VET SC 3514RW - Professional Skills in Veterinary Bioscience III

Roseworthy Campus - Semester 2 - 2024

The course continues the development of personal and professional capabilities required of veterinary professionals by building on VET SC 2500RW: ANIMAL HANDLING: students perform, practice and demonstrate the necessary skills in restraint and handling of common species encountered in veterinary practice. CLINICAL SKILLS: students are introduced to a number of basic clinical techniques for common veterinary species, including introduction to basic components of a general clinical examination VET MED COMMUNICATION: students develop basic communication and consultation skills to enable effective relationship-centred clinical interviewing techniques. STRESS MANAGEMENT: students identify sources and symptoms of stress and have the opportunity to practice stress management techniques. HUMAN-ANIMAL BOND: students will recognise and appraise human animal relationships in the companion animal and large animal environments. ANIMAL HUSBANDRY EXPERIENCE EVALUATION: Students evaluate and reflect on an animal husbandry extramural experiences. EMPLOYABILITY: Students will develop a position application and knowledge of workplace health and safety issues (WSH) as they relate to an animal enterprise or service business. Students will be expected to have completed a minimum of fifty percent of their Animal Husbandry Extra Mural Studies (AHEMS) placement requirements and completed an AHEMS placement record subsequent to VET SC 2500RW and prior to the commencement of the course. Students analyse data collected on placements in this course.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code VET SC 3514RW
    Course Professional Skills in Veterinary Bioscience III
    Coordinating Unit School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences
    Term Semester 2
    Level Undergraduate
    Location/s Roseworthy Campus
    Units 3
    Contact Up to 6 hours per week
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange N
    Prerequisites VET SC 2500RW & 3 AHEMS Placement Records (At least one AHEMS placement record completed subsequent to VET SC 2500RW and prior to the commencement of VET SC 3514RW
    Corequisites VET SC 3516RW
    Restrictions Available to BSc (Veterinary Bioscience) students only
    Course Description The course continues the development of personal and professional capabilities required of veterinary professionals by building on VET SC 2500RW:

    ANIMAL HANDLING: students perform, practice and demonstrate the necessary skills in restraint and handling of common species encountered in veterinary practice.
    CLINICAL SKILLS: students are introduced to a number of basic clinical techniques for common veterinary species, including introduction to basic components of a general clinical examination
    VET MED COMMUNICATION: students develop basic communication and consultation skills to enable effective relationship-centred clinical interviewing techniques.
    STRESS MANAGEMENT: students identify sources and symptoms of stress and have the opportunity to practice stress management techniques.
    HUMAN-ANIMAL BOND: students will recognise and appraise human animal relationships in the companion animal and large animal environments.
    ANIMAL HUSBANDRY EXPERIENCE EVALUATION: Students evaluate and reflect on an animal husbandry extramural experiences.
    EMPLOYABILITY: Students will develop a position application and knowledge of workplace health and safety issues (WSH) as they relate to an animal enterprise or service business.

    Students will be expected to have completed a minimum of fifty percent of their Animal Husbandry Extra Mural Studies (AHEMS) placement requirements and completed an AHEMS placement record subsequent to VET SC 2500RW and prior to the commencement of the course. Students analyse data collected on placements in this course.
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Dr Wendy Hamood

    Students will be expected to have completed a minimum of fifty percent or more of their Animal Husbandry Extra Mural Studies (AHEMS) placements and completed an AHEMS placement record subsequent to VET SC 2500RW and prior to the commencement of the course. The AHEMS placement record and AHEMS placeement experience used for the AHEMS related assignments in VET SC 2500RW can NOT be submitted or reused again in this course. Students analyse data collected on placements in this course.
    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course a successful student should be able to:
    1 Reflect on and appraise professional skills (self-care, communication, and understanding of the human-animal bond) integral to their personal development as well as enhancing the veterinarian- client-patient relationship.
    2 Demonstrate and identify client communication skills using a predominately relationship-centred style.
    3 Demonstrate an understanding of capabilities relating to employability.
    4 Demonstrate and apply knowledge of health and safety responsibilities relating to a veterinary workplace and importance of complying with policies and procedures.
    5 Evaluate and reflect on animal husbandry practices from an AHEMS experience based on relevant legal frameworks, animal welfare codes of practice and current research literature.
    6 Demonstrate competence in animal handling and restraint for clinical techniques, perform basic components of a clinical examination on a variety of species, plus clinical procedures in preparation for working in a clinical setting. 
    University Graduate Attributes

    This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

    University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s)

    Attribute 1: Deep discipline knowledge and intellectual breadth

    Graduates have comprehensive knowledge and understanding of their subject area, the ability to engage with different traditions of thought, and the ability to apply their knowledge in practice including in multi-disciplinary or multi-professional contexts.

