Assist clients with medication

The course is comprised of one unit. The unit is at Australian Qualifications Framework level III. This means you can apply basic and procedural knowledge in your role at work.
The unit is HLTHPS006 Assist Clients with Medication.

A summary of the knowledge and skills to be covered in the course includes legislation, regulations, codes of practice and workplace policies, including:

• standard and additional infection control precautions


• roles and responsibilities of those involved in medication administration and limitations of own role in only providing assistance


• basic medication terminology

Forms of medication, and how they are handled, administered and stored, including:

• characteristics of at least 10 commonly used medications in the area of work, including prescribed and over the counter medications including


• purpose


• expected effects and potential reactions


• contraindications for use


• consequences of incorrect use


• storage requirements


• disposal requirements


• documentation requirements for the administration of medication


• potential impacts of errors and reasons for error medication charts, their role and procedures for use

Skills must be demonstrated in the workplace unless state or territory legislation prevents this from occurring. The Learner must show evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in the performance criteria of this national unit, manage tasks and manage contingencies in the context of the job role. There must be evidence that the Learner has:

Provided assistance with medication:

• to at least 5 different clients according to their care plans.


• with at least 5 different types of medications.


• used at least 3 different modes of administration.

Consistently adhered to procedures and regulatory requirements for assisting with medication, including:

• checked the care plan and confirming details


• checked medication, including expiry dates and dosage instructions


• confirmed client identity


• calculated correct dosage


• conducted pre and post administration client checks


• cleaned equipment and disposed and stored medications according to organisation procedures completed accurate documentation.

The course is comprised of one unit. The unit is at Australian Qualifications Framework level III. This means you can apply basic and procedural knowledge in your role at work.

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to prepare for and provide medication assistance and complete medication documentation. It also involves supporting a client to self-administer medication. Roles include:

• Care workers


• Support workers


• Health workers


• Personal carers

Further unit details can be found on the commonwealth government training website Click here

There are no entry requirements for this unit. No pre-existing knowledge or skills have been assumed and the course has been designed to provide the learner with all the knowledge and skills necessary to acquire competency. A Learner undertaking this unit has typically completed enterprise and on-site induction training which provides the learner with pre-existing knowledge and skills relating to sector policies & procedures, regulatory code of conduct, the use of PPE, risk management and procedures relating to emergency responses.

There is the requirement for a level of functional foundation skills such as learning, reading, writing and numeracy and digital literacy skills. As is required for a support work role.

The delivery method for this unit includes structured training with two (2) options for delivery modes:

Option 1 - Classroom:
1 day in a classroom-based setting with a focus on medication administration theory followed by a 3-hour small group practical workshop. This is followed by on-the-job practical training in a workplace under nominated supervision and a final simulation assessment, one on one with your Assessor.
The classroom-based setting located at one of the Medecs learning state-wide venues and on-the-job, supervised practical application in a work setting typically provided by the employer. The class time for the first day covers the delivery of relevant theory and written assessment activities with a duration from 9.00am to 4.00pm (unless otherwise advised). The practical workshop is usually either 9.00am - 12.00pm or 1.00 - 4.00pm assigned by negotiation and covers the practical application of the theory content of the unit. Students are required to attend to completed designated workplace supervised practice and recommended further private reading and reference to organisational policy and procedures to consolidate their learning. The final 1 hour simulated assessment is also conducted in the classroom, utilising a simulated environment.

Option 2 - Blended:
Completion of an online theory module delivered through the Medecs MySupport online portal, followed by a 3-hour small group practical workshop. This is followed by on-the-job practical training in a workplace under nominated supervision and a final simulation assessment, one on one with your Assessor.
A day is allocated from the hours of 9.00am - 4.00pm where a Medecs Learning Trainer is assigned to support you with your learning. The module does not necessarily need to be completed on this day but is recommended so that you can gain support from the trainer as required. The online learning module must be completed prior to the practical workshop. On-the-job' supervised practical application in a work setting is typically provided by the employer.
The online theory covers the delivery of relevant theory and written assessment activities with a duration from 9.00am to 4.00pm (unless otherwise advised). The practical workshop is usually either 9.00am - 12.00pm or 1.00 - 4.00pm assigned by negotiation and covers the practical application of the theory content of the unit. Learners are required to attend to completed designated workplace supervised practice and recommended further private reading and reference to organisational policy and procedures to consolidate your learning.
The final 1 hour simulated assessment is conducted in the classroom, utilising a simulated environment.

On-the-job-training - both delivery modes
The Learner will need to achieve approximately 30 hours of on-the-job training over a recommended 4 weeks to further develop the required practical skills with nominated workplace supervision. This is to be completed in the work environment to ensure appropriate support and access is available for the Learner to gain & demonstrate the appropriate experience and to complete the following assessments, the student workplace journal and the nominated medication supervisor student report.

If Learners do not have access to clients to undertake supervised on-the-job training, this component of the course please contact us to discuss your circumstances. This may be achieved through simulated activities facilitated by Medecs Learning trainers. This is facilitated in a practical simulation session and has an additional cost. If you are being supported by an employer, this needs to be approved by them on enrolment to the unit.

Duration: The course total duration is delivered over approximately 55 hours typically over a 6-to-8-week period to include all required components of the unit.

Successful completion of the unit will lead to a Statement of Attainment - HLTHPS006 Assist Clients with Medication. This will be issued at the completion of the program.

While Statements of Attainment (SoA) don't expire, the various licences and 'tickets' that you may use your SoAs for, often have their own regulations to do with how long they remain valid.