Application
This Unit applies to a veterinary nurse working under supervision of a veterinarian in a veterinary clinic or similar practice. In addition to legal and ethical responsibilities, all Units of Competency in the ACM10 Animal Care and Management Training Package have the requirement for animals to be handled gently and calmly. The individual is required to exhibit appropriate care for animals so that stress and discomfort is minimised.
Prerequisites
Nil.
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
1. Implement pathology procedures | 1.1. Pathology equipment is cleaned, maintained and prepared for use in accordance with manufacturers' instructions. 1.2. Patient is prepared for sampling procedure as instructed and in accordance with workplace health and safety requirements. 1.3. Samples are taken as directed and placed in correctly labelled containers. 1.4. Slides are prepared for microscopic examination. 1.5. Patient and sample details are recorded. 1.6. Sample transfer to laboratory is facilitated as instructed. 1.7. Laboratory test results are received, recorded and reported to the veterinarian. |
2. Perform and record appropriate tests | 2.1. Haematological and blood chemistry tests are performed using specific laboratory equipment. 2.2. Clinic pathology tests are performed as directed by the veterinarian. 2.3. Test results are recorded in clinic patient record and communicated to the attending veterinarian. |
3. Assist with post-mortem examination | 3.1. Supervising veterinarian is notified of death and details are recorded. 3.2. Equipment and animal are prepared for post-mortem as instructed. 3.3. Samples for pathological examination are stored and labelled. 3.4. Post-mortem debris and biological wastes are disposed of in accordance with legislative requirements. |
Required Skills
Required skills |
Ability to: apply veterinary terminology pertaining to cases dispose of clinical and other waste correctly and safely handle cleaning agents safely and apply appropriate cleaning techniques label, identify, transport and store specimens correctly provide effective support to the veterinarian during procedures recognise, respond to and assist with emergencies use personal protective clothing correctly use literacy skills to read, select and implement policies and procedures, including workplace health and safety, infection control and other clinic policies and procedures; implement sequenced written instructions; and record samples for testing accurately and legibly use oral communication skills/language required to fulfil the job role as specified by the organisation, including negotiating and questioning techniques, active listening, acknowledging and responding to a range of views and asking for clarification from the veterinarian use numeracy skills required to prepare samples correctly use problem-solving skills to use available resources efficiently use interpersonal skills to work with others and relate to people from a range of cultural, social and religious backgrounds and with a range of physical and mental abilities work as part of a team and in close working arrangements with the supervising veterinarian. |
Required knowledge |
Knowledge of: animal anatomy and physiology related to clinic pathology procedures biological sample collection methods and procedures, appropriate biological sampling sites and relevant industry laboratory techniques and procedures clinic policies and procedures, including workplace health and safety requirements normal ranges for a range of pathology procedures pathological procedures and equipment in line with job responsibility level range of pathology procedures and the requirements each procedure has for sample preparation, handling and transport quality assurance pathology procedures. |
Evidence Required
The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package. | |
Overview of assessment | |
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this Unit | The evidence required to demonstrate competency in this Unit must be relevant to workplace operations and satisfy all of the requirements of the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge and the range statement of this Unit. Assessors should ensure that candidates can: prepare equipment, slides and patients for examination take a range of samples for testing perform basic laboratory tests and record results provide support for post-mortem examinations communicate effectively with the veterinarian maintain accurate records. The skills and knowledge required to perform clinic pathology procedures must be transferable to a range of work environments and contexts and include the ability to deal with unplanned events. |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Assessment of this Unit is to be largely practical in nature and will be most appropriately assessed in a veterinary practice or in a situation that reproduces normal work conditions. There must be access in either situation to the appropriate equipment and/or resources to enable the candidate to demonstrate competence. |
Method of assessment | To ensure consistency of performance, competency should be demonstrated, to industry defined standards, on more than two occasions over a period of time in order to cover a variety of circumstances, patients, cases and responsibilities and over a number of assessment activities. The assessment strategy must include practical skills assessment. Suggested strategies for this Unit are: written and/or oral assessment of candidate's required knowledge observed, documented and first-hand testimonial evidence of candidate's application of practical tasks simulation exercises that reproduce normal work conditions third-party evidence workplace documentation portfolio. This Unit may be assessed in a holistic way with other Units of Competency relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role. |
Guidance information for assessment | Assessment methods should reflect workplace demands (e.g. literacy and numeracy demands) and the needs of particular target groups (e.g. people with disabilities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, women, people with a language background other than English, youth and people from low socioeconomic backgrounds). |
Range Statement
The range statement relates to the Unit of Competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included. | |
Pathology equipment may include: | biopsy punch in-house diagnostic equipment microscopes needles refractometer slides syringe tissue forceps, scalpels, knives and scales. |
Workplace health and safety risks when working with animals may include: | animal bites, kicks, scratches and crush injuries biological hazardous waste and sharps disposal handling of chemicals and medicines gas leakage inhalation of aerosol particles intraocular contamination manual handling, including carrying, lifting and shifting needle pricks and cuts from other sharps release of infective agents (animal and human) slippery or uneven work surfaces zoonoses. |
Samples taken may include: | blood faeces gram stain smear hair samples milk saliva semen skin scrapings tissue (skin and scale) urine vomitus wound material. |
Laboratory tests may include: | blood tests: activated clotting time biochemistry blood gases cross-match differential cell count haematocrit haematology pH platelet numbers serum electrolytes and chemistries total serum protein urea nitrogen white cell count microscopic examination of samples parasite counts urinalysis and cytological evaluation of urine and body cavity fluids. |
Pathology tests may include: | tests for antigens and antibodies, and internal or external parasites. |
Equipment used during a post-mortem may include: | cleaning equipment trolleys knives and needles necropsy saw scales specimen containers surgical instruments. |
Samples may include: | blood or faecal samples stained or unstained slides for microscopic examination tissue stored in formaldehyde. |
Sectors
Veterinary nursing
Employability Skills
This Unit contains employability skills.
Licensing Information
Licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements may apply to this Unit. Therefore, it will be necessary to check with the relevant state or territory regulators for current licensing, legislative or regulatory requirements before undertaking this Unit.