facility in

your State/Territory.

Each individual who enters a facility is examined in terms of their financial situation

and care needs, and the treatments they obtain and the amount they must pay are

determined as a result. A diverse range of not-for-profit, community-based, church,

and for-profit organisations provide aged care. The government subsidises the

majority of people in elderly care, and the subsidy is given to aged care providers for

'approved spots' in an aged care facility. However, there are situations when a

provider's facility has more than the allowed number of spots, which are referred to

as 'unfunded places.' They are much more costly than the regular approved

13
establishments. It is critical to understand whether a space in a facility is approved or

underfunded when making a financial decision. While much of the elder care law

applies to underfunded as well as approved facilities, there are some distinctions to

be aware of.

An unfilled place, in instance, does not qualify for a government subsidy to help pay

for aged care, resulting in a large increase in the cost of care. Currently, elderly care

includes a number of entities that play distinct roles in regulating various elements of

the industry.

Identify a health care model that could support people with chronic

health care needs.

There are few health care model to support people with chronic

health care needs. These includes Chronic Care Model, Improving

Chronic Illness Care, Stanford Model, Community Based Transition

Model.

Identify two (2) basic principles of person-centred service delivery. 

Treat people with dignity, compassion and respect.

Provide coordinated care, support and treatment.

Understanding their experiences and goals.

List two (2) principles of rights-based service delivery. 

Human dignity.

Participation.

Empowerment and rule of law.

Satisfactory Not Yet Satisfactory 

14
Explain the ways in which relationships between different members of the health and community

services workforces can optimise the delivery of care. 

The structure, operation, and interconnections of various sections of the health and community

service system.

To promote optimal customer service, the organisation structure and various models are used.

Person-centered service delivery is based on a set of principles.

rights-based service delivery principles

Team members have various roles and duties.

Multidisciplinary teams: what they are and how they are used

Relationships among members of the health-care and community-based workforce; the role of

support services Other services' linkages and interrelationships

environment of funding

Explain the role of support services in an aged care context.

The support services for aged care in Australia are provided by a large number of government

programs like commonwealth, state/ territory and local etc. they provide the services like health

care, housing support, income support etc. those aged 75 to 80s years are provided with all

necessary support. The commonwealth old age pension is also provided to 60 yrs and above age.

Explain funding sources available in the Australian health and community services sector (funding  

environment). 

The funding sources are as follows:

 Subsidies and supplements like residential aged care, residential respite.

 Capital grants for residential aged care like aged care approvals rounds.

15
  Program funding like multi-purpose services program, specialist dementia

care program.

Explain how each of the following media can be used in a health and

community care context. Internet/web - 

email -  Email newsletters and factsheets

Social media -  Tips for good health and engagement in healthy initiatives

Digital podcast and videos -  Exercise videos, Health related seminars.

Tablets and applications –  Activity and food trackers, weight loss monitoring, exercise monitoring.

Digital newsletters and broadcasts –  Communicate organization activity provide health promotion

information.

Intranet -  Repository of organization policies, procedures.

List two (2) ways a personal care assistant could voice improvements in work practices.

Being respectful: With aging the mental capabilities of a person reduces,

respecting this fact and working accordingly can help improve work

practices.

16
Being empathetic: Empathy one of the most important qualities of a

carer. Showing empathy and compassion to the needy can help improve

work practices.

List two (2) ways a personal care assistant could promote and model

workplace changes to improve work  practices. 

Ensuring clients receive their medication on time.

Assisting clients with physical therapy exercises.

What is the importance of seeking timely feedback and advice from appropriate

people on your own performance? 

It is important to seek timely feedback and advice from people on the performance

as it helps people know and learn from mistakes. It clarifies the expectations and

helps in producing optimal outcomes. Constructive feedback helps to grow and

develop in the performance.

What action should a worker initiate, once they have consulted with their manager,

regarding options for accessing skill development opportunities? 

The workers can initiate the skill development opportunities by recognizing and

identifying the skill gap, then developing those skills by providing proper training to staff.

Monitoring the whole process and asking for feedback.

What is the duty of care of a personal care assistant when they notice neglect or abuse

of a child who is not accessing care, but is associated with a person who is, e.g.

granddaughter of a resident?

17
If the personal care assistant notices neglect or abuse of a child it is their duty to report

such cases/ concerns. Also, if required provide them with adequate medical treatment as

a matter of urgency. Make sure to bring that person out of danger. If any crime is

committed immediately call the police.

Explain what a PCA should be looking for if they suspect a child is at risk of physical

harm or has been physically harmed. 

A PCA should at first provide them with first aid or adequate medical facility if the child is

physically harmed. Report the incident as soon as possible to respected authority. Inform

police if crime is committed.

