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Unit of competency details

ACMVET415 - Provide intensive foal care and nursing (Release 1)

Summary

Usage recommendation:
Current
Mapping:
MappingNotesDate
Supersedes ACMVET415A - Provide intensive foal care and nursingUpdated to meet Standards for Taining Packages Minor changes to clarify content Assessment requirements revised Prerequisites added Safety requirements added in line with Safety in Equine Training Project 10/Dec/2018

Release Status:
Current
Releases:
ReleaseRelease date
1 1 (this release) 11/Dec/2018

Companion volumes:
Unit of competency Assessment requirements

Delivery:
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Training packages that include this unit

Qualifications that include this unit

Classifications

SchemeCodeClassification value
ASCED Module/Unit of Competency Field of Education Identifier 061103 Veterinary Assisting  

Classification history

SchemeCodeClassification valueStart dateEnd date
ASCED Module/Unit of Competency Field of Education Identifier 061103 Veterinary Assisting  01/Feb/2019 
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Unit of competency

Modification History

Release 

Comments 

Release 1

This version released with ACM Animal Care and Management Training Package Version 2.0.

Application

This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required to provide intensive care of compromised newborn foals during hospitalisation in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

The unit applies to veterinary nurses who work under the supervision of a registered veterinarian in a veterinary practice; however, the functions in this unit are likely to be carried out under minimal supervision within industry guidelines.

Veterinary nurses providing intensive foal care need to hold and apply specialised knowledge of foal anatomy, physiology and behaviour and make reliable clinical assessments and judgements of foal health.

Legislative and regulatory requirements apply to veterinary nurses but vary according to state/territory jurisdictions. Users must check with the relevant regulatory authority before delivery.

NOTE: The terms 'occupational health and safety' (OHS) and 'work health and safety' (WHS) generally have the same meaning in the workplace. In jurisdictions where the national model WHS legislation has not been implemented, RTOs must contextualise the unit of competency by referring to current OHS legislative requirements.

Pre-requisite Unit

The prerequisite unit of competency for this unit is:

  • ACMVET414 Nurse foals

Note the following chain of prerequisites that also applies to this unit.

Unit of competency 

Prerequisite requirement 

ACMEQU202 Handle horses safely

ACMEQU205 Apply knowledge of horse behaviour

ACMVET414 Nurse foals

ACMEQU202 Handle horses safely

Unit Sector

Veterinary Nursing (VET)

Elements and Performance Criteria

Element 

Performance Criteria 

Elements describe the essential outcomes.

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

1. Admit new arrivals to a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)

1.1 Prepare and admit new arrivals according to practice procedures

1.2 Place foals correctly in intensive care unit

1.3 Conduct preliminary general clinical examination

1.4 Record relevant history, identification data and clinical findings on appropriate forms

1.5 Maintain patient records

2. Provide nursing care for recumbent foals

2.1 Apply safe handling techniques when assisting foal to rise

2.2 Provide aseptic techniques and nursing care

2.3 Carry out regular monitoring according to veterinary directions

2.4 Use specialised monitoring equipment according to manufacturer instructions

3. Provide respiratory support and perform emergency ventilation for foals

3.1 Assist respiration in recumbent foals

3.2 Maintain oxygen supplementation

3.3 Carry out safe work practices when handling oxygen equipment

3.4 Assist with initial resuscitation according to industry practice

3.5 Provide emergency ventilation for foals

4. Assemble crash kit items

4.1 Identify crash kit items from inventory list

4.2 Check and restock pharmacy inventory

5. Prepare and administer enteral and parenteral nutrition to impaired foals in NICU

5.1 Prepare enteral and parenteral nutrition

5.2 Feed impaired foals according to instruction

5.3 Monitor enteral and parenteral therapies

6. Prepare parenteral medications

6.1 Prepare medications aseptically

6.2 Administer medications according to instructions

6.3 Monitor and maintain intravenous fluids and intravenous catheters

6.4 Operate and maintain infusion pump

6.5 Monitor and maintain plasma and blood transfusions

7. Implement routine industry standard infection controls in a foal NICU

7.1 Maintain aseptic techniques and strict hygiene protocol for the NICU

7.2 Perform regular, ongoing, hygienic maintenance of the floor, counter, cabinets and stalls

7.3 Complete routine daily checks of specialist equipment

7.4 Isolate critically ill and infected foals and observe strict sanitary procedures

8. Provide routine care for mare in NICU

8.1 Carry out routine tasks involving hospital care of the dam (brood mare)

8.2 Milk out mares as per instructions

9. Discharge foals from NICU

9.1 Discharge foals according to industry guidelines

9.2 Prepare facilities for incoming patient

Foundation Skills

This section describes those language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills that are essential for performance in this unit of competency but are not explicit in the performance criteria.