    2,5,6

    Attribute 2: Creative and critical thinking, and problem solving

    Graduates are effective problems-solvers, able to apply critical, creative and evidence-based thinking to conceive innovative responses to future challenges.

    3, 4, 5

    Attribute 3: Teamwork and communication skills

    Graduates convey ideas and information effectively to a range of audiences for a variety of purposes and contribute in a positive and collaborative manner to achieving common goals.

    1, 2, 3, 4,

    Attribute 4: Professionalism and leadership readiness

    Graduates engage in professional behaviour and have the potential to be entrepreneurial and take leadership roles in their chosen occupations or careers and communities.

    1,2, 3,4, 5,

    Attribute 5: Intercultural and ethical competency

    Graduates are responsible and effective global citizens whose personal values and practices are consistent with their roles as responsible members of society.

    1, 2, 3,

    Attribute 8: Self-awareness and emotional intelligence

    Graduates are self-aware and reflective; they are flexible and resilient and have the capacity to accept and give constructive feedback; they act with integrity and take responsibility for their actions.

    1, 2, 3
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources
    Overalls, boots, scrub top, stethoscope, thermometer and timing device other than a mobile phone (eg nurse watch).
    Online Learning
    Online resources including on-line instructional material provided via MyUni will remain key to the learning experience of the student in this course.

    Teaching materials and course documentation will be posted on the MyUni website http://myuni.adelaide.edu.au.

    A variety of text books and reading resources will be required and will all be available through the Roseworthy library facilities including access to databases.
  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes
    This course will be delivered as all day learning activities, with lectures, workshops, seminars, plus 2 – 4 hour tutorials and practicals. Many of the teaching blocks will include animal handling practicals and skills laboratories.
    Workload

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    A student enrolled in a 3 unit course, such as this, should expect to spend, on average 12 hours per week on the studies required. This includes both the formal contact time (e.g., workshops and practicals), as well as non-contact time (e.g. reading, revision and practise in the skills laboratory).
    Learning Activities Summary
    Lectures, practicals, worshops, seminars and tutorials will cover the following components:

    Employability
    • Career development activities and introduction to resources
    Animal Husbandry Placement Experience Evaluation
    • Review of an animal husbandry extramural studies (AHEMS) placement experience completed and recorded prior to commencement of the course.
    • Evaluation of placement an experience based on legal frameworks, codes of practice (based on Australian standards and guidelines)  and current research literature, documented in a written assignment.
    Clinical Interview & Reporting skills
    • Clinical communication
    • Human-animal relationship
    • Well-being, stress management and self-care
    Work Health and Safety
    • Undertake individual and group activities relating to veterinary animal related industries and work, health and safety.
    Animal Handling and Restraint for clinical procedures
    • Basic and advanced animal handling and restraint techniques
    • Basic components of a clinical examination 
    • Social hand wash, surgical hand scrubbing, aseptic gowning and gloving, draping
    • Suturing - instrument and hand ties, simple continuous and interrupted suture patterns
    Specific Course Requirements
    Students will be expected to have completed a minimum of half of their AHEMS placements requirements and completed an AHEMS placement record subsequent to VET SC 2500RW and prior to the commencement of this course. Students evaluate and reflect on information collected on placements as part of an assignment in this course.
    This placement experience must be for a different experience and species group than used for AHEMS related assessment in VET SC 2500RW.  

    Attendance at all practicals, workshops and tutorials is compulsory. Students who do not meet this requirement will FAIL the course. Students are expected to participate for the entire duration of the session, displaying appropriate professional conduct, presenting dressed in suitable attire and complying with safety and biosecurity requirements. The learning outcomes for the practical components of this course, particularly animal handling and communication skills, are substantially dependent on experiential learning and repeated practice. Students with approved absences due to extenuating circumstances, medical or compassionate reasons for non-attendance will be given an opportunity to make up missed sessions or be provided an alternative learning experience where possible.

  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary
    Assessment Task Task Type Weighting HURDLES Learning Outcome Timing of Assessment
    Position Application Formative & Summative 10% No 3 Week 4
    Communication Skills Assignment Formative & 
    Summative
    0%

    20%
    No

    No
    1, 2

    1, 2

    Week 6
    AHEMS Assignment Summative 25% No 5 Week 8 - 9
    Practical and tutorial preparatory quizzes Summative  10% No  5, 6 Week 2 - 12 
    Work, Health and Safety Activity Formative & Summative 15%  No 4 Weeks 10 - 12
    Animal Handling & Restraint Formative 



    Summative 

    0% (in practical assessment of competence for all species, and mock practical exam with major species )

    0% (final practical exam of major species competencies)


    No






    Yes 
    6 Weekly in practical 





    Exam period
    Basic veterinary clinical examination Summative 
    20% Final exam - 
    No  6 Exam period 
    Clinical Procedures Practicals and Practical Exam  Formative 

