Qualification details Title New Zealand Certificate in Animal Technology (Level 5) with strands in Rural Animal Technician and Veterinary Nursing Assistant Version 1 Qualification type Certificate Level 5 Credits 120 NZSCED 061103 Health>Veterinary Studies>Veterinary Assisting Qualification developer Primary ITO Next review December 2018 Approval date December 2014 Strategic purpose statement The purpose of this qualification is to prepare individuals as either a veterinary nursing assistant or rural animal technician by providing them with the skills, knowledge and attributes needed to help assist veterinarians and veterinary nurses in a companion animal practice and veterinarians in a rural veterinary practice. This qualification is targeted at people with previous animal handling experience who wish to work in a veterinary related field or in a veterinary clinic with either companion or rural animals. The animal industry will benefit by having graduates qualified with skills to allow them to be ready to work in a veterinary clinic or independently as a rural animal technician, under the direction of a veterinarian. Graduates of the rural animal technician strand will be able to assist a veterinarian in large animal or mixed practice and in the field or work independently as a rural animal technician. Graduates of the veterinary nursing assistant strand will be able to provide assistance to veterinarians and veterinary nurses in a veterinary clinic and perform some tasks independently. Qualification Reference 2490 © New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2014 Page 1 of 7 Graduate profile Graduates of this qualification will be able to: - work in client business interface of animal related facility. Graduates with the Rural Animal Technician strand will also be able to: - maintain the health and husbandry of animals in a rural environment perform technical tasks for the maintenance of animal health and welfare in the rural setting apply knowledge of pharmacology and current law, to dispense and administer animal remedies collect and/or test diagnostic samples and/or prepare samples for dispatch. Graduates with the Veterinary Nursing Assistant strand will also be able to: - Outcome Statement Education pathway - maintain animal health and husbandry of animals in a veterinary clinic care for hospitalized patients assist in surgery preparation and anaesthesia - assist with routine diagnostic procedures. This qualification may build on the New Zealand Certificate in Animal Management (Level 4) [Ref: 2489] or the National Certificate in Education Achievement (Level 2) [Ref: 0973] or the National Certificate in Education Achievement (Level 3) [Ref: 1039]. This Veterinary Nursing Assistant strand of this qualification is a prerequisite to the New Zealand Diploma in Veterinary Nursing (Level 6) [Ref: 2491]. Employment pathway Graduates of this qualification may be employed as veterinary nursing assistants or rural animal technicians working with companion or rural animals. Qualification specifications Qualification award This qualification may be awarded by the Primary ITO as the qualification developer and the industry training organisation arranging training leading to the qualification under section 5 of the Industry Training Act and Apprenticeships Act 1992. This qualification may also be awarded by an education organisation who has, under section 249 of the Education Act 1989, had a programme approved by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) or who has been accredited, under section 250, to provide an approved programme. The formal document certifying the award of this qualification will display the NZQF logo and may also include the name and/or logo of the awarding education organisation. Evidence requirements for Qualification Reference 2490 © New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2014 All TEOs either arranging training or delivering programmes that lead to the award of the qualification are required to participate in Page 2 of 7 assuring consistency a consistency process scheduled by NZQA. New requirements for assuring consistency of graduate outcomes are being developed. Please refer to the Guidelines for approval of New Zealand qualifications for listing on the New Zealand Qualifications Framework available at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/providers-partners/consistencyofgraduate-outcomes/ The purpose of the managing consistency event is to: review evidence associated with achievement of qualification outcomes at the level of the qualification. identify issues or opportunities associated with outcome achievement. The review process may include: comparison of similar evidence across education organisations consultation with graduates and employers (including visits) consideration of internal qualityassurance processes and external reviews. Further information can be found on the NZQA website. Credit transfer and recognition of prior learning arrangements Education organisations must have policies and procedures in place for managing credit transfer, and assessing recognition of prior learning and recognition of current competency. These policies and procedures, and information about associated fees, must be available to the candidate prior to enrolment. To facilitate credit transfer, education organisations must clearly demonstrate the equivalency or comparability between each of the outcomes in the graduate profile, and the assessment components of their programmes. Minimum standard of achievement and standards for grade endorsements The minimum standard of achievement required for award of the qualification will be the achievement of all graduate outcomes in the graduate profile through successful completion of an NZQA approved programme. Entry requirements (including prerequisites to meet regulatory body or legislative requirements) For the Rural Animal Technician and Veterinary Nursing Assistant strands: - Students should be able to demonstrate previous experience working with animals, and an aptitude for working with the public. 1. Suitable experience includes: 3 or more days observing in a veterinary clinic for the VNA and technician strands or equivalent. 