Animal and wildlife inherent requirements

The tasks and responsibilities in your role in industry will vary. Completion of your qualification requires that you are able to achieve your course assessments in accordance with industry standards and role expectations, and this will include practical tasks within the industry workplace and/or simulation environments. There are essential components that you will need to be able to demonstrate to meet these assessment and industry requirements, as well as to continue to work safely and effectively in industry as an employee. These components reflect the abilities and attributes of the profession and are outlined below.

Physical requirements

You will need sufficient strength, flexibility, and coordination to be able to stand for long periods, to move easily (bend, twist, lift, carry up to 15kg, kneel, stand), and to attend and complete the role’s task requirements for the full duration of an 8 to 10-hour shift. You will need fine motor skills, dexterity and coordination to ensure safe practice and accuracy, and to comply with hand hygiene and workplace health and safety guidelines.

For example, veterinary nurses are required to work with complex equipment, prepare medications, and perform tasks at floor level during placement. Those undertaking work experience in a wildlife setting may be required to work outdoors for the full-duration of an 8 to 10-hour shift in a variety of weather conditions.

Working with others

You will be working with people from diverse cultural backgrounds and must be able to treat everyone with respect and in a non-discriminatory manner. It is important to recognise your role as a novice and seek and accept direction and guidance from supervising or senior industry professionals. Clients may have various physical and mental health needs, religious beliefs or personal expectations, and you must be able to self-regulate your behaviour and manner within changing work environments and clientele and consistently demonstrate mature and professional conduct. 

Communication and understanding

You need to be able to communicate clearly and appropriately, including presenting information to members of the public in individual and group settings, and understand non-verbal cues such as facial expressions and body language. You must be able to read and understand written and spoken instructions, including correctly using industry terminology, and accurately interpret, record, and document important information and numerical data via paper-based or electronic systems.

Examples could include explaining procedures and discharge instructions to clients and team members, responding to enquiries and phone calls with clear and professional communication, listening to and following verbal directions from veterinarians and supervisors, interpreting clinical documents such as treatment sheets, anaesthetic records, laboratory results and medication labels, and using correct veterinary terminology when communicating or documenting patient information. In wildlife settings, workers are expected to complete presentations to the public; either as individual animal interactions, small groups, or large groups such as school children or animal shows.

Sensory abilities

You will need sufficient vision, hearing and tactile abilities to be able to accurately assess clients, use clinical and workplace equipment, and observe and manage work environments safely and effectively.

Examples could include visually assessing animals, clients, and the clinical environment by recognising changes in behaviour, posture, breathing effort, mucous membrane colour, wound appearance, and signs of pain or distress; reading and interpreting clinical information such as patient records, medication labels, treatment sheets, laboratory results, equipment settings, and safety instructions; observing monitoring equipment and clinical parameters including anaesthetic monitors, oxygen flow rates, fluid therapy pumps, ECG traces, and vital signs; and using hearing to respond appropriately to verbal instructions from veterinarians, veterinary nurses, clients, and team members, even during busy or high-pressure clinical situations.

Workers in wildlife settings also must be capable of recognising changes in animal behaviour, records, and assessing risk for both the animals and members of the public. 

Health, safety and transport requirements

You may be required to attend work experience, industry placement or practical activities at off-campus locations and must be able to organise your own transport to and from these sites at your own expense. You will need to use critical thinking and problem-solving skills to care for clients safely and effectively, and to follow workplace health and safety guidelines and legal requirements. This may include requirements relating to infection control, sharps safety, radiation safety, and the use of personal protective equipment. Some placement providers may also require you to meet vaccination and serology requirements before commencing placement activities.

Workers in wildlife settings also may be required to operate tools safely and effectively, such as rakes, lawn mowers, line trimmers, and knives; potentially on uneven grounds.

Animal industry environments may involve exposure to blood, urine, faeces and a wide range of animal species. If you have allergies or a medical condition that may impact your ability to safely participate in placement or work experience, we recommend contacting TAFE Queensland to discuss your circumstances with a Regional Education Manager prior to enrolment.