Application
This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required to coordinate and undertake patient admission and discharge. It also includes providing initial veterinary nursing care to patients (animals) and grief support to clients (animal owners).
This unit applies to individuals who work as veterinary nurses under the supervision of a registered veterinarian. Veterinary nurses who coordinate admissions and discharges need to hold and apply knowledge of animal anatomy and physiology and veterinary procedures, to triage patients, and use effective communication skills to support animal owners in grief.
Legislative and regulatory requirements apply to veterinary nurses but vary according to state/territory jurisdictions. Users must check with the relevant regulatory authority before delivery.
Elements and Performance Criteria
Element | Performance Criteria |
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. |
1. Coordinate practice admissions | 1.1 Schedule appointments and other practice procedures 1.2 Advise animal owners on patient intake and pre-treatment procedures for specific periods 1.3 Answer routine and non-routine enquiries 1.4 Send or set reminders for appointments 1.5 Consult veterinarian on relevant details and convey the intended actions to the client |
2. Compile patient and client histories | 2.1 Identify patients according to species, breed and permanent identification features 2.2 Retrieve and update existing client and patient histories 2.3 Establish new client and patient records |
3. Undertake admission procedure | 3.1 Complete admission documentation 3.2 Carry out preliminary examination, handling animal to minimise stress 3.3 Explain procedure to client |
4. Provide veterinary nursing care | 4.1 Use triage procedures for all admissions 4.2 Recognise and report emergency situations to veterinarian, in line with practice procedures 4.3 Recognise need for isolation 4.4 Use appropriate personal protective equipment for the veterinary nursing care required 4.5 Recognise and report signs of pain 4.6 Apply animal first aid measures to sustain life and to minimise pain as required, under the supervision of a veterinarian 4.7 Provide support to the veterinarian |
5. Provide grief support to clients | 5.1 Identify client needs in consultation with the veterinarian 5.2 Provide sympathy and comfort to the client 5.3 Identify level of grief and take appropriate action 5.4 Use varied techniques in communicating with the client and providing support 5.5 Manage own stress and fatigue |
6. Implement discharge procedures as directed by veterinarian | 6.1 Carry out final checks on vital signs and record results in patient record 6.2 Clean, groom and prepare patient for discharge 6.3 Transfer the animal back to its owners 6.4 Provide home care advice to the client, including medication needs, wound management, nutrition, pain management exercise and veterinary review for routine and non-routine procedures |
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 |
Writing | Record information on paper-based records or using computer-based technology |
Oral communication | Use negotiating and questioning techniques to clarify animal care requirements with clients Use veterinary terminology when interacting with practice staff and clients |
Numeracy | Measure and interpret animal vital signs, including temperature, pulse and respiration rate |
Get the work done | Prioritise animals for consultation with veterinarian Differentiate between enquiries that can be handled by a veterinary nurse and those that need veterinarian intervention Address irregularities and contingencies in the context of the work role |
Sectors
Veterinary Nursing (VET)