Completing workplace documents
Types of workplace documents
2
Specific workplace documents
2
Legal requirements
3
Completing documents
5
Finding and organising information
7
Sources of information
7
Presenting the information
9
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Types of workplace documents
All animal workplaces use a range of documents that you would need to:

complete—eg record keeping purposes

access as sources of information—eg client or patient history.
As forms are often referred to at a later point, it is important that they are
completed accurately and legibly. Many forms are legal and taxation
requirements and need to be stored for future use and reference.
Specific workplace documents
Documents that would be commonly used by most animal care workplaces
include:

telephone messages—via email, central message book or telephone
message slips

petty cash forms

time sheets.
In addition to these, are forms that reflect requirements that are specific to
particular types of animal care workplaces, for example:




boarding kennels use:
-
admission forms
-
client information forms
pet stores use:
-
national parks and wildlife forms—if restricted species are
sold
-
owner details forms when an animal is sold
grooming establishments use:
-
client information forms
-
grooming requirements forms
veterinary clinics use:
-
patient information forms
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-
consent forms
-
euthanasia forms
-
vaccination cards
-
microchip forms
-
credit forms—in some clinics.
In vet clinics, there are often additional documents that are associated with
the patient forms:

medical records, including results of physical examinations

differential diagnosis treatments and animal's response to treatment

vaccinations, worming, heart worm—date and type

laboratory reports

radiographic and ECG findings

referral reports

surgical and anaesthetic reports

dental records

post-mortem reports

client financial history with the clinic.
Legal requirements
When you commence employment in an animal industry workplace, you are
required by law to complete forms such as:

a tax declaration form

a employment declaration form.
Many businesses will also have new employee’s complete a personnel form.
This form will have your personal information on it such as your name,
address and phone number as well as other information such as who to
contact in an emergency and doctor’s and dentist’s name.
Some businesses have a procedures manual that you will be given when you
commence employment. Once you have read and understood the manual
you will be required to sign a form to declare that you have read and
understood the manual.
It is very important when you are completing forms that you complete them
accurately, legibly and truthfully. After you have completed any form, you
should double check the form to ensure that you have made no mistakes. If
you are completing the form for another person—such as a client or
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customer—pass the form to them to check once you have completed it. If
mistakes are found, ensure that you rectify them right away.
Routine authorisations and consent forms
Although authorisation forms are not required by law, they are useful to
protect the practice by ensuring that the client fully understands the type of
treatment, procedure, risks or costs that are involved.
The forms are a type of documentation which gives proof that the owner's
consent was given before a procedure and that the clients were fully aware
of what they were agreeing to at the time. It is important that clients are
clear about what they are signing and that, if they have any questions, they
should be answered before they sign the form.
Important: If any verbal agreements have been made, these should also be
noted somewhere on the form. Particularly in vet clinics, there may be some
circumstances where it may be necessary to record any verbal advice given
in the patient file.
Types of authorisation forms include:

permission for surgery and anaesthesia

permission for euthanasia

detailed estimate agreements

consent for tattooing

boarding admission

grooming admission

acknowledgement of the amount and method of payment for the
procedure

credit payment authorisation.
These forms should include the following types of details:

owner and the animal identification details

description of the procedure

date

signature of the owner, veterinarian and a witness.
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Completing documents
The information is only as useful as what is recorded in the documents. If
the information is accurate, correct and legible, then the forms can provide
valuable and essential information.
When completing a form or document, you need to:
1.
Recognise when information needs to be recorded—eg consent details
before a procedure
2.
Recognise what types of information are required
3.
Collect the required information
4.
Interpret the information
5.
Complete the appropriate workplace forms or paperwork
6.
Record information, either manually or electronically
7.
Compile and store the information according to your workplace policies
and procedures.
Important considerations
Forms and documents need to be completed with the following in mind:

objectivity—avoid personal bias or be aware of it

precision—avoid ambiguity; aim to be accurate

consistency—focus on facts rather than your interpretation

legibility

avoid offensive language.
Storing documents
It will make your job easier if you store information and any important
sources of information in a format that is easy for you to retrieve in the
future. Remember: No matter how accurately and completely a form or
document has been completed, if it cannot be found, it is useless.
Once the forms and/or any documents have been completed and checked,
they must be stored, either electronically or paper-based. A simple and easy
to access system should be set up. Depending on the animal care workplace,
the information you need to store and/or record may include:

