Relationships & Accountability in Veterinary Nursing Practice

Module 1 – Time Management, Organisation & Study Skills

• Time Management
• Learning Strategies

Module 2 – Communication

• Verbal & Non Verbal Communication
• Communication Styles
• Recognising Your Own Communication Style
• Factors Affecting Communication
• Improving Communication

Module 3 – Record Keeping

• Confidentiality
• Data Protection
• Sharing Information
• RCVS Guide to Professional Conduct
• Patient Records

Module 4 – Different Roles Within the Practice

• Role & Responsibilty of the Veterinary Surgeon
• Role & Responsibility of the Veterinary Nurse
• Role of the Lay Staff
• Public Image & Professionalism

Module 5 – Good Working Relationships

• Factors Influencing behaviour & Attitude Towards Animals
• Emotionally Charged Situations
• Nursing Clinics
• Referrals & Second Opinions

Module 6 – Legal & Professional Regulatory Frameworks

• Essentials of the Legal System
• Duties & Rights
  Regulation of Veterinary Nursing
• Animal Protection

Module 7 – Ethics

• Ethics & Morality
• Examples of Ethical Schools of Thought
• Examples of Ethical Schools of Thought in Practice
• Management of Ethical Problems

This part of the syllabus is not currently covered by the VetNurse Revision Guide.

Health & Safety in Veterinary Practice

Module 1 – Aims of Effective Health & Safety Practice

• Reducing Risks
• Special Risk Cases
• Human & Economic Costs of Poor Health & Safety
• Accountability
• Provisions of the Health & Safety at Work Act
• Reporting of Injuries, Diseases & Dangerous Occurrences Regulations

Module 2 – Principle Risks to Health & Safety in a Veterinary Practice

• General Risks within the Practice
• Hazards
• Risks Associated with Infection
• Risks Associated with Infestation

Module 3 – Describe & Apply Safe Principles of Practice in Relation to a Range of Situations

• Handling Hazardous Substances
• Infection Control
• Waste Disposal
• Moving & Handling Animals & Equipment
• Using & Maintaining Equipment
• Radiation

Module 4 – Management & reporting of Common Risks

• Spillages & Breakages
• Infection & Infestation
• Electrical & Equipment Faults
• Fire & Gaseous Leaks
• Reporting Risks & Incidents

Module 5 – Principles of Human First Aid

• Ensuring Safety
• Casualty Assessment
• Basic Life Support
•  Emergency Management of Injuries

Module 6 – Legislation

• Identify provisions of Relevant Legislation in Relation to safe Nursing Practice

Health & Safety in Veterinary Practice is covered throughout the Revision Guide. Links to specific references will be added in due course.

Applied Functional Anatomy for Veterinary Nursing Practice

Module 1 – Anatomical & Physical Terminology

• Anatomical Planes & Directions
• Common Pre-fixes & Suffixes
• Modes of Movement
• The Body Cavities

Module 2 – Anatomical Landmarks

• The Axial Skeleton
• The Forelimb
• The Hind Limb
• Arteries & the Main Veins
• Other Landmarks & Structures

Module 3 – Normal Form & Function of the Bodily Systems & Relation to Abnormalities & Conditions Commonly Found in Practice

• Cell Structure & Function
• The Skin & Hair
• The Musculoskeletal System
• The Nervous System
• The Endocrine System
• The Circulatory System
• The Respiratory System
• The Digestive System
• The Urinary System
• The Reproductive System

Functional Anatomy is covered in chapters 7, 8 & 9 of the Revision Guide.

Maintaining Animal Health

Module 1 – Essential Factors for Maintaining Animal Health

• Promoting Animal Health
• Handling & Restraint
• Impact of Sensory Changes on Behaviour

Module 2 – Nutrition, Digestion & Fluid Balance

• Basic Nutrition
• Calculation of Nutritional & Fluid Needs
• Digestion
• Appetite Stimulants
• The Pancreas

Module 3 – Infection Control in Maintaining Animal Health

• The Major Groups of Disease Producing Infectious Agents
• Infection Control

Module 4 – Identification Methods & Safe Transportation

• Methods of Identification
• Blood Typing
• Safe Animal Transportation
• Passports

Module 5 – Breeding & Reproduction

• Breeding Cycles
• Foetal Development & Hormonal Controls
• Pseudopregnancy
• Parturition
• Genetics

