Application
This Unit is specifically designed for nurses who work in a veterinary hospital or emergency/specialist veterinary clinic where an extensive range of emergency and critical care procedures are performed. Preparing for emergency response requires access to a veterinary hospital or emergency/specialist veterinary clinic where emergency and specialised critical care procedures are performed; veterinarians who perform emergency and specialised critical care procedures; patients and clients requiring emergency and specialised critical care surgery, nursing and discharge; and the equipment, instruments and resources required to perform emergency and specialised critical care procedures.
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. Prepare for emergency response | 1.1. Equipment, personnel and the environment for specific emergency scenarios are prepared and tested for viability and performance. 1.2. Critical care team is provided with clear policies and procedures for emergencies. 1.3. Practice drills for the critical care team are provided for all clinic staff. 1.4. In-house training sessions are prepared and delivered using clinic policies and procedures. 1.5. State of preparedness is maintained for emergency response. |
2. Assist with the preparation of emergency and critical care protocols | 2.1. Assessment of systems is conducted, including workplace health and safety requirements, and a performance appraisal is recorded. 2.2. Improved response procedures are developed in consultation with the supervising veterinarian. 2.3. Clinic policies and procedures for the treatment of emergencies are developed in consultation with the supervising veterinarian. |
Required Skills
Required skills |
Ability to: apply and monitor anaesthesia, fluid therapy and radiographic and imaging routines relating to emergency and critical care routines coordinate a team in an emergency environment employ safe and environmentally responsible organisational systems and procedures when working with and handling animals maintain the highest standard of hygiene and infection control at all times to reduce the risk of infection and cross-infection respond to emergency situations that may result from specific clinical conditions use literacy skills to read, select and implement policies and procedures, including workplace health and safety, infection control and other clinic policies and procedures; coordinate patient admission and discharge; implement sequenced written and oral instructions; and record patient details accurately and legibly use oral communication skills/language required to fulfil the job role as specified by the clinic, including negotiating and questioning techniques, active listening, asking for clarification from veterinarian, and acknowledging and responding to a range of views use numeracy skills to test emergency equipment use interpersonal skills to relate to people from a range of social, cultural and ethnic backgrounds and with a range of physical and mental abilities use problem-solving skills to use available resources and calculate adequate supplies within emergency station use safe manual handling techniques and/or equipment use safe waste handling and disposal procedures use written skills to prepare emergency and critical care protocols. |
Required knowledge |
Knowledge of: animal physiology and anatomy critical care procedures drugs and their administration emergency situations that may result from specific clinical conditions equipment and resources required in an emergency station fluid therapy radiographic and imaging routines principles of animal welfare and ethics relevant state or territory legislation and regulations relating to the practice of veterinary science, workplace health and safety and animal welfare relevant state or territory legislation covering the use of therapeutic and controlled substances resuscitation procedures and practices safe work practices workplace hygiene standards, disinfectants and sterilisation, cleaning agents, cleaning techniques and cleaning equipment and materials. |
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 competence 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: organise self, clinic personnel and necessary resources for the emergency work environment instruct clinic personnel in mental and physical preparedness for emergencies develop practical and efficient work protocols in consultation with supervising veterinarian and others. |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Assessment of this Unit is to be practical in nature and must be assessed in a veterinary hospital or specialist veterinary clinic where an extensive range of emergency and specialised critical care procedures are performed. There must be access to the appropriate emergency and specialised critical care equipment and/or resources to enable one to demonstrate competence. |
Method of assessment | To ensure consistency of performance, competency should be demonstrated by preparing for an extensive range of emergency responses on a regular basis over a period of time. 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 case study analysis 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. | |
Emergency and critical care procedures may include: | medical emergencies trauma: abdominal chest head and respiratory road traffic accident surgical (thoracic and abdominal) haematological (disseminated intravascular coagulopathy) resulting in blood transfusions septic (systemic inflammatory response syndrome) relating to: organ dysfunction toxin recognition management of topical and ingested toxins advanced critical care and intensive care monitoring (post-surgical). |
Equipment and resources required for an emergency response may include: | antidotes blood components CPR equipment fluids mobile crash trolleys monitors respiratory resuscitation equipment restraints (physical and chemical) wall charts. |
Training sessions may include: | drill sessions role instructions simulated emergency situations team building activities triage protocols. |
Workplace health and safety safe work practices include: | applying appropriate manual handling techniques when packaging and handling loads, including animals and equipment hazard identification and risk minimisation: handling, use, storage, transport and disposal of chemicals handling and disposal of biological wastes following personal and workplace hygiene procedures using infection control procedures to minimise risks associated with: zoonoses release of infective agents (both animal and human) blood or chemical spillage gas leakages using machinery and equipment in accordance with manufacturers' instructions using personal protective equipment: animal handling gauntlets boots caps and gowns goggles protective masks safety gloves |
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.