Veterinary Technology – Inherent Requirements

This Inherent Requirements Statement is for the following courses:

For detailed course information, see the relevant course page.

Potential applicants for the veterinary course should be aware of the overall requirements of the 3 year curriculum and the expectations for abilities, skills, and attitudes.

  1. Observation – functional use of vision, hearing, and feeling. They must be able to observe and assess animals at a distance and in close proximity. They must be able to interpret test results, diagnostic images, microscopic analyses, and anatomic dissections.
  2. Communication – communicate effectively and efficiently, interpret non-verbal cues to elicit information, and establish rapport to explain issues to clients and fellow professionals.
  3. Motor function – carry out animal restraint/ handling to undertake essential diagnostic and treatment procedures. High-level motor skills are required for general care, and surgical and emergency treatments.
  4. Critical thinking and successful problem-solving require information to be obtained, analysed, integrated, and synthesised from multiple sources efficiently and accurately. Decisions and appropriate diagnostic and treatment manoeuvres are often time-sensitive, which requires the ability to process multiple situations simultaneously.
  5. Personal behaviours – exercise good judgement, prompt completion of responsibilities to the diagnosis and care of patients, work effectively within the health care team, develop effective relationships with colleagues, and clients. Be able to demonstrate desire and aptitude to function effectively under stress, tolerate physically and emotionally taxing workloads, and cope with uncertainties inherent in assessing and treating health problems.

Behavioural stability

Level Inherent requirement statement
1 Behavioural stability is required to function and adapt effectively and sensitively in a demanding role.
2 Student demonstrates behavioural stability to work constructively in a diverse and changing environment
3 Justification of inherent requirement:
  • Objective and professional behaviour is essential to safety in the veterinary setting.
4 Adjustments must support stable, effective and professional behaviour in academic and workplace settings.
5 Exemplars:
  • Being receptive and responding appropriately to constructive feedback.
  • Coping with own emotions and behaviours and maintaining a professional approach.
  • Demonstrate a high level of emotional intelligence and self awareness.
  • Demonstrate desire and aptitude to function effectively under stress, tolerate physically and emotionally taxing workloads, and cope with uncertainties inherent in assessing and treating health problems.

Cognition

This course requires knowledge of theory and the skills of cognition, literacy and numeracy.

Knowledge and cognitive skills

Level Inherent requirement statement
1 Consistent and effective knowledge and cognitive skills must be demonstrated to ensure safety in veterinary settings.
2 Student demonstrates:
  • Capacity to locate appropriate and relevant information.
  • Ability to process information relevant to practice.
  • Ability to integrate and implement knowledge in practice.
3

Justification of inherent requirement:

  • Safe and effective practice in the veterinary sciences is based on comprehensive knowledge that must be sourced, understood and applied appropriately.
4 Adjustments must ensure that a clear demonstration of knowledge and cognitive skills is not compromised or impeded.
5 Exemplars:
  • Ability to conceptualise and use appropriate knowledge in response to academic assessment items.
  • Appropriately applying knowledge of policy and procedures in the veterinary setting.
  • Know and correctly interpret a wide range of scientific information to safely work in veterinary settings.
  • Information will be obtained, analysed, integrated, and synthesised from multiple sources efficiently and accurately.
  • Decisions and appropriate diagnostic and treatment manoeuvres are often time-sensitive, which requires the ability to process multiple situations simultaneously.

Literacy (language)

Level Inherent requirement statement
1 Foundational literacy skills are essential to safely work in the veterinary setting.
2 Student demonstrates the ability to:
  • acquire information and to accurately convey messages.
  • comprehend a range of literature and information.
  • construct written communication appropriate to the circumstances.
3 Justification of inherent requirement:
  • The ability to acquire, read, analyse and comprehend information from multiple sources and to accurately convey messages is fundamental to ensure safety in veterinary settings.
4 Adjustments must ensure that the student demonstrate a capacity to effectively acquire, comprehend, apply and communicate accurate information.
5 Exemplars:
  • Conveying a spoken message accurately and effectively.
  • Paraphrasing, summarising and referencing in accordance with appropriate academic conventions in written assignments.
  • Producing accurate, concise and clear documentation.

