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:

handle a range of emergency patients competently over a period of time

identify and perform triage accurately to prioritise patients

observe accurately and report concisely on animal condition and health to the veterinarian

work under pressure

provide clear and concise directions to personnel and clear and concise advice to clients

apply industry-standard first aid procedures to sustain life.

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 performing emergency procedures to sustain life for an extensive range of emergency care cases 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).

Required skills

Ability to:

apply and monitor anaesthesia, fluid therapy and radiographic and imaging routines relating to emergency and critical care routines

complete relevant work-related documentation

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

nurse critically ill patients

provide caring grief support

recognise, respond to and assist with emergencies

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 monitor patients' vital signs and fluid therapy and to calculate dosages

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 evaluate patient needs

use safe manual handling techniques and/or equipment

use safe waste handling and disposal procedures

work as a member of a team and work closely with the supervising veterinarian.

Required knowledge

Knowledge of:

anaesthesia and anaesthetic agents

animal first aid techniques

animal physiology and anatomy

critical care procedures

client counselling techniques, including grief counselling

common symptoms of poisoning and clinical disease

drugs and their administration

emergency situations that may result from specific clinical conditions

fluid therapy

handling techniques for trauma patients

principles of animal welfare and ethics

radiographic and imaging routines

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

safe work practice

the relative urgency of common disease versus trauma incidents

triage procedures

workplace hygiene standards, disinfectants and sterilisation, cleaning agents, cleaning techniques and cleaning equipment and materials.

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 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).

Emergency first aid advice may relate to:

applying direct digital pressure or pressure bandages

clearing airway

giving fluids for caustic ingestion

identifying poison evidence:

snakes, toads, ticks, rat bait, snail bait, flea collars and organophosphate pesticides

leaving penetrating foreign bodies

performing mouth to nose resuscitation and chest compressions

responding to:

hyperthermia and hypothermia

gastric dilation volvulus and torsion

burns and scalds

dystocia and convulsions.

supporting fractures.

Transportation advice may relate to:

immobilisation of limbs and of patient

suppression of haemorrhage

ocular support (maintenance of hydration)

strategies to avoid bites and scratches.

First aid to sustain life may include:

respiratory resuscitation procedures and CPR.

Workplace health and safety risks when working with animals may include:

animal bites, kicks, scratches, 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.

Proceduresfor haemorrhage control may include:

the use of digital pressure and pressure bandages.

Patient evaluation will include:

airway and breathing status

bleeding

capillary refill time

cardiovascular function

heart rate

hydration status

level of consciousness

mucous membrane colour

pulses

pupillary light reflex

temperature.

The purpose of triage procedures is to:

establish the condition of each patient and the priority of attention and treatment.

Specific emergency and critical care nursing may include:

assistance with:

defibrillation

open-chest cardiac massage

tracheostomy procedure.