Veterinary Nursing 2

Curriculum guideline

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Course
VTEC 1203
Discontinued
No
Course code
VTEC 1203
Descriptive
Veterinary Nursing 2
Department
Veterinary Technology
Faculty
Science & Technology
Credits
3.00
Start date
End term
202230
PLAR
No
Semester length
15 weeks
Max class size
30
Contact hours
4 – 5 hours/week: 2 hours lecture / 2 -3 hours lab
Method(s) of instruction
Lecture
Lab
Learning activities

This course involves two hours per week of classroom instruction and up to three hours per week of laboratory activity on-campus and off-campus.  Off-campus duties for large animal practical skills are also required.

Course description
This course builds on the animal handling and technical skills learned in Veterinary Nursing 1 and provides a basic introduction to the fields of veterinary anesthesia, emergency medicine and fluid therapy. Additional skills covered include intravenous catheter placement, urinary procedures and wound care and bandaging.
Course content

The major topics in this course include the following:

  1. Intravenous catheterization
    -  types of IV catheters
     - placement and nursing care
  2. Urinary collection
    - methods of urine collection
    - types of urinary catheters
    - catheterization of male and female dogs and male cats
    - nursing care of indwelling urinary catheters
  3. Intravenous fluid therapy
    - IV fluids including colloids and crystalloids
    - fluid therapy calculations
    - physiology of fluid compartmentalization
    - differentiation between dehydration and shock (various types)
  4. Emergency Medicine
    - triage and assessment of the emergency patient
    - basics of CPR, emergency care and contents of the crash cart
    - recognition of common toxins, effects and treatment
  5. Wound Management:
    - phases and types of healing
    - recognition and treatment of wound contamination and infection
    - first aid, assessment and management of wounds
    - types of bandages, including splints, and home care
  6. Anesthesia:
    - anesthesia safety
    - introduction to anesthetic protocols and planes of anesthesia
    - anesthetic monitoring and record keeping
    - monitoring equipment including pulse oximeter, direct and indirect blood pressure, capnograph, ECG
  7. Pocket pets, rabbits, reptiles and birds
    - handling, restraint and basic care
    - breed and species recognition
Learning outcomes

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

  1. Discuss intravenous and subcutaneous fluid therapy and calculate appropriate fluid volumes for hospitalized patients.
  2. Place an intravenous catheter in a peripheral vein and discuss nursing care of intravenous catheters.
  3. Collect urine specimens from dogs and cats using appropriate methods.
  4. Place urinary catheters and discuss the nursing care required for them.
  5. Discuss assessment of the emergency patient, provision of CPR and treatment of common toxins.
  6. Discuss wound care and perform basic bandaging techniques for dogs and cats.
  7. Discuss the basics of anesthesia including safety, anesthetic monitoring and blood pressure measurement.
  8. Identify differences in handling and restraint of pocket pets, rabbits, reptiles and birds.
Means of assessment

The instructor will present a written course outline with specific evaluation criteria at the beginning of the semester. A final minimum cumulative grade of “C” or 60% is required (in both lecture and lab components) in order to pass this course. Evaluation will be based on quizzes and assignments, practical evaluations including a final practical examination, at least one midterm and a final written examination.

Textbook materials

A list of required and optional textbooks and materials is provided for students at the beginning of each semester.

Prerequisites

VTEC 1103

Corequisites

None

Equivalencies

None

Which prerequisite

VTEC 2106, VTEC 2108, VTEC 2109, VTEC 2303 and VTEC 2304