Application
This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required to manage the process of stages of natural and caesarean births and management of transgenic mice or rat pups.
The unit applies to individuals who work as animal technicians in research and teaching facilities that require transgenic laboratory animals for scientific purposes where it is necessary to monitor natural birth or perform caesarean sections and rear offspring for transgenic programs.
No occupational licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.
NOTE: The terms 'occupational health and safety' (OHS) and 'work health and safety' (WHS) generally have the same meaning in the workplace. In jurisdictions where the national model WHS legislation has not been implemented, RTOs must contextualise the unit of competency by referring to current OHS legislative requirements.
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. Prepare for procedures and maintain documentation | 1.1 Comply with institutional protocols, policies and procedures as set down by the Animal Ethics Committee (AEC) and relevant legislative requirements, including WHS, at all times 1.2 Identify regulatory and project documentation requirements 1.3 Verify project reproductive and breeding program objectives 1.4 Revise, review, maintain and update records according to institutional policies and procedures |
2. Monitor natural birth of transgenic offspring | 2.1 Identify signs of parturition 2.2 Monitor birth and make decision to foster pups or leave with birth mother 2.3 House and monitor mother and offspring to minimise stress to animals |
3. Perform caesarean procedures | 3.1 Justify need for caesarean section and confirm AEC approval 3.2 Prepare equipment, including personal protective equipment and medications 3.3 Euthanase female by cervical dislocation or sedate and euthanase 3.4 Conduct caesarean procedure 3.5 Collect, identify, check and monitor pups 3.6 Euthanase birth mother (if not previously) and dispose of carcass according to legislative requirements |
4. Foster pups onto clean mother | 4.1 Verify clean or dirty status of the mother and separate handling and treatment areas of each group according to biosecurity requirements 4.2 Select and prepare foster mother prior to caesarean surgery of birth mother 4.3 Select and prepare area for fostering to ensure minimal stress to foster mother and pups 4.4 Allocate pups to foster mother and monitor bonding |
Foundation Skills
This section describes those language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills that are essential for performance in this unit of competency but are not explicit in the performance criteria.
Skill | Description |
Numeracy | Keep accurate records of animal birth weight and other measurements |
Get the work done | Make decisions and solve problems as they arise during the stages of natural and caesarean births |
Sectors
Animal Technology (ATE)