National Unit Specification: General Information

Transcription

1 National Unit Specification: General Information NUMBER D COURSE - SUMMARY This unit is designed to give candidates a basic introduction to health and disease in laboratory animals. The outcomes require candidates to describe the signs of health and disease in common laboratory animals and the requirements of an adequate diet at different life stages. Candidates are also required to identify potential sources of different types of disease and to describe methods to prevent or control diseases. It is expected that candidates will have current experience of working in an animal laboratory. OUTCOMES 1 Describe signs of health and disease in laboratory animals. 2 Explain the requirements of an adequate diet to maintain health. 3 Identify sources and methods of transmission of disease in laboratory animals. 4 Describe methods to prevent or control disease in an animal laboratory. RECOMMENDED ENTRY While entry is at the discretion of the centre, candidates will normally be expected to have attained the following: Standard Grade Biology at grade 1 or 2 Standard Grade Science at grade 1 or 2 Candidates should have current experience of working in an animal laboratory. Administrative Information Superclass: RH Publication date: December 1998 Source: Scottish Qualifications Authority Version: 01 Scottish Qualifications Authority 1999 This publication may be reproduced in whole or in part for educational purposes provided that no profit is derived from reproduction and that, if reproduced in part, the source is acknowledged. Additional copies of this specification can be purchased from the Scottish Qualifications Authority. The cost is 2.50 (minimum charge 5.00).

2 CREDIT VALUE 1 credit at Higher. CORE SKILLS Information on the automatic certification of any core skills in this unit is published in Automatic Certification of Core Skills in National Qualifications (SQA, 1999).

3 National unit specification: statement of standards Acceptable performance in this unit will be the satisfactory achievement of the standards set out in this part of the unit specification. All sections of the statement of standards are mandatory and cannot be altered without reference to the Scottish Qualifications Authority. OUTCOME 1 Describe signs of health and disease in laboratory animals. Performance Criteria a) Normal signs of health are correctly described. b) Possible changes in an animal s health status are correctly described. c) Normal behaviour of laboratory animals is correctly described. d) Possible changes in an animal s behaviour are correctly described. e) Signs of parasitic infestation are correctly explained. Note on range for the outcome Laboratory animals: rodents; rabbits; dogs; cats and primates. Signs of health: movement; absence of discharges; mental awareness; normal body functions; normal behaviour. Changes in behaviour: in disease; under stress; housed communually; housed individually as appropriate for the species. Parasitic infestation: endoparasites and ectoparasites. Evidence Requirements Written and/or oral evidence to support all performance criteria. OUTCOME 2 Explain the requirements of an adequate diet to maintain health. Performance Criteria a) The constituents of an adequate diet are correctly described. b) The requirements of different animal species and the principles of lifestage dietary management are correctly explained. c) The possibility of nutritional disease should be described.

4 National unit specification: statement of standards (cont) Note on range for the outcome Constituents: carbohydrates; fats; protein; vitamins and minerals. Laboratory animals: rodents; rabbits; dogs; cats and primates. Lifestage: young; adult; old; during pregnancy; lactation. Evidence Requirements Written and/or oral evidence to support all performance criteria. OUTCOME 3 Identify sources and methods of transmission of disease in laboratory animals. Performance Criteria a) Potential sources of disease are correctly identified. b) The importance of vectors in the transmission of disease is correctly identified. c) Methods of infection are clearly identified. Note on range for the outcome Sources of disease: infected animal/man; contaminated material: feeding; bedding; water and utensils. Disease: viral; bacterial; fungal; parasitic; nutritional; protozoal; stress induced. Vectors: insects; parasites; rodents. Methods of infection: aerosol; ingestion; contact with fomites; direct contact; transplacental. Evidence Requirements Written and/or oral evidence to support all performance criteria.

5 National unit specification: statement of standards (cont) OUTCOME 4 Describe methods to prevent or control disease in an animal laboratory. Performance Criteria a) Descriptions of methods to prevent disease are correct. b) Descriptions of methods to control the spread of disease are accurate. c) The properties and use of disinfectants are correctly described. d) Methods of sterilisation are clearly described. e) Methods of the disposal of clinical waste are clearly described. f) Methods of prevention of zoonoses are clearly explained. Note on the range for the outcome Disease: viral; bacterial; fungal; parasitic; nutritional; protozoal; stress induced. Methods to prevent disease: vaccination; isolation; quarantine; health screening; correct environmental and social conditions; reduction in stress; adequate nutrition. Methods to control infectious disease: isolation; vaccination; disinfection; euthanasia; treatment. Disinfectants: phenols; alcohols; quaternary ammonium compounds; iodophors; amphoterics. Sterilisation: wet and dry heat; irradiation; filtration and fumigation. Methods to prevent zoonoses: protective clothing; personal hygiene; vaccination. Evidence Requirements Written and/or oral evidence to support all performance criteria.