    Summative 
    0% in practical

    0% Final  exam 
    No

    Yes
    6 Weekly in pratical 

    Exam period 
    Assessment Related Requirements
    Assessment Item with hurdle % needed or requirement to meet hurdle Is additional assessment available if student does not meet hurdle requirement?
    Yes or No
    Details of additional assessment, if available
    Attendance at all practicals, workshops and tutorials is compulsory. Satisfactory completion of all practicals, workshops and tutorials including attendance of ALL practical, workshop and tutorial sessions. Yes Students with extenuating circumstances, medical or compassionate reasons for non-attendance will be given an opportunity to make up missed sessions or provided an alternative learning experience where possible. Students who do not meet this requirement will FAIL the course.
    Animal Handling & Restraint final practical examination Satisfactory skills for each of the major species examined in the final Animal Handling and Restraint final practical examination Yes Students that do not attain the minimum requirement will be provided with an additional assessment for the particular species.
    Clinical procedures practical examination Competency must be achieved Yes Students that do not attain the minimum requirement will be provided with an additional assessment
    Assessment Detail
    Position Application (10% of final grade)
    Students will submit an up to date resume and letter seeking a position in a veterinary or animal industry related place of employment.

    Communication Skills Assignment (20% of final grade)
    Students will undertake consultations utilising actors in the role of clients. Students will be formatively assessed on their capacity to initiate a consultation, gather information from the client, build a relationship with the client and structure the consult. Each session will be taped. Students will receive formative feedback from their first session directly following the consult (0%). Students will submit a 2000 – 2,500 words self-analysis (in writing) of their consultation, building on formative feedback given in the skills laboratories from facilitator, peers, actors and self.

    Practical and assignment  preparation (10%):
    Students will be required to demonstrate evidence of learning engagement and preparation for workshops practicals though a range of different modes. This can include regular entries in a competency development diary and appropriately responding to formative feedback provided during practicals. Students will complete up to three, quizzes relating to practical or assignment preparatory content.

    AHEMS Assignment (25% of final grade):
    Students will complete an evaluation of an AHEMS placement experience. Students complete a written assignment (approximately 2000 words) based on a record of a placement experience and evaluated against relevant legal frameworks, animal welfare codes of practice (Australian animal welfare standards and guidelines) and current research literature. If the previous assignment in Professional Skills II was undertaken on a non-production animal species, this assignment in Professional Skills III must be on a production animal species to ensure adequate integration of AHEMS reflections into the curriculum.

    Work, Health and Safety Activity (15% of final grade)
    Students will participate in activities both individually and in teams, incorporating aspects of health and safety, business management skills and capabilities relating to employability. Students will be assessed on group work and individual activities.

    Animal Handling and Restraint Practical competencies (0% of final grade)

    Animal handling practicals are compulsory and also a course hurdle. Students will participate in practicals and receive formative feedback as to their current skill level to identify areas requiring improvement and additional practise. All students must participate in, attempt and demonstrate competence in a selection of animal handling and restraint tasks during practical class. This can include demonstrator sign-off for completion of required tasks.

    Students will be required to demonstrate evidence of learning engagement and participation in practicals though a range of different modes. This can include demonstrator sign-off for attendance, participation and completion of required tasks. Other examples of demonstrating evidence of learning also may include regular entries in a competency development diary and appropriately responding to formative feedback (ungraded). Students who do not achieve adequate competency during practicals will be required to complete additional practise.

    Students will be assessed for competency during animal handling practicals during the semester, with a mock practical examination for major species to assist students in preparation for the final practical examination (0% hurdle). Students will have opportunities for additional practise in between practicals using resources in the skills lab.

    Clinical procedures practicals and examination (0%)
    Students will participate in clinical procedure activities in practicals during semester and receive formative feedback as to their current skill level to identify areas requiring improvement and additional practise.

    There will be an end of semester practical exam (0% hurdle). Students will have opportunities for additional practise between practicals using resources in the skills lab.

    Basic veterinary clinical examination (20%)
    Students will participate in clinical examination practicals and receive formative feedback in preparation for their final end of semester practical examination. This examination has no hurdle.




    Submission
    Late Submission

    If an extension is not applied for, or not granted then a penalty for late submission will apply. A penalty of 10% of the value of the assignment for each calendar day that the assignment is late (i.e. weekends count as 2 days), up to a maximum of 50% of the available marks will be applied. This means that an assignment that is 5 days late or more without an approved extension can only receive a maximum of 50% of the marks available for that assignment.
    Course Grading

    Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

    M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
    Grade Mark Description
    FNS   Fail No Submission
    F 1-49 Fail
    P 50-64 Pass
    C 65-74 Credit
    D 75-84 Distinction
    HD 85-100 High Distinction
    CN   Continuing
    NFE   No Formal Examination
    RP   Result Pending

    Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

    Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

    Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

  • Student Feedback

    The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

    SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.

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  • Policies & Guidelines
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