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.
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.

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).