COMPETENCY AND PROFICIENCY ASSESSMENT OF ANIMAL CARE

TRAINING PROGRAMSIN ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS

Elizabeth Dodemaide B.V.Sc., M.A.Associate Director, Laboratory Animal Services

Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey

Challenges in a Large Academic Institution

Diversity of Research:

Field Studies

to

Farm Animals

to

Cancer

to

Neuroscience

Challenges in a Large Academic Institution

• Diversity of Researchers:– Professors– Post docs– Students

• Graduate, Undergraduate, High School

• Animal care staff

• Cultural diversity

Challenges in a Large Academic Institution

• Numerous facilities

• Distance

How do we determine competency?

• Adequate animal welfare

• Research results

• Non-compliant findings

• Observation of technical and surgical procedures

How do we achieve competency?

• Training– Orientation program– Hands-on training– Department/ lab meeting visits– Re-training

Responsibility for Training

• IACUC delegates Laboratory Animal Services veterinarians to provide Orientation Training

• Principal Investigators responsible for registering all individuals and ensuring training in protocol specific procedures

• Protocol approval contingent on PI completing Orientation training

Orientation Programs

Face-to-face

• Negatives - Limited number of classes

– PIs, students have class scheduling conflicts

- Travel problems to location of class– Diverse group with very different needs

Orientation Programs

Face-to face

• Positives– Participants get to meet a veterinarian or

other Lab Animal Services staff member- Able to ask questions- Able to meet and interact with other animal

users

Orientation Programs

Online

• Negatives

– Impersonal, don’t meet LAS staff

- Can’t ask questions

- Computer access necessary

Orientation Programs

Online

• Positives– Can be completed at any time– Modules provide more focused training

Hands-on Training

• Species specific• Small groups

Negative- Voluntary

Positive- Trainer able to observe proficiency in techniques

Lab Visits

• Focuses on lab needs

• Dialogue often identifies areas for further training

Result:

• Improved compliance

Proficiency Assessment

• Observation of surgeries and certain procedures

• Often a condition of protocol approval

Result:

• Better animal welfare and compliance

Hazards

• Individual SOP for each hazard

• Tied to protocol approval

• Training of animal care and investigator’s staff

• Observation of first procedure with Health and Safety person – often done as dry run

Field Studies

• Training & observation can be difficult

• May require study specific occupational health/hazard training

Summary

• Providing adequate training for all animal users is challenging

• Good communication with PIs is vital

• Need continual critical evaluation to update and improve programs

THE END