Prepare your RPL portfolio/RPL evidence guides
Health Services
Health Services Assistance (HLT33115) — RPL Evidence Portfolio Guide
Certificate III in Health Services Assistance (Assisting in Nursing Work)
Evidence portfolio guide for assistants in nursing and hospital support staff seeking HLT33115 recognition under registered nurse supervision.
Last updated 7 September 2026
Who this guide is for
- Assistants in nursing and patient care assistants without the certificate
- Overseas nurses now in Australian assistant roles
- Ward, theatre and clinical support staff
- Aged care workers moving into acute or subacute settings
1. Visual evidence guidelines (photos & videos)
To satisfy independent RTO assessment criteria, submit 8 de-identified simulation photos and 4 video clips (about 60 seconds each).
Privacy is strictest here: no patients, clinical areas or charts. Use simulation rooms and manikins with written facility approval.
Option A — Infection prevention and control
Mandatory- Hand hygiene at the five moments
- Donning and doffing PPE in order
- Standard and transmission-based precautions
- Waste, linen and sharps management
Option B — Assisting with nursing care
Mandatory- Hygiene, mobility and comfort support (simulated)
- Vital signs within scope
- Feeding and fluid balance monitoring
- Pressure care and repositioning
Option C — Manual handling and equipment
3 to 4 tasks- Hoist, slide sheet and belt transfers
- Bed, wheelchair and trolley use
- Checking and reporting faulty equipment
- Falls prevention measures
Option D — Communication and documentation
3 to 4 tasks- Structured handover
- De-identified progress notes
- Reporting a change to the RN
- Incident and near-miss reporting
Option E — Scope, safety and legal practice
3 to 4 tasks- Recognising limits and escalating
- Confidentiality and privacy
- Emergency response within scope
- Work health and safety in clinical areas
These task counts are our standard preparation guidance. Your assessing RTO may set different requirements — we confirm them before you start collecting.
2. Acceptable vs unacceptable visual evidence
Acceptable evidence (do this)
Unacceptable evidence (avoid this)
3. Supporting documents checklist
- Photo identification (passport or Australian driver licence)
- Résumé showing your setting and hours
- Third-party report signed by an RN supervisor (including registration number)
- Payslips, rosters and PAYG covering the claimed period
- Police check and Working With Children Check
- Immunisation and vaccination record
- Current first aid and CPR certificates
- Manual handling, infection control and basic life support records
- Overseas nursing qualifications with translation
4. How to organise and submit your portfolio
1. Clear it with the facility
Expect simulation-only evidence — get written approval for sim-room use first.
2. Book the simulation room
Plan demonstrations across infection control, nursing assistance and handling.
3. Have the RN complete the report
The supervising RN documents observed tasks with their registration number.
4. De-identify everything
Remove UR numbers, dates of birth, ward names and any patient details.
5. Sort by option with an index
One folder per option plus an index mapping files to tasks.
6. Prepare for a competency conversation
Expect questions on scope boundaries, escalation and recognising deterioration.
5. Why portfolios get sent back
- Patient identity visible in any file
- Report not signed by a registered nurse
- Out-of-scope clinical tasks performed instead of escalated
- Infection control steps wrong or out of order
- No immunisation or CPR records
- Pay records missing for the claimed period
6. Questions we get asked
My hospital will not let me record anything. Can I still apply?
Yes. Simulation demonstrations plus a registered nurse's third-party report are the standard evidence route in health settings.
I am a nurse overseas. Does this qualification help me register here?
No. Nursing registration is handled by AHPRA and the Nursing and Midwifery Board through their own process. HLT33115 recognises assistant-level work and is a different pathway — we can explain which applies to you.
Do agency shifts count?
Yes, if you have payslips and can obtain a supervisor report from a facility where you worked regularly.
Who makes the final decision?
An independent registered training organisation. Skills Connect prepares and reviews your evidence; we do not assess or issue the qualification.
Not sure your evidence is strong enough?
Take the free skills check, or book a call and we'll review what you already have before you spend weeks collecting the wrong things.
See the full Health Services Assistance pathway page for qualification, licence and visa outcomes.
Skills Connect (EDUTEK PTY LTD) prepares and reviews RPL evidence. Assessment and certification are carried out by an independent registered training organisation or assessing authority.
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