SAQA All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.
SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED UNIT STANDARD THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE: 

Manage individuals and groups with communicable diseases 
SAQA US ID UNIT STANDARD TITLE
252097  Manage individuals and groups with communicable diseases 
ORIGINATOR
SGB Nursing 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY
-  
FIELD SUBFIELD
Field 09 - Health Sciences and Social Services Curative Health 
ABET BAND UNIT STANDARD TYPE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL CREDITS
Undefined  Regular  Level 6  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L6  14 
REGISTRATION STATUS REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE SAQA DECISION NUMBER
Passed the End Date -
Status was "Reregistered" 		 2018-07-01  2023-06-30  SAQA 06120/18 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2024-06-30   2027-06-30  

In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise.  

This unit standard does not replace any other unit standard and is not replaced by any other unit standard. 

PURPOSE OF THE UNIT STANDARD 
This unit standard will be useful for people working as clinically focused, service orientated, independent, registered staff nurses, who are able to render basic care to persons with stable and uncomplicated general health problems, as determined by the appropriate legislative framework.

This unit standard will recognise the essential knowledge and skills required to implement strategies to prevent the spread of communicable diseases. They will also be able to manage and care for patients already infected.

People credited with this unit standard are able to:
  • Demonstrate knowledge of communicable diseases.
  • Implement strategies to prevent the spread of communicable diseases to carers and others.
  • Implement strategies in a community to monitor and prevent the spread of communicable diseases.
  • Manage the care of patients with communicable diseases. 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    The credit calculation is based on the assumption that learners are already competent in terms of the following outcomes or areas of learning when starting to learn towards this unit standard:
  • Biological sciences, microbiology and parasitology.
  • Assessment, planning and implementation and evaluation of health care. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD RANGE 
    Specific range statements are provided in the body of the unit standard where they apply to particular specific outcomes or assessment criteria.

    The following scope and context applies to the whole unit standard:
  • The Nurse functions within the scope of practice of a staff nurse as formulated by the SANC and the Nursing Act. 
    		•

    Specific Outcomes and Assessment Criteria: 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 1 
    Demonstrate knowledge of communicable diseases. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    The definition provided of communicable diseases is consistent with generally accepted medical understanding. Examples provided of communicable diseases are classified according to the ways in which they are spread. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Communicable diseases include:
  • Influenza, TB, measles, mumps, rubella, anthrax, meningitis, typhoid, polio, cholera, typhoid, hepatitis, HIV, hemorrhagic fevers, worms, tapeworm, lice infestation, parasites, rickettsia.
     
    		•

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    The signs, symptoms and manifestations of various communicable diseases are accurately described in accordance with generally accepted medical usage. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Treatment modalities are correctly identified and explained in relation to each of the communicable diseases. The explanation is consistent with medical authority protocols and guidelines. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Possible complications associated with each of the communicable diseases are identified and described with reference to their manifestations. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    Vectors associated with various communicable diseases are identified in terms of their role on the communication of the disease. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 6 
    Common prevention strategies and immunisation regimes are identified and explained in terms of their operation, and effect on spores, life cycles and/or vectors. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 2 
    Implement strategies to prevent the spread of communicable diseases to carers and others. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Isolation techniques are implemented in accordance with institutional policy, national regulations and standards. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    The disposal of infected material is managed in accordance with the institutional and national standards. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Infected material includes:
  • Human excreta, body fluids, used surgical equipment, needles, laundry, contaminated waste.
     
    		•

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Regular swabbing of the unit determines the levels of institutional micro-organisms. Actions in the event of unacceptable results are appropriate in terms of own authority, guidelines and institutional procedures. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Personal precautions taken in the care of infectious patients comply with universal and specific precautions as indicated in medical authority guidelines and institutional policies and procedures. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Precautions include:
  • Barrier nursing (gloves, masks, waterproof aprons, gowns, protective eye shields).
     
    		•

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    Measures to prevent or limit the outbreak of communicable disease epidemics are appropriate to each disease and context and own scope of authority. Measures are consistent with medical authority guidelines and institutional policies and procedures. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Measures include:
  • Routine immunisation; travel-related immunisation; immunisation of contacts; prophylactic treatment/management; filters; isolation; "enteric" procedures.
     
    		•

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 3 
    Implement strategies in a community to monitor and prevent the spread of communicable diseases. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    High risk areas for communicable diseases are established from available information on the regional prevalence of diseases, and information gathered during own interactions with the community. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Health authorities are notified promptly according to legal and institutional prescriptions of the risk and/or presence of communicable diseases in communities. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Contacts of patients with communicable diseases are traced and treated in accordance with accepted procedures and protocols. Contacts are monitored to determine the success of the treatment and/or risk of further spread of the disease. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Communication and interaction with the community provides relevant information about the disease and prevention strategies, and mobilises community resources to minimise the spread of disease. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Strategies include:
  • Practical teaching; immunisation campaigns.
     
    		•

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    Monitoring strategies established for specific diseases are appropriate to the particular disease, the threat it presents, and available resources. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 4 
    Manage the care of patients with communicable diseases. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Pre and post test counselling for communicable diseases is provided in accordance with current protocols. Communities are informed of the service and its benefits. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Treatment readiness assessment is conducted for common communicable diseases to determine the risk of non-compliance with the treatment regime, and the extent of the care support system. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Treatment adherence support and counselling is provided to all patients in treatment for communicable diseases. The consequences of failing to adhere to treatment is explained with reference to resistance, secondary infection and outbreaks of the disease. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Opportunistic infections associated with a communicable disease are managed according to accepted protocols. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    Nursing care provided at all stages of common communicable diseases complies with accepted nursing practice and protocols. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 6 
    Follow up and supportive care provided for communicable diseases complies with national and institutional procedures and protocols. Actions in the event that patients or contacts cannot be traced are consistent with health authority guidelines. 


