Course description
In this advanced veterinary nursing skills course, students build on the canine and feline nursing skills and knowledge learned in previous VTEC courses. Topics include advanced nursing techniques, advanced drug and fluid therapy calculations, transfusion medicine, emergency triage, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, care of critical patients, advanced medical record keeping, conflict resolution, veterinary ethics, domestic animal welfare and veterinary technology career planning. Field trips may be required.
Course content
Canine and feline emergency medicine and critical care:
- patient triage and client communication
- cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and other emergency techniques
- patient transition from emergency to critical care
- role of the veterinary technologist in the care of the critical patient
Canine and feline advanced nursing:
- diabetic patient treatment, monitoring and client education
- advanced bandaging techniques
- interpretation and use of electrocardiograms (ECG)
- blood transfusion medicine
- advanced fluid therapy calculations
- constant rate infusions
- critical care feeding and feeding tubes
- critical care medical record keeping
- additional nursing techniques covered may include
- regional anesthesia
- placement and care of central vein catheters
- thoracocentesis and abdominocentesis
- care of chest and tracheostomy tubes
Workplace:
- client communication, problem solving, conflict resolution and interpersonal skills
- domestic animal welfare, including farm animal welfare standards, animal neglect and abuse, and cosmetic surgery of companion animals
- veterinary ethics, scope of practice and methods of resolving ethical problems
- career opportunities for veterinary technologists
Learning activities
Lectures will include online quizzes and video lectures, case studies and interactive group work. Labs and workshops may include live animal labs, cadavers, CPR simulations, client communication simulations (which may include actors), as well as tours of off-site facilities and external speaker events.
Means of assessment
Assessment will be in accordance with the swagÂ鶹 Evaluation Policy. The instructor will present a written course outline with specific evaluation criteria at the beginning of the semester. Evaluation will be based on:
Assignments 20-50% (no assignment worth more than 20%)
Quizzes 10-30% (no quiz worth more than 20%)
Final Exam 30-40%
Total 100%
Learning outcomes
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- triage emergency patients;
- interpret electrocardiograms;
- perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation;
- perform advanced nursing techniques such as diabetic monitoring, placement of complex bandages and epidurals
- discuss the indications for, and placement, use and care of, medical catheters and tubes, such as jugular catheters, chest and tracheostomy tubes, and feeding tubes;
- discuss the critical care feeding needs of dogs and cats;
- calculate feeding amounts for tube feeding in dogs and cats;
- calculate drug doses for constant rate infusions;
- calculate infusion rates for colloid, plasma and blood transfusions;
- discuss the indications for and use of, blood transfusions, including blood typing;
- perform advanced fluid therapy calculations;
- discuss hospital design, work flow and principles affecting ward hygiene and infection control;
- practice effective workplace and client communication including conflict resolution;
- complete and maintain veterinary nursing records for small animal general nursing, emergency and critical care;
- discuss the potential career opportunities available to veterinary technologists;
- discuss current issues in veterinary ethics, animal rights and domestic animal welfare.
Textbook materials
Consult the swagÂ鶹 Bookstore for the latest required textbooks and materials. Example textbooks may include:
- JM Bassert, AD Beal & OM Samples. (Current Edition). McCurnin's Clinical Textbook for Veterinary Technicians. Elsevier.