Numeracy

Level Inherent requirement statement
1 Foundational numeracy skills are essential to safely and effectively work in veterinary settings.
2 Student interprets and correctly applies data, measurements and numerical criteria.
3 Justification of inherent requirement
  • Competent application of numeracy skills and the provision of accurate data to be acted upon by self or others is essential to ensure safe and effective care in the veterinary setting.
4 Adjustments must demonstrate a capacity to interpret and apply concepts and processes appropriately in a timely, accurate and effective manner.
5 Exemplars:
  • Understand and use mathematical concepts to perform accurate veterinary procedures and provide accurate, reliable results and data.
  • Critical analysis of relevant literature, including numeracy in statistics.

Sensory abilities

This course requires adequate visual, auditory and tactile abilities.

Visual

Level Inherent requirement statement
1 Adequate visual acuity is required to safely and effectively work in the veterinary setting.
2 Student demonstrates sufficient visual acuity to perform the required range of skills.
3 Justification of inherent requirement:
  • Sufficient visual acuity is necessary to demonstrate the required range of skills, tasks and assessments to safely undertake veterinary procedures.
  • Visual observations, examination and assessment are fundamental to safe and effective work in the veterinary sciences.
4 Adjustments must address the need to perform the full range of tasks involved in veterinary settings.
5 Exemplars:
  • Accurately choosing the correct instrument or drug.
  • Observing and detecting subtle changes in animal behaviour, clinical signs or test results.
  • Observe and assess animals at a distance and in close proximity.
  • Interpret test results, diagnostic images, microscopic analyses, and anatomic dissections.

Auditory

Level Inherent requirement statement
1 Adequate auditory ability is required to safely work in the veterinary setting.
2 Student demonstrates sufficient aural function to undertake the required level of safety and accuracy in the veterinary setting.
3 Justification of inherent requirement:
  • Sufficient auditory ability is necessary to safely and accurately work in the veterinary settings.
4 Adjustments must address the need to perform the full range of tasks involved in other areas of veterinary practice. Any strategies to address the effects of the hearing impairment must be effective, consistent and not compromise safety or accuracy.
5 Exemplars:
  • Identifying sounds from animals indicating change in their behaviour.
  • Accurately undertaking physical parameter measurements by auscultation.
  • Detecting sounds that indicate another person requires assistance or has been injured.
  • Detecting sounds that indicate that the affected person is in danger from nearby animal(s).

Tactile

Level Inherent requirement statement
1 Sufficient tactile ability is required to perform competently and safely in the veterinary setting.
2 Student demonstrates sufficient function to undertake the required range of clinical and scientific skills.
3 Justification of inherent requirement:
  • Sufficient tactile ability is necessary to work safely and with accuracy in the veterinary setting.
4 Adjustments must have the capacity to ensure safety and accuracy in performing laboratory experiments.
5 Exemplars:
  • Performance of dental prophylaxis amongst variable tissue structures.
  • Identifying the site for intravenous injection.

Strength and mobility

This course requires strength and mobility involving fine and gross motor skills.

Gross motor

Level Inherent requirement statement

1

The veterinary scientist has physical demands and requires gross motor function.

2

Student demonstrates the ability to perform gross motor skills to function within scope of practice.

3

Justification of inherent requirement:

  • Sufficient gross motor skills are necessary to perform experiments and analyses in the veterinary sciences. Tasks that involve gross motor skills including lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, standing, twisting and bending. Students must be able to demonstrate and perform these tasks consistently and safely to reduce the risk of harm to self and others.

4

Adjustments must facilitate functional effectiveness, safety of self and others and a capacity to perform duties required in veterinary settings.

5

Exemplars:

  • Respond safely in emergency situations.
  • Maintaining balance while safely working in the veterinary setting.
  • Safely retrieve, set-up and operate equipment.
  • Carry out animal restraint/ handling to undertake essential diagnostic and treatment procedures.

