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: 

Share information to promote effective decision making in health care 
SAQA US ID UNIT STANDARD TITLE
252102  Share information to promote effective decision making in health care 
ORIGINATOR
SGB Nursing 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY
-  
FIELD SUBFIELD
Field 09 - Health Sciences and Social Services Promotive Health and Developmental Services 
ABET BAND UNIT STANDARD TYPE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL CREDITS
Undefined  Regular  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  7 
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 function as a health educator to ensure that carers', clients, families and communities have sufficient information to be able to make informed decisions about health behavior and health care.

People credited with this unit standard are able to:
  • Establish needs and capacity of health care users.
  • Develop education programmes and materials.
  • Provide health information throughout nursing care.
  • Evaluate effectiveness of education programmes. 
    		•

    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:
  • ID 252098: Use communication skills to establish and maintain supportive relationships.
  • Cultural awareness and sensitivity.
  • ID 252080: Practice in accordance with ethical and legal codes of nursing and the laws of the country. 
    		•

    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 
    Establish needs and capacity of health care users. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Patients are encouraged to share their perception of the health and/or illness phenomena. Probing questions facilitate the clarification and articulation process. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Interaction with the patient establishes their capacity for receiving and/or dealing with information in terms of language ability and conceptual development. Decisions about capacity are supported by observations and evidence drawn from discussions with the patient. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Additional sources of evidence about the patient's health status and needs are identified and accessed to support current observations and interactions with the patient. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Sources include:
  • Needs assessments; health care plans; individual care plans; patient records.
     
    		•

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Decisions about the patient's need for information are consistent with previous needs assessments, where these exist, and own observations during discussions with the patient. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 2 
    Develop education programmes and materials. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Materials prepared for health education reflect the use of an identifiable health education model which integrates scientific nursing care. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Materials and resources support learning towards the expected learning outcomes in terms of educational paradigms and strategy. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Selection and preparation of content and resources are appropriate to the context for the delivery of health care education. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Resources include:
  • Time, people and place.
     
    		•

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    The materials and/or planned presentation is accessible to the target group in terms of language level and conceptual development. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    The sustainability of the planned approach to health education utilised is established in terms of required time and resources. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 6 
    Information on appropriate referral systems and available options is available for use during health care education programmes. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 3 
    Provide health information throughout nursing care. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Information presented is accurate, up to date, significant and made available timeously to health care users, in accordance with best practice nursing care. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Language level is appropriate to the target population, and learning delivery utilises appropriate learning strategies and styles, and contextualised examples. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Media approaches and methodologies are appropriate to the particular learning context. Adaptations during the learning process reflect an awareness of learners' needs, and draw on a variety of teaching and learning strategies. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Information presented is accurate and referenced, and relevant to the particular problem and/or context. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    Opportunity is provided for questions of clarification and/or feedback, and answers promote further understanding and effective decision making. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 6 
    The content and the presentation of health education materials and information sharing are culturally sensitive towards the target population. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 7 
    Input which shares experience of successful practice is encouraged and incorporated into the education programme. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Input includes:
  • Expertise from practice; concerns that are culturally determined.
     
    		•

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 4 
    Evaluate effectiveness of education programmes. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Success criteria for the programmes are clearly and unambiguously articulated. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Evidence of the effectiveness of programmes is gathered systematically throughout implementation and from all relevant sources. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Sources include:
  • Epidemiological statistics (short term and long term); stakeholders opinions and input.
     
    		•

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    The effectiveness of patient decision making is evaluated in terms of resulting behaviour, justifications provided, and the quality of health as a result of choices. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Evaluation provides useful input for modification of materials and approaches to information sharing. 


    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.
  • Understanding and applying health education models.
  • Strategies of individual and group education.
  • Knowledge of health education resources.
  • Understanding health behaviour and health beliefs.
  • Understanding cultural congruence.
  • Knowledge of community resources covering the identified needs of all age groups. 
    		•

    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: Essential in the process of working with patients and sharing information. 

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

    Note: Information sharing with patients, nursing team, and significant others. 

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

    Note: Essential to the provision of accurate and relevant information. 

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

    Note: Information sharing has to do with empowering the patient and demands accurate and timeous information. 

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

    Note: Communication is at the heart of the standard; as is the presentation of information. 

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

    Note: Indirectly - nursing and information with respect to patient's health status involves technology. 

    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: Core to health and understanding the body as a system. 

    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:
  • Carer - Refers to professional as well as lay carers.
  • 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 
    Fundamental  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 
    Elective  66389   Higher Certificate: Diagnostic and Procedural Coding  Level 5  NQF Level 05  Passed the End Date -
    Status was "Reregistered"     		 2023-06-30  HW SETA 


    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.