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.
The major topics in this course include the following:
- Intravenous catheterization
- types of IV catheters
- placement and nursing care - 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 - Intravenous fluid therapy
- IV fluids including colloids and crystalloids
- fluid therapy calculations
- physiology of fluid compartmentalization
- differentiation between dehydration and shock (various types) - 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 - 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 - 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 - Pocket pets, rabbits, reptiles and birds
- handling, restraint and basic care
- breed and species recognition
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Discuss intravenous and subcutaneous fluid therapy and calculate appropriate fluid volumes for hospitalized patients.
- Place an intravenous catheter in a peripheral vein and discuss nursing care of intravenous catheters.
- Collect urine specimens from dogs and cats using appropriate methods.
- Place urinary catheters and discuss the nursing care required for them.
- Discuss assessment of the emergency patient, provision of CPR and treatment of common toxins.
- Discuss wound care and perform basic bandaging techniques for dogs and cats.
- Discuss the basics of anesthesia including safety, anesthetic monitoring and blood pressure measurement.
- Identify differences in handling and restraint of pocket pets, rabbits, reptiles and birds.
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.
A list of required and optional textbooks and materials is provided for students at the beginning of each semester.
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