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.
Admit
Procedures to follow to admit new arrivals to the NICU will include:
gathering information about the patient from referring veterinarian
preparing bed and stall for patient
performing full physical examination
providing any required support or emergency nursing care of new arrival
recording all health parameters accurately
recording and maintaining accurate documentation of patient's progress
monitoring comfort and well-being of foal.
Nursing care for recumbent foals
Nursing care for recumbent foals may include, but is not limited to:
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, which could include:
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).
Respiratory support
Respiratory support may include, but is not limited to:
assembling, administering, monitoring and maintaining intra-nasal oxygen
handling and storing oxygen tank safely
providing respiratory support and resuscitation of critically ill foal.
Crash kit and pharmacy
Items that may be encountered in a crash kit include:
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.
Nutrition to impaired foals
Methods of providing nutrition may include:
bottle feeding
maintaining indwelling naso-gastric tube under veterinary supervision
preparation of artificial food substitutes
preparation and monitoring Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN) under veterinary supervision.
Parenteral medications
Procedures for preparation of parenteral medications may include:
aseptically drawing up medications under instruction
accurately labelling and recording all treatments administered
monitoring and maintaining an indwelling intravenous catheter
correctly administering medications to neonates: oral, intramuscular, intravenous, topical
monitoring and maintaining intravenous fluid therapy
operating fluid pumps
monitoring and maintaining plasma and/or blood transfusion.
Infection controls
Routine industry standard infection controls may include:
practising aseptic techniques in all possible areas and maintaining strict hygiene protocol
monitoring and maintaining specialised equipment
preparing and maintaining individual inventories for each patient
accurately labelling and recording samples taken
following strict isolation protocol in all cases where infection and/or contagion is suspected
observing and practising strict personal antiseptic protocol.
Routine care for mare
Routine care for mare will include::
feeding and watering
stable cleaning
exercising
reproductive tract maintenance
collection and storage of mare's milk
monitoring mare's health.
Discharge foals
Procedures to discharge foals will include:
preparing patients for departure: remove catheter, groom, prepare medications to go with patient
providing instructions for follow-up care and treatments
organising transport
emptying stall of bedding
disinfecting stall and equipment used by that patient.

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:
implement infection controls
administer enteral and parenteral nutrition to impaired foals
provide respiratory support and perform emergency ventilation to impaired foals
assemble 'crash kit' items
follow aseptic procedures
admit and discharge patients from NICU
care for mares in NICU
follow workplace health and safety and animal welfare rules
accurately document and maintain appropriate records.
The skills and knowledge required to provide intensive foal care and nursing 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 for this unit is to be practical in nature and will be most appropriately assessed in a veterinary nursing workplace with neonatal intensive care facilities and access to 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
case studies
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).