Overview
Assessment Guidance
Assessment guidance:
Whilst supporting individuals with meeting their nutritional and hydration needs may not seem to be part of every role in adult social care, it is important to ensure the learner has good transferable competency. This will ensure wherever they are working, individuals have appropriate access to nutrition and hydration and safe care and support.
It is acknowledged that individuals have a range of care and support needs in this area of care. This unit does require the learner to provide performance evidence (AC 8.3c and d) and this needs to reflect and be contextualised to the needs of the individuals the learner is providing care and support for. Here are some examples of how the required performance evidence might be contextualised and confirmed in the learner’s practice:
• encouraging regular nutrition and hydration/fluid intake and ensuring refreshed drinks and meals/snacks are placed within reach of the individual during care visits
• providing appropriate assistance to enable the individual to eat and drink comfortably and with dignity
• supporting an individual with nutrition and hydration aspects such as healthy eating, which could include meal planning and preparation, along with budgeting and purchasing food items
• supporting an individual to access, understand and follow recommended dietary advice provided by a health professional or similar
• supporting an individual with specific nutrition support which could include the use of special nutrient-rich foods, nutritional supplements, and fortified foods, as well as enteral feeding tubes
• being able to discuss and report any changes, concerns, or dilemmas they may face with nutrition and hydration when supporting individuals
• responding to any changes in the individual's health which may impact their ability to self-manage their nutrition and hydration needs
• signposting and supporting the individual to gain and follow healthy eating advice or advice from another professional which has an impact on their nutrition and hydration needs.
The above examples are not exhaustive, or all required, the purpose of the examples is to show how the performance evidence required can be contextualised and reflected across a range of settings in practice.
Skills-based assessment within this unit should include direct observation as the preferred main source of evidence. Assessment must be carried out over an appropriate period of time within normal work activity.
AC 8.3 c and AC 8.3d: Both criteria should be evidenced in normal work activity and assessment advice has been provided above of how this could be contextualised and achieved. It is acknowledged there may still be situations where learners may not have the opportunity to demonstrate these skills. Other sufficient appropriate evidence to show that the learner would be able to do this is permissible. An assessment method such as a Professional Discussion could be planned and used to achieve this. Justification for this must be standardised and documented by the centre delivering the qualification.
Any knowledge evidence integral to skills-based learning outcomes may be generated outside of the work environment, but the final assessment decision must show application of knowledge within the real work environment.
Aim
This unit will help learners to understand the principles of food safety and the importance of nutrition and hydration for individuals requiring support.