Essential Veterinary Nursing Skills

Module 1 – Nursing Care to Support Veterinary Treatment

• Care Planning
• The Roles of the Veterinary Surgeon & Veterinary Nurse
• Care of the Patient

Module 2 – Animal Accommodation

• Ward Layout & Facilities
• Accomodation Size, Design & Maintenance
• Construction Materials & their Properties
• Environmental Conditions
• Isolation & Barrier Nursing
• Substrates & Bedding

Module 3 – Nursing Care & Patient Management

• Inpatient Assessment
• Clinical Effects of Common Diseases & Traumatic Conditions
• Clinical & Behavioural Indicators of Change in Condition
• Stress & Pain
• Body Temperature
• Physiology of the Cardiac Cycle
• The Vital Signs
• Admitting Patients
• Excretions & Secretions
• Inpatient Needs
• Minimising Stress
• Hair & Skin Types & Functions & Common Conditions
• Recumbency
• Hospital Record Keeping
• Post Operative Care
• Discharge Planning
• Wound Care & Management

Module 4 – Safe Administration of Medications

• Basic Legislation
• Risk Assessment
• Techniques for Administration of Medicines
• Record Keeping
• Disposal of Medicines
• Dispensing

Module 5 – Animal First Aid (& it’s Limitations)

• Principles of First Aid
• Triage
• Practical First Aid Patient Assessment & Transport
• Altered States of Consciousness
• First Aid for Fractures, Wounds, Haemorrhage, Burns/Scalds, Stings & Obstetrics
• CPR
• Care of the Neonatal & Geriatric Patient
• Poisoning

Nursing Support in the Provision of Veterinary Practice

Module 1 – Sterilisation & Disinfection

• The Purpose of Sterilisation, Disinfection, Asepsis & Antisepsis
• Commonly Used Antiseptics & Disinfectants (Including Safe Storage & Toxicity Risks)
• Susceptibility of Different Organisms & Choosing an Effective Agent
• Definition of Infection, Contagion, Colonisation & Contamination
• Major Groups of Infectious Agents
• Methods of Disease Transmission & How to Prevent This
• Personal Hygiene & Protective Equipment
• Methods of Sterilisation for Surgical Instruments & Sterile Supplies
• Principles & Safe Operation of an Autoclave
• Assessment of the Efficiency of Sterilisation Processes
• Labelling & Storage of Sterilised Materials & Equipment

Module 2 – Equipment Commonly Used in Veterinary Practice & its Maintenance

• Diagnostic Equipment, Surgical Equipment & Instruments, Laboratory, Imaging & Anaesthetic Equipment
• Clinical Furniture
• Protocols for Checking & Maintaining Equipment
• Fault Finding & Actions
• Record Keeping With Regard to Equipment & Maintenance
• Routine Cleaning & Maintenance of Surgical Instruments (Prior to Sterilisation)

Module 3 – Maintenance of Specific Areas of the Veterinary Surgery

• Cleaning & Hygiene of the Clinical Environment
• Cleaning & Hygiene of Animal Accommodation
• Accommodation Usage & Cleaning During Outbreaks of Contagious or Zoonotic Disease
• Principles of Cleaning & Maintaining an Aseptic Operating Theatre
• Stock & Equipment Maintenance in Consulting Rooms, Prep Areas, Kennels/Cattery or Stables and Operating Theatre

Module 4 – Supply & Safe Storage of Veterinary Medicines

• Placing an Order for Veterinary Supplies
• Range of materials Necessary to Support a Veterinary Practice
• Handling & Storage of Vaccines, Sterile Supplies, Controlled Drugs and Pet Food
• Damaged Stock & Discrepancies
• Stock Storage
• Safe Disposal of Surplus, Outdated & Waste Supplies

Module 5 – Supporting the Veterinary Surgeon in Clinical Procedures & Investigations

• Preparation for Clinical Procedures
• Assisting with Euthanasia
• Venepuncture (Preparation of Commonly Used Veins)
• Blood Sampling Tubes
• The Difference Between Plasma & Serum
• Handling Pathological Samples
• Media for Collection of Microbiological Samples
• Histology Samples and the Safe Handling of Formol Saline
• Packing Samples for Submission to an External Laboratory
• Documentation to Accompany Samples