    UNIT STANDARD ACCREDITATION AND MODERATION OPTIONS 
    Accreditation Options:
  • Providers of learning towards this unit standard will need to meet the accreditation requirements of the relevant ETQA.

    Moderation Option:
  • The moderation requirements of the relevant ETQA must be met in order to award credit to learners for this unit standard. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD ESSENTIAL EMBEDDED KNOWLEDGE 
    The following essential embedded knowledge will be assessed through assessment of the specific outcomes in terms of the stipulated assessment criteria. Candidates are unlikely to achieve all the specific outcomes, to the standards described in the assessment criteria, without knowledge of the listed embedded knowledge. This means that for the most part, the possession or lack of the knowledge can be directly inferred from the quality of the candidate's performance. Where direct assessment of knowledge is required, assessment criteria have been included in the body of the unit standard:
  • Demonstration of knowledge in management of communicable diseases at all levels.
  • Pre and post and supportive counselling for HIV and AIDS.
  • Adherence counselling for treatment.
  • Managing opportunistic infections. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOME 
    N/A 

    UNIT STANDARD LINKAGES 
    N/A 


    Critical Cross-field Outcomes (CCFO): 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO IDENTIFYING 
    Identify and solve problems and make decisions using critical and creative thinking.

    Note: Identifying and implementing health care solutions implies problem-solving and effective decision making. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO WORKING 
    Work effectively with others as members of a team, group, organisation or community.

    Note: Health care provision is team based. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO ORGANISING 
    Organise and manage themselves and their activities responsibly and effectively.

    Note: Implementing health care requires effective organisation. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COLLECTING 
    Collect, analyse, organise and critically evaluate information.

    Note: Central to monitoring and evaluation components. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COMMUNICATING 
    Communicate effectively, using visual, mathematical and/or language skills in the modes of oral and/or written presentations.

    Note: Core competence in preventing spread of disease. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO SCIENCE 
    Use science and technology effectively and critically showing responsibility towards the environment and health of others.

    Note: Used in assessment and monitoring. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO DEMONSTRATING 
    Demonstrate an understanding of the world as a set of related systems by recognising that problem-solving contexts do not exist in isolation.

    Note: Essential to communicable diseases. 

    UNIT STANDARD ASSESSOR CRITERIA 
    N/A 

    REREGISTRATION HISTORY 
    As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this unit standard was Reregistered in 2012; 2015. 

    UNIT STANDARD NOTES 
    Notes to Assessors:

    Assessors should keep the following general principles in mind when designing and conducting assessments against this unit standard:
  • Focus the assessment activities on gathering evidence in terms of the main outcome expressed in the title to ensure assessment is integrated rather than fragmented. Remember we want to declare the person competent in terms of the title. Where assessment at title level is unmanageable, then focus assessment around each specific outcome, or groups of specific outcomes.
  • Make sure that evidence is gathered across the entire range, wherever it applies. Assessment activities should be as close to the real performance as possible, and where simulations or role-plays are used, there should be supporting evidence to show the candidate is able to perform in the real situation.
  • Do not focus the assessment activities on each assessment criterion. Rather make sure the assessment activities focus on outcomes and are sufficient to enable evidence to be gathered around all the assessment criteria.
  • The assessment criteria provide the specifications against which assessment judgements should be made. In most cases, knowledge can be inferred from the quality of the performances, but in other cases, knowledge and understanding will have to be tested through questioning techniques. Where this is required, there will be assessment criteria to specify the standard required.
  • The task of the assessor is to gather sufficient evidence, of the prescribed type and quality, as specified in this unit standard, that the candidate can achieve the outcomes again and again and again. This means assessors will have to judge how many repeat performances are required before they believe the performance is reproducible.
  • All assessments should be conducted in line with the following well documented principles of assessment: appropriateness, fairness, manageability, integration into work or learning, validity, direct, authentic, sufficient, systematic, open and consistent.

    The following particular issues should be taken into consideration when assessing against this unit standard:
  • The SANC guidelines are used as a reference for integrated assessment.
  • Formative Assessment: A variety of assessment strategies and/or approaches integrating theory and practice must be used. These could be tests, assignments, projects, demonstrations or clinical assessments or any other applicable method.
  • Summative: This could take a form of oral, written and/or practical assessments as agreed to with the relevant ETQA.

    Definition of Terms:

    Terms have been clarified as far as possible through the use of range statements. Further clarification of terms is provided as follows:
  • The terms "patient" and "health care user" are used interchangeably in this unit standard. The term patient is used internationally, and the term health care user is used in the Nursing Act 33 of 2005, as well as the National Health Act 61 of 2003. 
    		•

    QUALIFICATIONS UTILISING THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
      ID QUALIFICATION TITLE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL STATUS END DATE PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QA FUNCTIONARY
    Core  59236   National Diploma: Nursing  Level 5  NQF Level 05  Passed the End Date -
    Status was "Reregistered"     		 2020-07-30  As per Learning Programmes recorded against this Qual 
    Core  59257   Bachelor of Nursing  Level 7  NQF Level 08  Passed the End Date -
    Status was "Reregistered"     		 2023-06-30  As per Learning Programmes recorded against this Qual 


    PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
    This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here.
     
    NONE 


    All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.