FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS AND OCCUPATIONAL STANDARD FOR VETERINARY ASSISTANT (SMALL ANIMAL)

Abstract

This research identifies the needs, the first stage, followed by a second stage defining the occupational standard for Veterinary Assistants (Small animal). A descriptive research uses the functional analysis to define the key roles, units of competences, elements of competences and performance criteria. The first stage target group agreed on preparing the occupational standard. The target group comprised 91 persons: the President of the Veterinary Council of Thailand, veterinarian practitioners, government and private veterinary hospitals, management of private veterinary companies, and lecturers at veterinary universities.  The research tools are focus groups to gather the ideas and discussions from meetings.  The second stage verifies the occupational standard with 102 veterinarians by using questionnaires and analyze data by statistic tools, median and inter quartile.

The result of the research defined the key purpose of the Veterinarian Assistants: assisting the veterinarian practitioners, divided into to three key roles 1) Assist and Work in veterinary practices with standard of and focus on Care & Welfare of Animals consisting of 5 Units of Competences and 17 Elements of Competences, 2) Sanitation and Clinical Care consisting of 3 Units of Competences and 9 Elements of Competences, 3) Front Office Customer Service and Workplace Skills consisting of 4 Units of Competences and 9 Elements of Competences. The target groups all agreed with the set of occupational standards and commented that the result is according to the functions of veterinary assistants.