Assessor Resource

ACMVET406A
Nurse animals

Assessment tool

Version 1.0
Issue Date: April 2024


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.

This Unit of Competency covers the process of providing high quality nursing care for all patients (animals) treated or housed at the clinic. It includes providing advice to clients (owners), monitoring animals and providing animal first aid as required.

You may want to include more information here about the target group and the purpose of the assessments (eg formative, summative, recognition)

Prerequisites

Nil.

Employability Skills

This Unit contains employability skills.



Evidence Required

List the assessment methods to be used and the context and resources required for assessment. Copy and paste the relevant sections from the evidence guide below and then re-write these in plain English.

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:

identify patients and determine patient histories

provide animal first aid as required

observe patients and maintain accurate records for clinical signs, pain and behavioural changes

meet patients' needs whilst they are treated or housed at clinic

inform clients of patients' progress and counsel clients accordingly

communicate effectively with the veterinarian and clients.

The skills and knowledge required to nurse animals 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 for this Unit is to be largely practical in nature and will be most appropriately assessed in a veterinary nursing workplace with access to the appropriate equipment and/or resources to enable one 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).

Submission Requirements

List each assessment task's title, type (eg project, observation/demonstration, essay, assingnment, checklist) and due date here

Assessment task 1: [title]      Due date:

(add new lines for each of the assessment tasks)

Assessment Tasks

Copy and paste from the following data to produce each assessment task. Write these in plain English and spell out how, when and where the task is to be carried out, under what conditions, and what resources are needed. Include guidelines about how well the candidate has to perform a task for it to be judged satisfactory.

Required skills

Ability to:

employ keen observation skills to recognise signs or behavioural change indicators in patients

recognise, respond to and assist with emergencies

undertake animal first aid procedures

use, and record the use of, chemicals and medicines in accordance with relevant state or territory legislation

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 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 required to weigh and measure animals, check drug dosages and record patient information

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, prioritise tasks and use appropriate pain management techniques

work effectively in a team situation in the clinic, gently and carefully handle animals in pain, act promptly and effectively in response to the veterinarian's instructions and recognise and appreciate pain in animals.

Required knowledge

animal behaviour characteristics and traits

animal first aid procedures and techniques

animal pain management procedures and techniques

animal physiology and anatomy, applied pharmacology and the range of analgesics, including appropriate antagonists, related to nursing animals

relevant national, state or territory legislative requirements for animal welfare, transportation of animals, animal management and veterinary practitioners Acts that underpin routine animal health advice

requirements for safe and suitable housing and appropriate materials for its construction

veterinary chemicals, the relevant poisons schedule and the legislative requirements relevant to their use.

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.

Animal (patient) identification and features may include:

coat or skin colours and texture, markings and patterns, permanent scars, toe nail colour and eye colour

height, age and sex

microchip, ear tags, tattoos and markings, and leg bands.

Animal first aid may be required for:

haemorrhage

fractures and dislocations

injuries to and failing of organs and systems

respiratory distress

toxicity

wounds.

Clinical signs that may be observed may include:

blood pressure

pulse rate and quality

respiratory rate and effort

rectal temperature

pulse oximetry and blood gases

anaesthesia depth

capillary refill time

palpebral reflex

heart rate

mucous membrane colour

pedal withdrawal reflex.

Audible, visible or measurable signs of pain, including behavioural changes may include:

biting, kicking and scratching

blood pressure

displacement of bones

elevated temperature

increased heart rate

increased respiration

increased vocalisation

pale mucous membranes

straining or arching of the back,

trembling and changes in normal physiology

withdrawal of affected limb.

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.

Pain management techniques may include:

appropriate analgesics

comfortable bedding

heat source

limb elevation using restraints or cradles

maintenance of body temperature and patient airway.

Prescribed routines may include:

bandaging and wound management

bathing, grooming and nail clipping or beak trimming

checking body weights to gauge hospitalisation success or stress

exercising and providing nutritional requirements

maintaining urinary and intravenous catheters

monitoring basic drug dosages

neonatal nursing

oral and injectable administration of medications

parasitic control treatments.

Appropriate environment may include:

elements, such as:

atmosphere:

light, sound, suitable bedding and warmth

access to food and water, as appropriate

allowing animals to facilitate bodily functions with non-intervention.

Monitoring patients may include:

observing and recording:

pulse, heart rate and respiration

temperature

capillary refill time

palpebral reflex

demeanour

urinary and faecal ability

output and volume

fluid and food intake ability and volume

observation and maintenance of intravenous fluid lines

oxygen therapy

in-dwelling urinary and intravenous catheters

all changes must be reported to the veterinarian.

Industry-recognised animal psychological procedures may include:

mental stimulation as required

provision of comfort (e.g. touching, stroking, speaking, soothing and reassuring) and privacy (e.g. hiding places for wildlife and shy species), according to individual animal requirements

Copy and paste from the following performance criteria to create an observation checklist for each task. When you have finished writing your assessment tool every one of these must have been addressed, preferably several times in a variety of contexts. To ensure this occurs download the assessment matrix for the unit; enter each assessment task as a column header and place check marks against each performance criteria that task addresses.

Observation Checklist

Tasks to be observed according to workplace/college/TAFE policy and procedures, relevant legislation and Codes of Practice Yes No Comments/feedback
Patients are identified according to features and fixed identification. 
Animal first aid is applied in accordance with clinic policy and veterinary advice if required. 
Clinical signs are documented through observation and owner interview and are communicated to the veterinarian. 
Audible, visual or measurable signs of pain are identified, recorded and used to assist in the identification of a need for analgesics. 
Behavioural changes indicating pain are identified and reported to the veterinarian. 
Patient needs are established in consultation with the veterinarian. 
Clients are counselled and informed of patients' progress and condition at regular intervals. 
Client complaints are responded to and grief support is carried out in accordance with clinic policy. 
Patient records are checked to ensure instructed routines are communicated to client. 
An empathetic and caring approach is utilised in the husbandry of animals in pain. 
Compassionate and safe handling techniques are employed in accordance with OHS requirements. 
Industry-recognised pain management techniques are used to minimise patient trauma. 
Animals are safely returned to owner or housing after treatment. 
Nursing intervention is provided for individual animals in accordance with clinic policy. 
Prescribed routines are implemented and treatments are recorded. 
Patient observations are recorded in accordance with clinic policy. 
Basic animal welfare requirements are provided in accordance with clinic policies. 
Environment specifically required for the individual animal is maintained in accordance with the veterinarian's instruction. 
Patients' bodily functions are monitored and facilitated according to instructions. 
Regular monitoring of patients is carried out and recorded in accordance with clinic policy. 
Industry-recognised animal psychology procedures are carried out in conjunction with patient monitoring. 

Forms

Assessment Cover Sheet

ACMVET406A - Nurse animals
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I declare that the assessment tasks submitted for this unit are my own work.

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Assessment Record Sheet

ACMVET406A - Nurse animals

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Assessment task 1: [title] Result: Competent Not yet competent

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