20963 version 2

Page 1 of 3

Demonstrate knowledge of arachnoiditis and chronic back pain in a community field work setting

Level / 3
Credits / 3

PurposeThis unit standard is intended for people involved in, or planning to become involved in, community field work. Community field workers provide education, support, information, and advocacy in a health or disability setting in a consumer’s own home, a residential facility, and the community. Community field workers work with a high degree of autonomy and are responsible for making independent decisions in remote situations.

People credited with this unit standard are able to: define arachnoiditis and chronic back pain; describe possible causes of arachnoiditis and chronic back pain; describe conditions frequently associated with arachnoiditis and chronic back pain; and describe support needs required for a person with arachnoiditis and a person with chronic back pain.

Subfield / Community Support
Domain / Community Field Work
Status / Registered
Status date / 20 May 2008
Date version published / 20 May 2008
Planned review date / 31 December 2013
Entry information / Open.
Accreditation / Evaluation of documentation and visit by NZQA and industry.
Standard setting body (SSB) / Community Support Services Industry Training Organisation Limited
Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP) reference / 0024

This AMAP can be accessed at

Special notes

The primary references for this unit standard include but are not limited to: Aldrete, J A, Arachnoiditis: The Silent Epidemic (Denver, CO: Future Medical Publishers, 2000); Aronoff, G. M, Evaluation and Treatment of Chronic Pain (Maryland, USA: Williams and Wilkins, Third Edition, 1999).

Elements and performance criteria

Element 1

Define arachnoiditis and chronic back pain.

Performance criteria

1.1Arachnoiditis and chronic back pain are defined in accordance with the primary references.

Rangespinal injury or trauma, invasive spinal procedures, failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS).

Element 2

Describe possible causes of arachnoiditis and chronic back pain and their effects.

Performance criteria

2.1Two possible causes of arachnoiditis are described in terms of their effects in accordance with the primary references.

Rangeany two effects.

2.2Two possible causes of chronic back pain are described in terms of their effects in accordance with the primary references.

Rangeany two effects.

Element 3

Describe conditions frequently associated with arachnoiditis and chronic back pain.

Rangeany three conditions may be selected from, but are not limited to, the following – syringomyelia; arachnoid cysts; FBSS; cauda equina syndrome; central, chronic and neuropathic pain; restless leg syndrome; sciatica; spasticity.

Performance criteria

3.1Each condition associated with arachnoiditis and chronic back pain is defined in terms of its cause and in accordance with the primary references.

3.2Each condition associated with arachnoiditis and chronic back pain described in terms of at least two defining characteristics and in accordance with the primary references.

Element 4

Describe the support needs of a person with arachnoiditis and a person with chronic back pain.

Performance criteria

4.1The support needs of a person with arachnoiditis and chronic back pain are described in accordance with the primary references.

4.2The support needs of a person with arachnoiditis and chronic back pain are described in terms of their condition and requirements.

Rangephysical, social.

4.3The support needs of a person with arachnoiditis and chronic back pain are described in terms of resource accessibility and availability in the community.

Please note

Providers must be accredited by NZQA, or an inter-institutional body with delegated authority for quality assurance, before they can report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses of study leading to that assessment.

Industry Training Organisations must be accredited by NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.

Accredited providers and Industry Training Organisations assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that applies to those standards.

Accreditation requirements and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this standard are outlined in the Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP). The AMAP also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations wishing to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for tutors and assessors, and special resource requirements.

Comments on this unit standard

Please contact the Community Support Services Industry Training Organisation if you wish to suggest changes to the content of this unit standard.

 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2019