manual card filing systems

record books

envelopes—eg radiographic films
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
folders—eg for pathology reports

computer based

photographs

video clips.
Many forms are required by law to be kept for a specific period—seven
years or more. Therefore, any paper-based forms or electronic media also
need to be located in an area that is dry, cool and away from light to ensure
they last.
In the case of vet clinics, veterinary records show an animal's progress and
their response to treatment—these become an important source of
information for any further appointments.
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Finding and organising information
You may be asked to find information about a topic you are not familiar
with and then present or provide this information in some way—eg as verbal
advice or information sheets.
Requests for information are often made in person, but at times they can be
made by phone, email or fax.
Sources of information
Let’s say you’ve been asked to help put together a few pamphlets about care
for specific breeds of animals. This will involve researching the information,
collecting and putting together the information and presenting it.
Having information on sheets that you can hand out would save you time.
They will also ensure you covered all of the important information, provide
a good service, promote the business and give customers information they
can take home and remind them of your business and service at a later stage.
To research information, the common sources of workplace information are
internal or external.
Internal sources
Examples of internal sources of information include:

customer or client and pet details

financial records

production figures

marketing records

maintenance records

staff and pay records

logbooks

legal records

products and services provided by the workplace
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
business policies manual

induction folder for new staff with general information about the
business

brochures for customers about the business—with details such as
operating hours, phone numbers, products and services available

brochures about the care of animals—eg routine vaccination,
parasite control, common diseases and their treatment, grooming,
training and dietary regimes.
It is important to realise that some of these types of internal sources of
information should be kept confidential—eg staff records. Others are
designed for public use—eg brochures about animal care.
External sources
External workplace sources of information can be found from:

people in the animal care industry—there is a range of expertise and
knowledge in different areas of the animal care industry

clients and customers—their experiences and anecdotes

TAFE, local and clinic library resources—eg CD/DVDs, references,
journals, textbooks, and indexes such as a Medical Prescribers' Index

universities services—example, University of Sydney Veterinary
Science has access to major veterinary libraries and journal archives
where, for a fee, a range of articles or literature summaries can be
provided

Internet—eg veterinary, Government, wildlife and animal museum,
animal care websites; animal focussed forums, chat or discussion
groups with veterinarian input

related industry people—eg drug and product representatives from
various companies

media—television programs, documentaries, local and animal care
newpapers

directories:
-
clinic directory—useful for locating locums, handymen, vets,
specialists, wholesalers, related organisations such as the
local Council, RSPCA, WIRES and Poisons Information
-
business directory—listing of businesses and services offered
-
telephone directory—local, major city and interstate phone
book.
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Presenting the information
If you have received a request for information and you have researched,
collected and collated the information, you will need to present the
information. If the customers request is something that you already know
about, you will be able to present the information right away.
Depending on the nature of your workplace, the types of advice and
information which you may be required to give include:

prices for products and procedures

anaesthesia and surgery for routine procedures

vaccinations and parasite control

business information—eg hours of operation or payment policy

merchandise and products

printed advice sheets—eg in vet clinics advice sheets are often
available for customers to take home and read to help reinforce
verbal advice.
Many workplaces provide this information in written form—it helps save
time and provide a better service.
People you might advise or inform
In addition to your customers or clients and other staff, you might need to
present or give information to:

suppliers

contractors

veterinarian

trade personnel

industry and regulatory bodies

local government

training personnel

advisors.
Considerations for giving information or advice
There are a number of important considerations when you are giving
information or advice, whether in the written or spoken form.
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Check your workplace policy about giving advice
Check what your workplace policy is regarding the giving of advice—for
example, who can give advice, what type of advice can be given and the
types of people the advice can be given to.
Generally speaking, in a veterinary situation, the advice given by a
veterinary nurse must have the approval of the veterinarian. If you are ever
unsure, check with your supervisor.
Giving a patient diagnosis, for example, is the veterinarian's responsibility
and should never be done by the veterinary nurse. However, the veterinary
nurse should be able to ascertain the urgency of the owner's concerns.
Get the appropriate for the query
Recognise those queries that you can deal with yourself or need to be passed
on to another member of staff. For example, a customer might ask you the
price of a new product, or about a specialist procedure. If you are not able to
provide the information immediately, set a reasonable time by which you
will reply.
Getting back to the customer
Forgetting to 'get back' to customers and having them repeatedly contact a
business are common causes of dissatisfaction.
Always make sure you get back to the customer within the time given. It
may be a good idea to write yourself a reminder, perhaps in a diary. If you
do not have the information by the given time, contact your customer to let
them know how you are progressing. When you contact them, ask if they
are happy to continue waiting for the information.
If you have passed the message to someone else, make sure you follow up to
check that the matter has been concluded. Make yourself a note to remind
yourself to follow up.
Maintain client or customer confidentiality
Customer, client and patient records are confidential—you should not pass
on any details to anyone.
Give clear information
Give the information in a clear and concise manner—as for any form of
communication, it is also important to do this in a courteous manner.
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Structure and organise your information
Structuring or organising your information is also important for presenting
your information. It helps people receiving your information to understand it
more easily. This applies to both written and verbal communication.
Grouping or categorising your information will make it easier to understand
and remember. This is particularly important if you have a lot of detailed
information to convey.
It is always good to support what you say with written material—for
example handwritten notes, drawing a 'mud map' for the veterinarian who
has to go out to a home visit or providing suitable prepared information or
advice sheets on care or treatments.
Here are a few simple steps for preparing written information, such as
animal care brochures:
1
Collect information sufficient for the task.
2
Sort this information into categories—and even, sub-categories if there
is a lot of information.
3
Develop a heading for each category.
4
Give an introduction that states what is covered in the brochure.
5
Add a conclusion that tells where the reader where to go for further
help.
Examples of handling enquiries in a vet clinic
In a vet clinic, you may be asked about:

a particular medication your practice does not normally stock

types of pathology tests required for a specific animal breed—eg
testing a horse with possible Ross River Fever

particular diseases and treatments available for it.
How would you handle these enquiries? Here some of the steps you might
need to take.
Handling a medication query
1
Check a Veterinary or Medical Prescribers' Index—also known in
Australia as MIMS—to identify the product by its correct name and
whether a generic (identical) product is available.
2
Check if the drug or product is not an S4 or S8—if it is, you will need
to get veterinary permission before supplying it.
3
Locate a drug wholesaler from one of your clinic directories or the
general phone book.
4
Confirm the medication's availability and wholesale price
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5
Calculate a retail price—include a freight charge where necessary.
6
Prepare the information in written form.
7
Contact the enquirer and provide them with the information—ask
whether they would like a copy posted to them.
8
Follow up with posting the information, if requested, and proceed with
the order if the customer wishes.
Handling a query about pathology tests
1
Check first with the veterinarian. If they are unable to give you
information, then you will need to do some research.
2
Locate a number for a veterinary pathology laboratories.
3
Prepare your questions—for example:
4
a types and amounts of samples required
b number of tests needed
c accuracy of the test
d how long results will take
e where the samples must be sent
f any special delivery requirements
g costs involved.
Prepare the information in written form.
5
Contact the enquirer and provide them with the information—ask
whether they would like a copy posted to them.
6
Follow-up by posting the information, if requested, and proceed with
the arrangements if the customer wishes.
Handling a query about diseases and treatments
1
First, check with the veterinarian. If they are unable to give you
information then you will need to do some research.
2
Locate a number for a specialist veterinarian.
3
Conduct a literature search using the library's catalogue. To do this you
would do a 'key subject' heading. Start looking in the most current
books first.
4
Conduct a search on the Internet using a search engine, such as
'Google'.
5
Gather the relevant information from all the sources and organise the
information in a written format.
6
Contact the enquirer and provide them with the information. Ask
whether they would like a copy posted to them.
7
Follow up by posting the information, if requested, and proceed with
arrangements for the treatment if the customer wishes.
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