Fine motor

Level Inherent requirement statement
1 The veterinary scientist requires manual dexterity and fine motor skills.
2 Student demonstrates the ability to use fine motor skills to safely and accurately work in the veterinary setting.
3 Justification of inherent requirement:
  • Sufficient fine motor skills are necessary to perform experiments accurately and safely. Tasks that involve fine motor skills include being able to grasp, press, push, turn, squeeze and manipulate various instruments and objects. Veterinary science students must be able to demonstrate and perform these tasks consistently and safely to reduce the risk of harm to self and others.
  • High-level motor skills are required for general care, and surgical and emergency treatments.
4 Adjustments must facilitate functional effectiveness, safety to self and others and accuracy in veterinary activities.
5 Exemplars:
  • Assistance in surgical procedures.
  • Palpation intra-abdominal organs.
  • Performing aseptic venous injections and blood sampling.

Sustainable performance

Level Inherent requirement statement
1 The veterinary scientist requires both physical and mental performance at a consistent and sustained level to meet individual needs over time.
2 Student demonstrates:
  • Consistent and sustained level of physical energy to complete a specific task in a timely manner and over time.
  • The ability to perform repetitive activities with a level of concentration that ensures a capacity to focus on the activity until it is completed appropriately.
  • The capacity to maintain consistency and quality of performance during an entire shift
3 Justification of inherent requirement:
  • Sufficient physical and mental endurance is an essential requirement needed to perform multiple tasks in an assigned period to provide safe and accurate data
4 Adjustments must ensure that performance is consistent and sustained over a given period.
5 Exemplars:
  • Participating in tutorials and practicals throughout the day.
  • Providing consistent care over a negotiated time frame.

Communication

This course requires effective, verbal, non-verbal and written communication skills.

Verbal

Level Inherent requirement statement
1 Effective and efficient verbal communication, in English, is an essential requirement to work safely and accurately with others.
2 Student demonstrates the ability to:
  • The ability to understand and respond to verbal communication accurately, appropriately and in a professional and timely manner.
  • The ability to provide clear instructions in the context of the situation.
  • Timely clear feedback and reporting.
3 Justification of inherent requirement:
  • Speed and interactivity of communication may be critical for individual safety or for successful completion of experiments.
  • Timely, accurate and effective delivery of instructions is critical to individual safety, and accuracy of the given task.
4 Adjustments for impaired verbal communication must address effectiveness, timeliness, clarity and accuracy issues to ensure safety.
5 Exemplars:
  • Participating in tutorial, laboratory experiments and discussions.
  • Responding appropriately to a change in protocol in the laboratory and clinical setting.
  • Communicating in a professional manner towards other students and instructors.
  • Establish rapport to explain issues to clients and fellow professionals.

Non-verbal

Level Inherent requirement statement
1 Effective non-verbal communication is an essential requirement to work safely and accurately with others.
2 Student demonstrates:
  • The capacity to recognise, interpret and respond appropriately to behavioural cues.
  • Consistent and appropriate awareness of own behaviours.
  • Sensitivity to individual differences.
3 Justification of inherent requirement:
  • The ability to observe and understand non-verbal cues assists with building rapport with people and gaining their trust and respect in academic, work and professional relationships.
  • Displays consistent and appropriate facial expressions, eye contact, being mindful of space, time boundaries and body movements and gestures.
  • Being sensitive to individual differences; displays respect and empathy to others and develops trusting relationships.
  • Interpret non-verbal cues to elicit information.
4 Adjustments must enable the recognition, initiation of or appropriate response to effective non-verbal communication in a timely and appropriate manner.
5 Exemplars:
  • Recognising and responding appropriately in classroom situations.
  • Recognising and responding appropriately to cues in the practice environment.

Written

Level Inherent requirement statement
1 Effective written communication is an essential requirement to work safely and accurately with others.
2 Student demonstrates capacity to construct coherent written communication appropriate to the circumstances.
3 Justification of inherent requirement:
  • Construction of multiple essays/assignments to academic standards is required in order to convey knowledge and understanding of relevant subject matter, procedures and professional practice.
  • Accurate written communication, including record-keeping and certificate writing is vital to work safely and accurately in the veterinary environment.
4 Adjustments must meet necessary standards of clarity, accuracy and accessibility to ensure effective recording and transmission of information in both academic and laboratory settings.
5 Exemplars:
  • Constructing an essay to academic standards.
  • Accurately providing the necessary information in a timely manner that meets professional standards.
  • Producing accurate, concise and clear documentation in clinical records.