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
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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
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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
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-
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
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© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2014
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 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
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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
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 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
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© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2014
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