ELEMENTS

PERFORMANCECRITERIA

Elements describe the essential outcomes

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element.

1. Assess the situation and horse condition.

1.1. Recognise symptoms of illness or injury, use safe practices to calm and restrain horse and assess severity of condition.

1.2. Identify hazards promptly, and manage to avoid injury to self, others and horses.

1.3. Access available first aid equipment and determine suitability to treat illness or injury.

1.4. Ascertain need for and availability of veterinary advice.

1.5. Determine ability of veterinarian to attend site or ability to return horse to base.

2. Treat illness or injury.

2.1. Make contact with base and veterinarian as required.

2.2. Relay accurate factual information about horse illness or injury.

2.3. Improvise use of available first aid and other resources according to needs of sick or injured horse.

2.4. Use infection control practices to prevent infection from horse.

2.5. Administer emergency treatments independently or according to veterinarian instructions.

2.6. Nurse horse to reduce impact of shock, distress and pain.

2.7. Isolate horse if contagious or zoonotic disease is suspected and alert base of need to report.

3. Monitor horse condition.

3.1. Monitor and record horse vital signs at regular intervals.

3.2. Monitor horse condition and response to treatment; record observations and treatments.

3.3. Report ongoing horse condition to base and seek ongoing input of veterinarian, as required.

3.4. Continue with treatments, adjusting as required to ensure health and safety of horse.

3.5. Assess need to evacuate or euthanise horse and alert base to implement procedures if required.

4. Debrief and complete reports.

4.1. Participate in incident management de-brief and identify future response improvements.

4.2. Complete required incident and treatment reports according to organisational procedures.

Foundation skills essential to performance in this unit, but not explicit in the performance criteria are listed here, along with a brief context statement.

SKILLS

DESCRIPTION

Reading skills to:

interpret detailed familiar organisational policies and procedures for providing emergency horse treatment.

Writing skills to:

record detailed and accurate factual information about horse illness and injury and treatments using correct terminology to describe anatomy, physiology and condition.

Oral communication skills to:

make accurate verbal reports about horse injuries and health problems using correct terminology to describe anatomy, physiology and condition.

Self-management skills to:

critically analyse all circumstances and implications to coordinate a considered response to horse illness and injury in remote locations.