2. An aptitude for working with the public may include reference from an employer where the prospective student has worked with the public (e.g. retail), reference from a teacher attesting to social skills. For those people entering this qualification the following entry requirements apply: Qualification Reference 2490 © New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2014 have completed 60 NCEA credits at level 2 Page 3 of 7 - have a minimum of 12 NCEA credits in English at Level 2 and 12 credits in Maths at level 1; and 12 credits of relevant science at level 1 or - the equivalent tertiary study or - meet the education provider‘s requirements for the equivalent numeracy and literacy standards. This qualification, with the veterinary nursing assistant qualifier leads to the New Zealand Diploma in Veterinary Nursing (Level 6) [Ref: 2491]. Qualification conditions Overarching conditions relating to the qualification Conditions for programme structure It is recommended that programmes leading to this qualification deliver learning and assessment of health and safety, animal ethics, professional behaviour and basic handling before immersion on work placements. Conditions for programme context Programmes leading to the Veterinary Nursing Assistant strand of this qualification should include a minimum of 200 hours in a veterinary clinic setting and 40 hours in an animal related facility to provide assimilation of theoretical knowledge and practical skills. Programmes leading to the Rural Animal Technician strand of this qualification should include a minimum of 200 hours in a rural or mixed veterinary clinic setting and 40 hours in a farm related setting provide assimilation of theoretical knowledge and practical skills. Other conditions All outcomes in this qualification require aspects of record keeping, communication, cultural recognition and sensitivity, and professional and ethical behaviour, which should be considered as part of the assessment process. Compliance with workplace health and safety requirements, sustainable practices (environmental, social, financial), and animal welfare standards, applies across all outcomes. Specific conditions relating to the Graduate profile Qualification outcomes 1 Work in client business interface of animal related facility Credits 10 Conditions Programmes should include the following topics: Mandatory or Optional Mandatory legislation product management admission and discharge customer service and sales Qualification Reference 2490 © New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2014 Page 4 of 7 dispensing of animal health product use of animal/client management software systems. For the Rural Animal Technician Strand 2 Maintain animal health and husbandry of animals in a rural environment Programmes must include the following topics for a range of applicable animals: Credits 70 hygiene Mandatory health and safety handling restraint behaviour clinical exam nutrition preventative health identification reproduction housing animal welfare and legislation anatomy and physiology medical terminology transport knowledge of common diseases disease transmission and control including zoonotic and exotic diseases and parasitic disease. administration of treatments Programmes must include the following topics for a range of applicable species: nutrition farming systems. 3 Perform technical tasks for the maintenance of animal health and welfare in a rural setting Credits 20 Programmes may include the following topics: Optional disbudding dehorning reproductive manipulations vaccination mastitis management lameness management floating teeth monitoring of surgical and medical large animal patients pregnancy scanning. 4 Apply knowledge of pharmacology and current Qualification Reference 2490 © New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2014 Programmes may include the following topics: Optional medications and uses Page 5 of 7 5 law, to dispense and administer animal remedies management Credits 10 complementary and integrative animal health. Collect and/or test diagnostic samples and/or prepare samples for dispatch Diagnostic samples may include: Credits 10 relevant legislation Optional blood urine faeces pasture samples milk. Programmes may include the following tasks: assisting with imaging procedures. For the Veterinary Nursing Assistant Strand 6 Maintain animal health and husbandry of animals in a veterinary clinic Programmes must include the following topics for a range of applicable animals: Credits 60 hygiene Mandatory health and safety handling restraint behaviour clinical exam nutrition preventative health identification reproduction housing animal welfare and legislation anatomy and physiology medical terminology transport knowledge of common diseases disease transmission and control including zoonotic and exotic diseases and parasitic disease administration of treatments. Programmes may also include: Optional complementary and integrative animal health. 7 Care for hospitalized patients Programmes must include the following topics: Credits 15 Qualification Reference 2490 © New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2014 Mandatory nursing theory and practice recording and patient records calculating and preparing medications introduction to fluid therapy (physiology and monitoring) wound care/ nutrition / prescription diets Page 6 of 7 grief management. 8 Assist in surgery preparation and anaesthesia Programmes must include the following topics: Credits 20 sterilisation procedures, aseptic techniques, instrument care anatomy and Physiology of Neurological, special senses, cardiovascular and respiratory systems monitor and record accurate parameters and report to the vet pain management. 9 Assist with routine diagnostic procedures Programmes must include the following topics: Credits 15 specific restraint methods preparing equipment packaging for lab running routine tests in house assisting with radiography and other imaging taking basic samples. Transition information Replacement information This qualifications replaces the National Diploma in Laboratory Animal Care (Level 5) [Ref: 0245] and the National Certificate in Veterinary Nursing (Level 5) [Ref: 0221]. Learners currently enrolled in programmes leading to the replaced qualifications may either complete the requirements as specified below, or transfer their results to this replacement qualification. The last date for entry into programmes leading to the replaced qualification is 31 December 2016. The last date for award of the replaced qualification is 31 December 2018. It is the intention of Primary ITO that no existing trainee should be disadvantaged by these transition arrangements. Any person who considers they have been disadvantaged may appeal to the Primary ITO, PO Box 10383, The Terrace, Wellington 6143. Email standards@primaryito.ac.nz Qualification Reference 2490 © New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2014 Page 7 of 7