Unit of competency

Modification History

Application

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to assist in preparing a veterinary practice for a veterinary emergency response. It is targeted at veterinary nurses who work in a veterinary hospital or emergency/specialist veterinary practice where an extensive range of emergency and critical care procedures are performed under the supervision of a registered or specialist veterinarian in a referral centre or in an emergency centre. Managing these nursing requirements requires access to an emergency care setting where emergency care procedures are regularly performed by veterinary surgeons on patients using specialised equipment, instruments and resources.

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

Nil

Unit Sector

Veterinary Nursing (VET)

Elements and Performance Criteria

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.

Unit Mapping Information

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

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:

• organised and prepared resources and equipment for emergency and critical care procedures, including each of the following:

• a trauma
• surgical procedures, including thoracic and abdominal
• a blood transfusion
• a cardiac or respiratory arrest
• multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS)

• prepared veterinary practice staff for a veterinary emergency response on a minimum of one occasion
• developed one emergency or critical care protocol
• performed the activities outlined in the performance criteria of this unit during a period of at least 240 hours of work in a veterinary practice.

Knowledge Evidence

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

• emergency and critical care procedures, including:

• medical emergencies
• surgical procedures (thoracic and abdominal)
• haematological diseases requiring blood transfusions
• systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS)
• sepsis
• multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS)
• cardiac and respiratory arrest
• trauma

• purpose of equipment, instruments and resources required to perform critical care procedures or processes, including:

• toxin recognition
• management of topical and ingested toxins
• emergency situations that may result from specific clinical conditions
• requirements for practice personnel mental and physical preparedness for emergencies

• identification and purpose of equipment and resources required in an emergency station, including:

• antidotes, antivenoms and antitoxoids
• blood products including individual components
• cardiopulmonary resuscitation equipment
• intravenous fluids including crystalloids and colloids
• crash carts
• vital sign monitors
• respiratory resuscitation equipment
• restraints (physical and chemical)
• emergency procedure wall charts

• state or territory legislation and regulations relating to the practice of veterinary science, work health and safety and animal welfare in emergency response environments.

Assessment Conditions

Assessment of the skills in this unit of competency must take place under the following conditions:

• physical conditions:

• in the workplace or an environment that accurately reflects emergency veterinary care practice or hospital where emergency patients are received

• resources, equipment and materials:

• a range of real animals
• specialised equipment, instruments and resources typically available for in a veterinary practice where emergency patients are received

• specifications:

• practice policies and procedures for emergencies
• access to organisational policies and procedures, current legislation, regulations and relevant codes of practice

• relationships (internal and/or external):

• interactions with a workplace team
• interactions with a registered veterinarian who regularly performs emergency and specialised critical care procedures.

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

Links

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