6 National unit specification: support notes This part of the unit specification is offered as guidance. The support notes are not mandatory. While the exact time allocated to this unit is at the discretion of the centre, the notional design length is 40 hours. GUIDANCE ON CONTENT AND CONTEXT On completion of the unit the candidate will have been introduced to the concepts of health and disease including the requirements for an adequate diet. They will be introduced to the methods of transmission of disease and ways in which disease may be controlled. The requirements to prevent introduction of infection will be stressed and methods of disinfection explained. Throughout the unit emphasis will be placed on the requirements for maintaining health. Candidates working in laboratories are often only trained in one type of unit with one species of animal. The concepts explored in this unit should be in a generalised format to enable the candidate to gain basic information which can be adapted to other species or animal units in which they might be working in the future. The candidate should demonstrate their understanding of the requirements for maintaining good health in the specified species of laboratory animal. A knowledge of normal and abnormal behaviour, signs of health and disease and routine preventative procedures is required. The health and safety aspects of working with laboratory animals should be taken into account throughout the unit as should the welfare and well-being of the laboratory animal. Outcome 1 The candidate should have a good working knowledge of the normal parameters associated with health and the changes which naturally occur during life. Normal body functions should include eating, drinking, urinating, defaecating. Changes in health status explores the external signs and symptoms of disease, ie the variation from the normal; the candidate should be able to recognise these signs and symptoms. Normal behaviour associated with stress free animals will establish the base from which the candidate can identify abnormal behaviour patterns and should include vocalisation and sleep. Changes in behaviour associated with group or individual housing should be applied to the normal method of housing each individual species. The causes of abnormal behaviour should be reviewed including the effects of disease and stress. Parasites should include cestodes (tapeworms) and nematodes (round worms and pinworms). External parasites should include fleas, lice and mites. The knowledge of detailed lifecycles is not required. Candidates should be aware that in most animal colonies parasitic infection is rare and that preventative measures are commonly adopted to prevent introduction of parasites.

7 National unit specification: support notes (cont) Outcome 2 Nutritional management should include a knowledge of the required dietary components for the animal species and lifestage. Whilst the components of the correct diet should be explained the metabolism of nutrients should be covered elsewhere. Where dietary management for particular animals may involve supplementation with fresh ingredients to support proprietary diets this should be explained but the importance of using proprietary diets as the sole nutrient source should be emphasised to prevent nutritional imbalance occurring. The candidate should appreciate the effects of nutrition on the development of disease and overview of nutritional disease given. Detailed knowledge of nutritional disease is unnecessary. Information from the workplace should be used to ensure the candidate can interpret the nutritional information on the packaging to the requirements of individual animals. Outcome 3 By explaining sources of infection the candidate will be made aware of the possibilities of the entry of disease to an animal unit, this should then naturally lead to the methods of prevention of introduction of disease. Examples should be used from laboratory animals. Suggested organisms should include: Viruses: Sendai Hantann, Reovirus 3, Rotavirus, Herpes virus. Bacteria: Pasteurella sp, Bordetalla bronchiseptica, Pseudomonas, Salmonella, Streptobacillus, Bacillus piliformis. Protozoa: Eimeria sp. Fungus: Trichophyton sp. Emphasis should be placed on the zoonotic aspects of the above diseases and related to the methods of infection in order to examine the methods of prevention of disease and zoonoses in Outcome 4.

8 National unit specification: support notes (cont) Outcome 4 Disease prevention should be related to the animal unit and the absolute importance of maintaining a disease free status emphasising the normal control methods related to closed colonies which reduce the likelihood of infection. Health screening both of the new and of established colonies should be emphasised. The health status options available for commercially purchased laboratory animals should be related to the external signs which the candidate should be able to recognise. From this viewpoint the methods of prevention and control of disease will have a specific emphasis of particular importance to the candidate working in an animal unit. Methods to prevent all the diseases listed above in Outcome 3 should be specifically covered. It is unnecessary for the candidate to have a knowledge of the vaccination programmes available, an awareness of the diseases where vaccines are available are all that is necessary. Prevention of infection by isolation and maintaining the correct environment should be explained relative to the means of transmission of the diseases in Outcome 3. Prevention of disease by maintaining a clean environment should be stressed and a good working knowledge of the different categories of disinfectant and their relative uses and effectiveness against disease causing organisms is required. The same approach should be taken to methods of sterilisation. Both disinfection and sterilisation will require to be related to the materials being disinfected or sterilised. The importance of the prevention of zoonoses should be emphasised throughout. GUIDANCE ON TEACHING AND LEARNING APPROACHES Introductory classes should cover the normal animal and its dietary requirements. Only after the normal is established should there be progression towards recognition of the abnormal animal and the theory of disease. GUIDANCE ON APPROACHES TO ASSESSMENT Outcome 1 PCs (a) and (c) would be best assessed by provision of a written diary from observation studies in one species and the range covered by multiple choice or short answer questions. PCs (b) and (d) should be covered by written evidence which may be supported by practical evidence by simulation as appropriate. PC (e) would be best assessed in the form of a project or using extended response questions. Outcome 2 PC (a) may be assessed by multiple choice or short answer questions. Relating workplace information in the form of a project may be useful for PCs (b) and (c), the animal species range and lifestages in the form of extended response questions.

9 National unit specification: support notes (cont) Outcome 3 Restricted response questions would adequately cover this outcome. However a project which covers both Outcomes 3 and 4 (PCs (a) and (b)) would be a useful methods of assessment with restricted response questions to cover the range. Outcome 4 A written test requiring restricted response questions would be possible for all performance criteria. However consideration should be given to the use of a project for PCs (a) and (b) and a cross matching exercise for PCs (c) and (d) with oral questioning for PCs (e) and (f) to support the range. SPECIAL NEEDS This unit specification is intended to ensure that there are no artificial barriers to learning or assessment. Special needs of individual candidates should be taken into account when planning learning experiences, selecting assessment instruments or considering alternative outcomes for units. For information on these, please refer to the SQA document Guidance on Special Assessment and Certification Arrangements (SQA, 1998).