This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required to respond with urgency to perform pre-hospital evaluations, apply and maintain first aid to sustain life, and carry out triage procedures for emergency and critical care cases.

This unit applies to veterinary nurses with extensive vocational expertise who are responsible for providing advanced nursing skills for emergency procedures. It is targeted at veterinary nurses who work in a veterinary hospital or emergency/specialist veterinary practice where an extensive range of emergency and critical care procedures are performed under the supervision of a registered or specialist veterinarian in a referral centre or in an emergency centre. Veterinary nurses who work in emergency care exercise autonomy in undertaking complex work.

Legislative and regulatory requirements apply to veterinary nurses but vary according to state/territory jurisdictions. Users must check with the relevant regulatory authority before delivery.

NOTE: The terms ‘occupational health and safety’ (OHS) and ‘work health and safety’ (WHS) generally have the same meaning in the workplace. In jurisdictions where the national model WHS legislation has not been implemented, RTOs must contextualise the unit of competency by referring to current OHS legislative requirements.