ACMVET401A Coordinate patient admission and discharge

Revision Number: 1

ACMVET401A Coordinate patient admission and discharge

Modification History

Not applicable.

Unit Descriptor

Unit descriptor	This unit of competency covers the process of coordinating patient admission and discharge. It also includes providing initial veterinary nursing care to patients (animals) and grief support to clients (animal owners). Licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements may apply to this unit. Therefore, it will be necessary to check with the relevant state or territory regulators for current licensing, legislative or regulatory requirements before undertaking this unit.

Application of the Unit

Application of the unit	This unit applies to a veterinary nurse working under supervision of a veterinarian in a veterinary clinic or similar practice. In addition to legal and ethical responsibilities, all units of competency in the ACM10 Animal Care and Management Training Package have the requirement for animals to be handled gently and calmly. The individual is required to exhibit appropriate care for animals so that stress and discomfort is minimised.

Licensing/Regulatory Information

Not applicable.

Pre-Requisites

Prerequisite units

Employability Skills Information

Employability skills	This unit contains employability skills.

Elements and Performance Criteria Pre-Content

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.	Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge section and the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

Elements and Performance Criteria

ELEMENT	PERFORMANCE CRITERIA
1. Coordinate clinic admissions	1.1. Appointments and other clinic procedures are scheduled. 1.2. Routine enquiries are answered in accordance with clinic policies. 1.3. Veterinarian is consulted on relevant details and the intended actions are conveyed to the client.
2. Provide veterinary nursing care	2.1. Triage procedures are used for all admissions in accordance with clinic policies and occupational health and safety (OHS) requirements. 2.2. Personal protective equipment is used as relevant to the veterinary nursing care required. 2.3. Signs of pain are recognised and reported as required. 2.4. Animal first aid measures are applied to sustain life and to minimise pain as required. 2.5. Support is provided in the clinic to the supervising veterinarian. 2.6. Veterinary medicines are prepared in accordance with industry protocols, prescriptions and as instructed by the veterinarian.
3. Provide grief support to clients	3.1. Client needs are identified in consultation with the client and the supervising veterinarian. 3.2. Sympathy and comfort are provided to the client in accordance with clinic policies. 3.3. Level of grief is identified and appropriate action is taken. 3.4. Industry-recognised techniques are used in communicating with the client and providing support.
4. Implement discharge procedures	4.1. Final checks on vital signs are recorded in patient record in accordance with clinic policy. 4.2. Patient is cleaned, groomed and prepared for discharge in accordance with clinic policies. 4.3. The caring transfer of the animal back to its owners is provided. 4.4. Home care advice is provided to the client as instructed.

Required Skills and Knowledge

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE
This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit.
Required skills
accurately prioritise animals for consultation as well as the ability to identify vital signs and apply first aid where necessary differentiate between enquiries that can be handled by a veterinary nurse and those that need veterinarian intervention follow clinic policies and procedures use, and record the use of, chemicals and medicines in accordance with relevant state or territory legislation use veterinary terminology pertaining to patient observations interpersonal skills to relate to, communicate and negotiate with people from a range of social, cultural and ethnic backgrounds and with a range of physical and mental abilities literacy skills to read, select and implement policies and procedures, including OHS, infection control and other clinic policies and procedures; coordinate patient admission and discharge; implement sequenced written instructions; and record patient details accurately and legibly 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 the owner, and acknowledging and responding to a range of views numeracy skills required to prepare veterinary medicines problem-solving skills to use available resources and prioritise tasks.
Required knowledge
basic first aid procedures clinic policies and procedures drugs applicable to each drug schedule and the regulations applicable in state or territory legislation clinical signs of illness and disease interview, listening and questioning techniques nutrition, medication, self-trauma, pain and wound management and physiotherapy requirements recognisable normal and abnormal vital signs the physiology of the range of species handled by the clinic the recognised stages of grieving and how to respond veterinary terminology pertaining to the observations of patients.

Evidence Guide

EVIDENCE GUIDE
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: schedule appointments and attend to routine enquiries coordinate clinic admissions in accordance with clinic policies and procedures for non-routine surgeries and procedures carry out triage procedures and apply animal first aid in accordance with required OHS procedures provide veterinary nursing care, including grief support, to patients and clients communicate effectively with the veterinarian and nurse and follow instructions prepare patients for discharge, provide clients with home care advice and discharge patients. The skills and knowledge required to coordinate patient admission and discharge must be transferable to a range of work environments and contexts and include the ability to deal with unplanned events.
Context of and specific resources for assessment	Assessment of this unit is to be practical in nature and will be most appropriately assessed in a veterinary practice or in a situation that reproduces normal work conditions. There must be access to a range of admission and discharge cases and the appropriate equipment and/or resources to enable one to demonstrate competence.
Method of assessment	To ensure consistency in one's performance, competency should be demonstrated, to industry defined standards, on more than two occasions over a period of time in order to cover a variety of circumstances, patients, cases and responsibilities and over a number of assessment activities. 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 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).

Range Statement

RANGE STATEMENT
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.
Appointments may include:	regular consultations non-routine surgical procedures support and home or farm visits.
Schedule considerations may include:	clinic policy staff availability other resource requirements and case priorities.
Enquiries may be received by:	electronic/email phone, fax, written and counter enquiries.
Triage procedures requires:	recognising and responding to emergencies and prioritising cases.
OHS risks when working with animals may include:	animal bites, kicks, scratches and 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.
Personal protective equipment may include:	forearm and foot protection gowns gloves masks.
Animal first aid measures may include:	establish airway provide oxygen control haemorrhage support injured or broken limbs support the veterinarian in CPR procedures.
Grief support may be required:	as a result of owner anxiety for an animal's condition or treatment or the loss or euthanasia of an animal.
Grief support appropriate action and industry recognised techniques may include:	verbal assurance and communication provision of grief hotline details and literature (e.g. brochures) providing advice on burial or cremation decisions follow-up contact and support.
Home care advice may include:	bandage care exercise considerations immediate housing requirements nutrition medication and physiotherapy requirements pain and wound management prevention of self-trauma.

Unit Sector(s)

Unit sector	Veterinary nursing

Competency field

Competency field

Co-requisite units

Co-requisite units