Elements and Performance Criteria

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.
Critical care surgical procedures patients may be presented for include:
evisceration
exploratory laparotomy
eye prolapse
gastric dilation volvulus
thoracotomy
wounds involving penetrating foreign bodies
drastic and/or life-threatening wounds.
Special requirements may include:
administration of blood and blood products
intermittent positive pressure ventilation during open chest procedures
specific induction and maintenance drugs.
Workplace health and safety 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.
Monitoring vital signs and instruments used may include:
vital signs:
blood gas analysis
capillary response time
central venous pressure
chest auscultation
Doppler blood pressure
femoral pulse
heart rate
mucous membrane colour
pulse and stimulation response
pupillary light reflex
renal function
respiration
thermo-regulation
instruments for monitoring vital signs may include:
capnographs
ECG
oesophageal stethoscopes
pulse oximeters.
Analgesia may include:
provision of:
pre-emptive analgesia
intra-operative analgesia
post-operative analgesia
analgesics administered by the veterinarian or under veterinary supervision:
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory
narcotics
other analgesics and opiate antagonists.
Emergency procedures may include:
emergency anaesthetic procedures:
artificial and assisted respiration
administration of life support techniques and medicines
other emergency procedures:
response to anaesthetic recovery/shock complications with particular attention to transport to recovery ward
positioning of patient
revision of fluid therapy plan
supervision of anaesthetic monitoring equipment.
Types of surgical operating support may include:
maintaining:
arterial lines
central lines
jugular catheters
peripheral intravenous catheters
urinary catheters
central feeding apparatus and endotracheal tubes
tracheostomy tubes
thoracic or other drains.
Critical care nursing may include:
monitoring of vital signs and recognition of abnormal vital signs
placement and care of catheters, chest and other drains and tracheostomy tubes
fluid therapy
oxygen therapy
monitoring urinary output.
Patient care plan may include consideration of:
environmental conditions
equipment
housing
need for analgesia and medication
nutrition
physiotherapy
psychological factors.
Transportation procedures may include:
blanket stretcher
feed and water
intravenous fluid line maintenance
limb support
respiration monitoring
trolley and restraint
wound management.
Patient care requirements may include:
monitoring the animal prior to release
advising the owner in line with veterinarian's instructions about:
administering medicine and the general care of the animal
follow up treatment or visits
anticipated physical and psychological behaviour
bedding
cast care
consultation with regular practitioner
exercise
nutrition
wound and dressing management.
Referral documents may include:
blood chemistry, haematology and other tests
clinic pathological results
diagnostic reports
radiographs.

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:
prepare animals correctly for critical care surgery
monitor animals' vital signs during anaesthesia through to recovery
recognise abnormal vital signs
recognise, respond to and assist with emergencies
demonstrate empathy with animals
administer blood and blood products
work in a team and closely with the supervising veterinarian
communicate patient needs clearly to clients and transporting agents
record and retrieve patient histories effectively in cases of client referral
provide comprehensive nursing support for critically ill patients.
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 providing nursing support for critical care surgery for an extensive range of emergency and specialised critical 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).