Required skills Include

Ability to

administer fluid therapy including blood products

administer medications by intravenous means including using fluid pumps

apply oral communication skillslanguage competence to fulfil the job role as specified by the clinic including negotiating and questioning techniques active listening asking for clarification from a veterinarian acknowledging and responding to a range of views

apply problem solving skills to use available resources and anticipate veterinarians requirements

collect fluid and tissue samples from animals

coordinate patient admission and discharge

demonstrate empathy with animals

employ interpersonal skills to relate to people from a range of social cultural and ethnic backgrounds and with a range of physical and mental abilities

employ safe and environmentally responsible organisational systems and procedures when working with and handling animals

identify body systems affected by common disease processes

implement written and verbal instructions

maintain highest standards of hygiene and infection control at all times to reduce the risk of infection and crossinfection

perform a range of in house clinical pathology tests

placing intravenous and urinary catheters

recognising abnormal patient vital signs

record use of chemicals and medicines according to prescribed legislative requirements

record patient details accurately and legibly

use numeracy skills to monitor patient vital signs and calculate drug doses

use safe manual handling techniques andor equipment

use safe waste handling and disposal procedures

Required knowledge includes

Knowledge of

after care requirements including wound management nutrition exercise and environment

anatomy and function of the eleven body systems

animal nutrition and husbandry

common infectious diseases and zoonosis

internal and external parasitic controls

normal range of patient vital signs

pharmacology of veterinary medications

prescription diets

principles of animal welfare and ethics

principles of triage

principles of vaccination and common protocols

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

signs of common disease processes in companion animals

waste disposal

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

collect a detailed patient history

perform effective physical examination

identify abnormal body function

conduct effective triage of patients

collect store and process samples for a range of clinical pathology tests

identify cause and clinical signs of common disease processes

implement clinic protocols and procedures for the prevention of zoonosis in a range of companion animals

comply with relevant infection control and workplace health and safety requirements

identify benefits from and adverse responses to a range of veterinary medications used in general practice

manage outpatients

The skills and knowledge required to apply veterinary pathophysiology must be transferable to a range of work environments and contexts and include the ability to deal with unplanned events

It is highly recommended that learners perform work placement in another approved veterinary practice or training workplace in order to gather further evidence of competence and demonstrate the transferability of skills and knowledge outcomes

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment of this Unit is to be practical in nature and must be assessed in a veterinary practice in order to gain exposure to sufficient caseload

There must be access to a veterinary clinic or animal hospital a range of companion animals as well as the appropriate equipment resources and documentation 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 an extended period of time by collecting medical history assessing patients collecting samples performing inhouse laboratory tests recognising common disease processes and coordinating the treatment of patients as directed by a veterinarian on a regular basis

The assessment strategy must include a practical skills assessment Suggested strategies for this unit are

written andor oral assessment of candidates required knowledge

observed documented and firsthand testimonial evidence of candidates application of practical tasks

case study analysis

role plays

thirdparty 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 eg literacy and numeracy demands and the needs of particular target groups eg 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

Detailed patient history

Detailed physical examination

Body systems

Basic disease processes

Nursing support

Diagnostic tests

Causative agents

Contributing factors

Strategies

Veterinary medications

Appropriate treatment

Written or verbal instructions

Environmental factors

Follow-up procedures