Application

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to identify client fitness requirements, administer a pre-exercise health screening questionnaire and advise clients of appropriate fitness programs, services and facilities. This involves using industry endorsed risk stratification procedures when determining the provision of suitable advice regarding services and referral requirements.

This unit applies to fitness instructors who work in a variety of fitness locations such as fitness, leisure and community centres. These individuals typically work independently with some level of autonomy in a controlled environment. Work is performed according to relevant legislation and organisational policies and procedures.

No occupational licensing, certification or specific legislative requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.

Elements and Performance Criteria

ELEMENTS	PERFORMANCE CRITERIA
Elements describe the essential outcomes	Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element.
1. Identify client fitness requirements.	1.1 Question clients to confirm fitness goals, expectations and preferences. 1.2 Confirm current and past physical activity participation. 1.3 Describe available programs, services and facilities relevant to client needs and expectations.
2. Administer pre-exercise health screening questionnaire.	2.1 Explain purpose of pre-exercise health screening questionnaire and risk stratification to client. 2.2 Provide and administer an industry standard pre-exercise health screening questionnaire to client. 2.3 Discuss client preferences and outcomes of pre-exercise health screening. 2.4 Refer client to medical practitioner or other appropriate professionals for further appraisal as required.
3. Advise benefits of fitness activities and exercise prescription.	3.1 Explain benefits of fitness activities and fitness programs. 3.2 Advise client regarding processes and suitability of relevant activities and programs, as required. 3.3 Document and update records of fitness orientation, pre-exercise screening and advice provided to client.

Foundation Skills

Foundation skills essential to performance in this unit, but not explicit in the performance criteria are listed here, along with a brief context statement.
SKILLS	DESCRIPTION
Reading skills to:	interpret pre-exercise health screening questionnaire requirements and processes to determine client level of risk interpret pre-exercise health screening questionnaire and accompanying documentation regarding its use, implementation and risk stratification processes.
Writing skills to:	prepare referral letters with appropriate information from client consultation and pre-exercise health screening questionnaire to general practitioners, personal trainers or advanced personal trainers.
Oral communication skills to:	provide client with a justified explanation for referral and identify with the client the appropriate person, such as the client’s general practitioner, for the referral use active listening and open and closed probe questioning to interact with clients in a polite and friendly manner.
Numeracy skills to:	conduct measurements and calculations, such as body mass index within industry standard pre-exercise health screening questionnaire provide clients with advice on appropriate exercise intensity guidelines and heart rate calculations based on pre-exercise health screening questionnaire results.
Problem-solving skills to:	determine need for client referral to a general practitioner or a personal trainer or an advanced personal trainer.

 

Assessment requirements

Modification History

Not applicable.

Performance Evidence

Evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit in the context of the job role. This must include a period(s) totalling at least three hours of fitness orientation and health screening work comprising at least five different client contact sessions and:

• use a risk stratification process for each client contact session for clients with differing needs, goals and preferences
• conduct calculations and measurements to adequately complete health screening procedures:

• waist circumference
• waist to hip ratio
• body mass index

• explain available programs, services and facilities to match each client’s needs, goals and preferences
• prepare referral letters with supporting pre-exercise health screening documentation for at least two clients to a relevant medical or appropriate allied health professional when guidance and feedback is required regarding exercise participation
• prepare referral letter for at least one client to a more highly qualified fitness professional, such as a personal trainer, when either the:

• client requests personal training services
• client’s needs, goals and preferences are suited to the scope of practice of a fitness professional more highly qualified than a fitness instructor

• interact with all clients in a professional manner
• use appropriate communication strategies and organisational channels to collect and handle sensitive information.

Knowledge Evidence

Demonstrated knowledge required to complete the tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit:

• legislation and regulatory requirements:

• appropriate collection and storage of client information
• application of legal and ethical limitations of own role
• work health and safety/occupational health and safety

• industry endorsed client pre-exercise health screening processes
• industry endorsed risk stratification procedures, exercise implications and referral requirements
• features and benefits of fitness facilities, exercise programs and services
• essential information and protocols for completion of referrals:

• client details
• rationale for referral
• guidance being sought
• a copy of the pre-exercise health screening tool

• role of medical or allied health professionals for referral processes
• role of relevant personnel for referral processes:

• personal trainer
• advanced personal trainer

• considerations to be aware of in the following specific population client presentations:

• asthma
• children and their developmental stages
• continence issues
• depression
• high cholesterol
• hypertension
• knee injuries
• lower back pain
• menopause
• metabolic disease or conditions, including diabetes mellitus
• neck issues
• obesity
• older populations and conditions associated with ageing process
• osteoarthritis
• osteoporosis
• overweight
• pre and postnatal
• rheumatoid arthritis.

Assessment Conditions

Skills must be demonstrated in:

• a fitness industry workplace or simulated environment with clients with real or simulated fitness needs and expectations, including new and existing clients.

Assessment must ensure use of:

• industry standard pre-exercise health screening questionnaire
• informed consent forms
• client record forms
• referral letter
• clients; these can be:

• clients in an industry workplace, or
• individuals who participate in role plays or simulated activities, set up for the purpose of assessment, in a simulated industry environment operated within a training organisation.

Assessment must ensure access to:

• legislation and organisational policies and procedures in relation to health screening and fitness orientation.

Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisation’s requirements for assessors, and:

• have achieved a Certificate IV in Fitness or above; and
• have at least 1 year consecutive post qualification fitness industry experience in the application of the skills and knowledge of the Certificate IV in Fitness.

Visit: https://training.gov.au/Training/Details/SISFFIT001 for more info!