2012/13 Proficiency Information

NEW (as of 3/8/12)

SLSQ has created some short videos, and posted them on youtube, to assist you in being able to access and complete the 2012/2013 Online Proficiency Theory Paper.

How to create a Lifesaving Online account – you are required to have a Lifesaving Online account to be able to access the online proficiency theory paper.  Click here to watch this youtube video

Link is - http://youtu.be/A7MhuzbYsm0

How to complete the SLSQ Proficiency online – short video showing you how to access the online proficiency theory paper, some basic functions about the online software and most importantly, how to print out a certificate which you are required to give to your surf club as evidence you have completed it.  Click here to watch this youtube video.

Link is - http://youtu.be/NbLvT18rr9M

You can find information about the following topics on this page:
  
     • 2012/2013 Proficiency Process and Highlighted Changes
     • Online Proficiency Theory Paper Instructions including:
          o How to access the ‘Online Proficiency Theory Paper’ through ‘Lifesaving Online’ website
            www.lifesavingonline.com.au.
          o How to create your Lifesaving Online account for the first time
          o How to access your existing Lifesaving Online account
          o What to do if you have forgotten your username and/or password from last year
          o Other FAQ’s
     • NEW for 2012/2013 – In-Depth Proficiencies

2012/2013 PROFICIENCY PROCESS, RESOURCES AND HIGHLIGHTED CHANGES

The 2012/2013 proficiency process is very similar to the process for the 2011/2012 season apart from the highlighted changes listed below.  For specific details on how to conduct the 2012/2013 Proficiency process, please refer to the 2012/2013 Patrol Operations Manual Section LS0024: Proficiencies 2012/2013 document which can be found by clicking here.

To access the current 2012/13 proficiency bulletin click here.

The main changes to this POMS document and the proficiency process are highlighted below:
   
      • Signals Assessment
          o where awards require a candidate to demonstrate signals, a candidate only needs to demonstrate
            10 correct signals to be deemed to complete this practical assessment satisfactorily.
          o Assessors should use the Signals Assessment Card for this practical assessment as a guide
          o Previously, in 2011/2012, a candidate was required to complete ALL signals correctly.
    
      • IRB Awareness in Bronze Medallion Proficiency
          o Only members who DID NOT complete the 2011/2012 Bronze Medallion proficiency are required to
            be trained and assessed on this topic
          o The IRB Awareness PowerPoint can be found below
          o Once a candidate has been trained in the required components, the member must then be
            assessed according to the IRB Awareness Practical Assessment card which can be accessed
            by clicking here.
          o Trainers/Assessors should read the 12/13 POM Section LS0024: Proficiencies 2012/2013 document
            for specific instructions on how to conduct this     

      • Anaphylaxis and Asthma Practical Assessment
          o All Bronze Medallion proficiencies MUST include the practical assessment of Anaphylaxis and
            Asthma
          o Assessment Cards for these can be found below
          o Where a member did not complete the Bronze Medallion proficiency in 2011/2012, they must
            complete the training for these 2 topics including the presentation of information found on
            the corresponding powerpoints – to view the asthma information click here and for the anaphylaxis
            information click here.
    
      • In Depth Proficiency
          o If a member has not been proficient in an award for 3 or more seasons, please see the In-Depth
            Proficiency section below – see below for in depth proficiency information.    

      • Pool Swim Requirements
          o After much consideration by the SLSQ State Lifesaving Education Panel, SLSQ State Lifesaving
            Committee, and SLSA Lifesaving Education Committee, a member may use any form of swimming
            stroke to complete a pool swim or a run swim run, as long as they complete either practical
            assessment within the designated time frame.
    
      • Certificate II in Public Safety (Aquatic Rescue) Upgrade
          o ALL members, who did not hold a Certificate II in Public Safety (Aquatic Rescue) (to be known as
            Certificate II), were to have completed the Certificate II Upgrade process, as outlined in the 2011/2012
            SLSQ POM Section 24, by 31st December 2011.
          o Where a member has not yet upgraded to the Certificate II, but DID complete a Bronze Medallion
            proficiency between 1st July 2011 and 28th February 2012, the member has up to the 31st July 2012
            to submit the required evidence as outlined within the Certificate II Upgrade resource. (resource can
            be found on the SLSQ TAF Portal 
          o However where a member does not meet the requirements as listed in the above dot point, the
            Certificate II Upgrade is no longer available for these members. Where a member still does not hold a
            Certificate II, they are unable to patrol until they obtain their Certificate II.  To obtain the
            Certificate II, a member must complete all assessment activities, both theoretical and practical, as
            listed in the current Certificate II / Bronze Medallion resource.
    
      • Radio Operator Proficiency Requirements
          o A Radio Operator must complete a proficiency on an annual basis which includes completing the
            annual Proficiency Paper AND a practical task as per SLSQ Radio Practical Assessment Card
    
      • First Aid Proficiency
          o An Operational First Aid / Apply First Aid award is current for 3 years.
          o However to maintain currency in this award within SLSQ, the member must complete an annual
            Resuscitation Proficiency, including completion of the annual Proficiency Paper
    
      • Defibrillator and Advanced Resuscitation Proficiency
          o With the implementation of the Advanced Resuscitation Techniques (ART) award in 2011/2012
            season, there will be no individual Defibrillator or Advanced Resuscitation Certificate proficiencies for
            the 2012/2013 season.
          o If a member wishes to continue to utilize these skills on patrol, they will be required to update to the
            new ART award.
          o Please refer to the 12/13 SLSQ POM Section 24 for more detailed information or please contact your
            club Chief Training Officer or Branch Education Officer
     
      • Spinal Management Proficiency
          o The Spinal Management award now has 2 practical assessment cards specifically associated with
            this award.
          o Please refer to the resources list below for these specific assessment cards
     
      • IRB Proficiencies
          o The content of IRB Driver and Crew proficiencies for the 12/13 season is very similar to 11/12 season
            – please refer to the IRB Team Assessment Card below.
          o The conduct and administration procedures for an IRB Assessment has changed slightly – your
            respective Branch IRB TACO’s will communicate this new procedure to you

IN DEPTH PROFICIENCY

The SLSA National Education Committee resolved in November 2010 that if a member remains non-proficient in any award for a period of three continuous years or more, then they are required to either sit an in-depth proficiency, a full assessment or be retrained in order to be considered proficient in the award.

