EPA 4

Recognise a patient requiring urgent or emergent care and initiate evaluation and management

Description

Recognise a patient/situation that requires urgent or emergent care and triage based on severity and the facilities/equipment available.  Initial emergency management should include procedures that support vital functions.

This activity requires both application of knowledge and psychomotor skills as well as the ability to function as part of a team, to know one’s limitations, and to seek help when necessary.  Initial evaluation of the individual should include level of consciousness and adequacy of ventilation and circulation.

Aiming for... (success criteria)

To demonstrate the calm and effective evaluation and management of a wide range of emergency situations, providing first aid supporting vital functions in a timely manner, identifying your personal limits and transferring to a professional colleague in an appropriate manner.

Case types should include a wide range of clinical presentations and clinical and environmental contexts relevant to their role.

Required competences

There is the potential for all domains within the 2020 RCVS Day One Competences to be relevant to this EPA, however the key areas involved in performance of this activity/area of practice are as follows;

Veterinary capability

• Clinical reasoning
• Individual animal

Reflective relationships

• Collaboration

Personal leadership

• Professionalism