Practicum: 40 hours/week X 4 weeks
This is a full time in-clinic or in-hospital work experience. Methods of instruction may also include written assignments, self assessments and evaluations, case studies, online blog or discussion board.
Small animal veterinary clinic or hospital work experience:
1. Work place and client communications.
2. Small animal nursing including restraint, physical examination, medication administration, grooming and pain assessment.
3. Small animal procedures such as blood and urine collection, intravenous catheter placement, administration of intravenous and subcutaneous fluids, bandaging, blood pressure measurement.
4. Small animal anesthesia including patient assessment, anesthesia planning, induction, monitoring and recovery.
5. Small animal radiography.
6. Small animal dentistry including oral charting, local blocks, dental radiography and cleaning.
7. Surgical assistance including sterile preparation of gowns, drapes and instruments, patient preparation and post operative care.
Upon completion of this course, the successful student will be able to:
- Demonstrate effective verbal communication with co-workers and clients.
- Communicate with clients by phone or email and/or perform in-person client education.
- Admit and discharge patients.
- Dispense medications.
- Safely perform patient restraint and physical examinations.
- Administer medications by PO, topical, SQ, IM, IV and IN routes according to DVM instructions.
- Perform routine husbandry & nursing procedures such as kennel care, grooming, feeding, monitoring, pain assessment and bandaging.
- Perform sedation and anesthesia including induction, maintenance and monitoring of general anesthesia.
- Take diagnostic radiographs according to DVM instructions.
- Perform routine dental cleaning, dental radiographs and dental instrument maintenance.
Students will receive a complete (Mastery) grade upon successful completion of at least 80% of the 160 hours of practicum, submission of all practicum evaluations and assignments and a satisfactory evaluation of VTEC skills competency by the practicum supervisor.
The course evaluation is consistent with the Douglas College Evaluation Policy.
Students in the Veterinary Technology program are required to maintain a minimum grade of (C) in all courses in order to progress in the program.
Courses listed here are equivalent to this course and cannot be taken for further credit:
- No equivalency courses