SLSQ State Lifesaving Education Panel have further defined SLSA requirement and as of the 2012/2013 season, the following new Proficiency Rules will apply to all SLSQ members.

      1. Where a member has not been proficient for the previous three (3) consecutive years or more in an
         award, they are required to complete an in-depth proficiency including the current years annual
         proficiency test requirements (as outlined within the SLSQ Patrol Operations Manual Section 
         LS0024: Proficiencies 2012/2013) AND training and assessing of any new skills and/or knowledge
         that have been implemented within the previous 3- 5 years as summarised in the SLSQ Proficiency
         Bulletin’s released each year as listed below.

•          2010/11 Proficiency Bulletin click here 
•          2011/12 Proficiency Bulletin click here

      2. Where a member does not hold a unit of competency for the corresponding award they wish to become
         proficient in, they must complete an Assessment Only RPL procedure for the award to be issued the
         Unit of Competency.
           a. Members who complete the Assessment Only RPL Procedure are not required to complete the
              proficiency requirements for that award except the current seasons Proficiency Theory Paper
              MUST be completed.

      3. Where a member has NOT been proficient for the previous 5 consecutive years, they must undergo the
         full course assessment.

ONLINE PROFICIENCY THEORY PAPER

SLSQ launched the online Proficiency Theory Paper in the 2011/2012 season with over 3,000 members choosing to complete the theory paper online. 

The benefits of providing the Proficiency Theory Paper online include:
         
      1. Flexibility – members can complete the proficiency theory paper in their own time at their own pace
      2. Reduce Proficiency Time – if members use the online theory paper, which is self marking, this means
         at the club, members can get straight into the practical proficiencies reducing the time required to
         complete your proficiency at the club hopefully
      3. Environmentally friendly – by completing the theory activities online, less paper based theory
         papers are required to be printed.  Note: if 3,000 people complete the paper online, and with the theory
         paper being 11 pages long, this equates to a saving of 18,000 pages of paper
      4. Automatic self marking – assessment questions completed online will be self marking which means
         Trainers/Assessors can spend more time on the practical components of the proficiency.
            
With the introduction of any new technology, especially online learning, we did experience some teething problems for the first year however SLSQ is very confident that a majority of these teething problems experienced by members will have been ironed out for the 2012/2013 season.

New Member / No Lifesaving Online Account

Step 1 – Establish your Lifesaving Online Account
      i. Got to the following website address: www.lifesavingonline.com.au
      ii. Select ‘Create Account’ at the top of the page
      iii. Select YES to Question 1
      iv. Complete all other questions as instructed/required
      v. Successful – go to Step 2 below OR
      vi. Unsuccessful –
          a. if it does NOT allow you to set up your account, contact your club administrator to check that all of your
             current details i.e. name, date of birth, email address and mobile number, are correct within
             Surfguard. Once the club administrator check’s this, you should be able to create your account
             starting at Step 1 i above. – PLEASE NOTE THAT CLUB ADMINISTRATORS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO

Step 2 – Login to Lifesaving Online Account
      i. Login to Lifesaving Online account at the following website www.lifesavingonline.com.au using the
         username and password you established in Step 1
      ii. Select ‘My Courses’ tab on the top of the page
      iii. Select ‘Go to Online Learning now’ button
      iv. Click on ‘Personal Learning Plan’ on the left-hand side.  The SLSQ logo with the words ‘Surf Life
          Saving Queensland 2012/2013 Proficiency Theory’ should appear in the middle of the screen
      v. Click on the ‘Launch’ button on the bottom of the screen
          a. Three individual columns should appear on the screen
      vi. Select, by left clicking with your mouse, the ‘SLSQ Proficiency 2012’ in the middle box – the one with the
          white bar next to it, found under the ‘SLSQ Proficiency 2012/2013’ which has a folder icon next to it.
          a. The right-hand side box should change
      vii. Single click with your left mouse button on ‘Launch Fullscreen’ found in the right-hand box.  The
           proficiency program should start

• NOTE:
      o ALL questions must be completed correctly to have completed the proficiency paper.
      o Some slides may have learning boxes that show up after a period of time.

Step 3 – Print out Completion Summary
      i. You will need to print out evidence that you have successfully completed the online theory paper.
      ii. To do this, exit out of the Online course and click on ‘Personal Learning Plan’ at the top of the left hand
          column.
      iii. Then click on ‘Certificates’ under ‘My Progress’
      iv. Left Click on the ‘SLSQ Proficiency 2012/13’ once
      v. Then click the ‘Print’ button on the bottom of the page.
          a. You will need to have a printer connected to your computer to print out your completion certificate
      vi. Take your completion certificate to your club on the proficiency day.
          a. NOTE: you may not be able to complete your practical proficiency if you do not present the
          Completion Certificate.

COMING SOON - To assist members in accessing and completing the 2012/2013 Proficiency Theory Paper online, SLSQ has developed a number of short instructional video’s which show you exactly how to access and utilize the system.  You can find links to these video’s below including written instructions.  We have also provided a Frequently Asked Questions’s section below to cover the common questions/problems that some members faced last year.