13095 version 3
28-Jun-16
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PROVIDE SOCIAL SERVICES
Provide assistance to an individual
following a traumatic incident in the
workplace
level:
3
credit:
4
planned review date:
June 2006
sub-field:
Social Services
purpose:
People credited with this unit standard are able to: establish
a relationship for assisting an individual to deal with her/his
response to a traumatic incident; assist the individual to deal
with her/his response to a traumatic incident; and effect
closure of assistance to the individual.
This is a unit standard for peer supporters, and does not
cover the competencies for working with an individual to
assist them in dealing with a post traumatic stress disorder.
entry information:
Open.
accreditation option:
Evaluation of documentation and visit by NZQA and industry.
moderation option:
A centrally established and directed national moderation
system has been set up by Community Support Services ITO
Limited (Careerforce).
special notes:
1
This unit standard may be assessed on the basis of
evidence of demonstrated performance in the
workplace or in simulated work situations designed to
draw upon similar performance to that required in work.
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2
Glossary
Characteristics and needs of the individual may be
physical, spiritual, or mental. Characteristics and needs
include the individual's age and stage of development,
culture, gender, health status including any disability,
language, sexual orientation, and needs for physical
comfort, safety, and privacy.
Competence in this unit standard is that of a peer
supporter of the individual who experienced the
traumatic incident, rather than that of a trained
counsellor.
Critical Incident Stress refers to severe stress which
causes an emotional or physical reaction to demands or
pressures which are sudden, unexpected, and due to a
specific incident or series of incidents.
For the purposes of this unit standard, the term culture
has a specific meaning. In this context, culture includes
but is not limited to: a culture defined in terms of age,
class, disabilities, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic situation, or ethnicity, including identification
with a culture through birth, adoption, genealogy or
whakapapa. Culture also includes the culture of the
organisation within which the individual was working.
Individual is used as a generic term to denote the
person who experienced the traumatic incident.
Peer support is a formalised process in which a trained
supporter from the work group provides immediate
assistance to a colleague or workmate who has been
subjected to a stressful traumatic incident.
Trauma - a psychological trauma is an emotional state
of discomfort due to an extraordinary stressful event or
situation, which was overwhelming for the person
involved.
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workplace
Traumatic (Critical) Incident Intervention is a procedure
in which assistance is provided to someone affected by
a traumatic incident. Peer support is generally seen as
an intervention measure.
3
All communications are treated confidentially. The
scope and limits of confidentiality are defined through
negotiation and informed consent, and criteria
established by legislation, ethical practice, and service
provider guidelines. In the context of this unit standard,
sources of criteria established by legislation, ethical
practice, and service provider guidelines include but are
not limited to: Official Information Act 1982, Privacy Act
1993, service provider codes of conduct, codes of
practice issued by the Privacy Commissioner, social
service codes of ethics, and service provider guidelines,
protocols, staff manuals, strategic plans, kawa, or
tikanga.
4
References
Mitchell, J. T.; and Everly, G. S. Jr.; 1996. Critical
incident stress debriefing: An operations manual for the
prevention of traumatic stress in disaster workers.
Ellicott City, MD: Chevron Publishing.
Robinson, R. and Murdoch, P. 1996 (Nov). Position
statement and standards of practice for psychological
debriefing and defusing in emergency services.
Melbourne, Australia: Victorian Combined Emergency
Services Critical Incident Stress Advisory Committee.
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Elements and Performance Criteria
element 1
Establish a relationship for assisting an individual to deal with her/his response to a
traumatic incident.
performance criteria
1.1
The environment that is established for assisting the individual attends to the
characteristics and needs of the individual.
1.2
The individual is engaged in the relationship according to her/his characteristics
and needs, and in accordance with the peer supporter's role, function, and any
legal responsibilities.
element 2
Assist the individual to deal with her/his response to a traumatic incident.
performance criteria
2.1
Interpersonal skills maintain a purposeful relationship with the individual, and
respond to the situation and the concerns and needs of the individual.
2.2
The individual is assisted to identify achievable options to address her/his
response to the traumatic incident.
Range:
options may include but are not limited to - assistance through
active listening, providing information, referral to other services.
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2.3
The peer supporter's behaviours focus on supporting the individual to discuss
and deal with her/his response.
Range:
2.4
peer supporter's behaviours - calm, self assured, thoughtful,
warm, show emotion, not overwhelmed by the circumstances of
the traumatic incident.
The timing of the intervention is in accordance with operational priorities in the
work situation and the individual's circumstances.
element 3
Effect closure of assistance to the individual.
performance criteria
3.1
The closure process identifies issues for further communication and action
according to operational priorities in the work situation and the individual's
circumstances.
3.2
Closure is effected in terms of completion of the peer supporter's role in
providing assistance to the individual.
3.3
Reflection by the peer supporter on her/his actions identifies that the peer
supporter understands the role they played in the outcome of the intervention.
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PROVIDE SOCIAL SERVICES
Provide assistance to an individual
following a traumatic incident in the
workplace
Comments to:
Careerforce
PO Box 2637
Wellington 6140
Please Note:
Providers must be accredited by the Qualifications Authority
before they can offer programmes of education and training
assessed against unit standards.
Accredited providers assessing against unit standards must
engage with the moderation system that applies to those unit
standards. [Please refer to relevant Plan ref: 0222]
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016