Skill 

Description 

Oral communication
  • Work as part of a team and in close working arrangements with the supervising veterinarian

Numeracy
  • Measure and monitor foal vital signs
  • Monitor and maintain intravenous fluids and plasma and/or blood transfusions
  • Accurately measure medication dosages

Get the work done
  • Maintain the highest standards of hygiene and infection control
  • Address irregularities and contingencies in the context of the work role

Unit Mapping Information

Code and title current version 

Code and title previous version 

Comments 

Equivalence status 

ACMVET415 Provide intensive foal care and nursing

ACMVET415A Provide intensive foal care and nursing

Updated to meet Standards for Training Packages
Minor changes to clarify content
Assessment requirements revised

Prerequisites added
Safety requirements added in line with Safety in Equine Training Project

No equivalent unit

Links

Companion Volumes, including Implementation Guides, are available at VETNet: - https://vetnet.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=b75f4b23-54c9-4cc9-a5db-d3502d154103

 

Assessment requirements

Modification History

Release 

Comments 

Release 1

This version released with ACM Animal Care and Management Training Package Version 2.0.

Performance Evidence

An individual demonstrating competency must satisfy all of the elements and performance criteria in this unit.

There must be evidence that the individual has provided intensive foal care and nursing in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), for a minimum of two foals, including:

  • implemented biosecurity and infection controls for the management of ill and infected foals, with consideration of zoonotic and exotic disease possibilities
  • measured parameters of health in foals
  • administered enteral and parenteral nutrition to impaired foals
  • provided respiratory support and performed emergency ventilation to impaired foals
  • documented and maintained foal identification, history, observation, medication and treatment records
  • identified and assembled 'crash kit' items on at least one occasion
  • followed aseptic procedures
  • admitted and discharged a patient from NICU
  • cared for a mare in NICU
  • demonstrated simulated foal resuscitation techniques.

Knowledge Evidence

An individual must be able to demonstrate the knowledge required to perform the tasks outlined in the elements and performance criteria of this unit. This includes knowledge of:

  • normal health parameters for foals
  • handling techniques for compromised newborn foals
  • nutritional requirements and options for compromised newborn foals
  • principles and practices of infection control and biosecurity risks related to nursing newborn foals
  • principles and practices of routine care and nursing techniques for compromised newborn foals, including:
  • performing specialised nursing techniques as required
  • safely assisting foals to stand and support
  • rotating foal position regularly between left to right sternal recumbency
  • close monitoring of all vital signs and body functions, including pressure points (bed sores)
  • use of monitoring equipment, including:
  • blood pressure (BP) monitor
  • glucometer
  • lactate monitor
  • refractometer
  • BRIX sugar refractometer (degrees Brix [symbol °Bx]
  • electrocardiogram (ECG) machine
  • pulse oximeter
  • ISTAT or IDEXX machines (haematology analysers)
  • principles of animal welfare
  • legislation, regulations and codes of practice, including WHS, animal welfare and ethics, veterinary practices and waste disposal related to compromised newborn foals
  • function and use of equipment, including:
  • monitoring foal health status and vital signs
  • respiratory support
  • crash kits
  • intravenous catheters
  • infusion pumps
  • milking mares
  • items that may be encountered in a crash kit and how they are used, including:
  • oxygen tank, regulator and flow meter
  • oxygen tubing
  • endotracheal tubes
  • self-inflating bag-valve resuscitator
  • syringes and needles
  • fluid-giving sets
  • catheter placement kit
  • fluid pump
  • pharmaceuticals as specified by hospital policy and procedures and/or veterinary directions
  • a chart with a list of all drugs and their doses
  • purpose and use of medications and treatments used in intensive foal care
  • workplace hygiene standards and biosecurity, including: disinfectants, cleaning agents and techniques, cleaning and appropriate disinfection or sterilisation of equipment, materials and personal protective equipment related to intensive foal care.

Assessment Conditions

Assessment of skills must take place under the following conditions:

  • physical conditions:
  • in the workplace or an environment that accurately reflects an NICU
  • resources, equipment and materials:
  • foal patients and nursing mares
  • equipment and resources typically available in an NICU
  • specifications:
  • access to organisational policies and procedures, current legislation, regulations and relevant codes of practice
  • workplace procedures for caring and nursing foals in NICU
  • relationships (internal and/or external):
  • interactions with a registered veterinarian or minimum of Certificate IV qualified veterinary nurse.

Assessors of this unit must satisfy the requirements for assessors in applicable vocational education and training legislation, frameworks and/or standards.

Training and assessment strategies must show evidence of the use of guidance provided in the Companion Volume: User Guide: Safety in Equine Training.

Links

Companion Volumes, including Implementation Guides, are available at VETNet: - https://vetnet.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=b75f4b23-54c9-4cc9-a5db-d3502d154103

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