What should a PCA do if an adult or child discloses an incident of child neglect or abuse

to them, in confidence? 

A PCA should immediately report such incident to the respected authority and make sure

the victim is safe and out of any danger. Immediate actions must be taken against the

abused.

Discuss the following basic interaction techniques and skills in communication: 

affirmations: it is a statement and gesture that acknowledges behaviours and recognizes strengths of

a client. It leads in the direction of positive change.

Reflections: it is the process of paraphrasing and restating both feelings and words of the speaker.

Summaries: it is the process of briefly presenting the key points of a theory / article etc in order to

provide a concise overview of the work/ thesis.

Explain the importance of grammar, speed and pronunciation for verbal communication.

Grammar: grammar is used in communication to make it prominent, understandable and effective.

Speed: speed in any communication affects the whole communication. As if the speed is proper and

the words used are spoken in correct speed it makes the whole conversation clear and

understandable but if the speed is too much nothing is understood in any conversation.

18
Pronunciation: pronunciation of every word spoken must be clear and perceivable by everyone. It

helps in conveying message effectively and understanding the concept.

19
Case Study A 

Read the case study and answer the questions 

mr Palombo is a client who has limited English. His first language is Italian. Usually, he is

able to get his needs across to carers because a number of the carers also speak Italian.

On Tuesday, however, there were no Italian-speaking carers on the roster and Mr

Palumbo was becoming agitated. Sue, one of the carers on shift, gave him a pencil and

paper and indicated he should draw what he wanted. Happily, Mr Palombo drew a radio

and headphones and these were quickly provided for him. He was later seen humming

away to the music on the radio.  

What range of communication strategies could be used to overcome communication barriers? 

The range of strategies which can be used to overcome communication barriers are:

Firstly use a plain language,

Find a reliable translation service,

Learn and practice the unknown language,

Use simple body postures,

How could this be avoided again in the future? 

The problem can be avoided in the future by,

Either appointing more number of Italian-speaking carers on the roster,

Or Mr Palombo can learn the English language and can get comfortable working with the English

carers.

Where can you find information about speaking Italian? 

20
Mr Palombo’s first language is Italian. He has many Italian-speaking carers on the roster with whom

he usually speaks in Italian language.

Case Study B 

Read the case study and answer the questions 

Mr Johnson has recently moved into the respite centre after losing his wife. He has had

some difficulty in  settling in, but he does enjoy his meals – even if he needs some

assistance with cutting up his food. Sarah  has been recently employed and is an

inexperienced carer. It is her task today to assist Mr Johnson with his  lunch. Mr Johnson

ordered his favourite meal – poached eggs with baked beans on toast. When Sarah lifts

the cover off his meal she pulls a terrible face because she cannot stand egg or baked

beans. Mr Johnson  notices her reaction and becomes withdrawn and sad. 

What impact did Sarah’s non-verbal communication have on Mr Johnson? 

arah’s non-verbal communication had severe impact on Mr. Johnson as;

 He became sad and withdrawn,

 The reaction put him in distress,

 The reaction was insensitive in nature.

What should Sarah have done instead? 

 Sarah shouldn’t have reacted that way instead she should have avoided reacting.

 She should have been trained properly before assisting,

 She should have known that nonverbal communication/ gestures sends strong

message and so she should be careful on her reactions.

 She should have been informed beforehand about the meal she is going to serve.

21
 Case Study C 

Read the following dialogue between a carer and a client and answer the question. 

Carer: Hello, Mrs Jones. Are you looking for something? 

Client: Yes, I am looking for my craftwork. 

Carer: There’s none in here.  

Client: Maybe out the back – in the sunroom. 

Carer: Okay, let’s look in there. Do you remember when you last had it? 

Client: I think I might have had it on Friday? 

Carer: Is it a cross stitch from the respite centre’s craft class? 

Client: Yes. 

Carer: I’ve seen several around.  

Client: It’s a picture of an old house with a flower garden. It’s hardly started. 

Identify two (2) open ended questions in the dialogue above. 

Two open ended questions are as follows:

 Do you remember when you last had it? 

 Are you looking for something? 

Case Study D 

The collaboration between aged care and some other external services

are summarised in the following  diagram. 

Facility Manager Mediation services 

22
Director of  

Nursing

Registered Nurse  

(in charge) 

General  

Practitioner 

Counselling services 

Pastoral services 

Identify and discuss the lines of communication between this organisation

and some external services as  outlined in the diagram. 

 Aged care attendant to doctor.

 Aged care attendant to supervisor.

 Aged care attendant to client.

 Reporting to doctor about the side effects of previous medication.

23
 Following policy procedure of organization.

 Informing client about the change in medication.

 Seeking advice from supervisor.

24