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 and develop clinic policies in consultation with veterinary staff

establish and document security issues

implement policies within the clinic

identify and utilise communication processes in optimising clinic performance

train, monitor and review staff use of, and adherence to, clinic policies.

The skills and knowledge required to develop and implement specific clinic policies must be transferable to a range of work environments and contexts.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment for this Unit is to be 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 to the appropriate equipment and/or resources to enable one to demonstrate competence.

Method of assessment

To ensure consistency ofperformance, competency should be demonstrated, to industry defined standards, on more than one occasion 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 e.g. policy materials

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).

Required skills

Ability to:

participate in group training or marketing activities

prepare high quality reports and documents

provide effective management input to the clinic

use literacy skills to interpret information, and policies and procedures; select and apply the procedures to perform a range of tasks; and implement sequenced written instructions

use writing skills to prepare and review clinic policies

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 staff, and acknowledging and responding to a range of views

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 communicate clinic policies and procedures to staff in an effective manner.

Required knowledge

Knowledge of:

communication methods

human resource management related to policy development and staff training

policy development and review

relevant legislation, regulations and codes of practice

security requirements and systems

the clinic network.

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.

Considerations when preparing and developing clinic policies may include:

Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) and the Veterinary Nurses Council of Australia policies, guidelines and codes of practice

organisational workplace health and safety risk management programs

relevant workplace health and safety hazard identification, risk assessment and control measures

the handling and disposal of biological wastes

the handling, use, storage, transport and disposal of chemicals.

Policies that may be relevant include:

professional services

business and marketing plans

human resource management:

professional development

recruitment, selection and induction procedures

staff performance management (e.g. appraisals)

nursing care

office procedures

workplace health and safety

professional development

security:

client and patient

personnel

premises.

Clinic policies may be communicated through:

meetings

training sessions

hard and soft copies of policies made available and/or displayed in clinic.