Events

Week 1

Aetiology and Pathogenesis

Anatomy of the head

Tooth and periodontal anatomy, and oral soft tissues

Oral nomenclature

Tooth types, nomenclature and formulae

Eruption times

Occlusion

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants should be able to:

Identify tooth and periodontal structures

Explain the Modified Triadan System of numbering teeth in the dog and cat

Recognise normal occlusion

Week 2

Periodontology

Aetiology and pathogenesis of dental disease

Gingivitis

Periodontitis

Gingivostomatitis

Periodontal therapy

Scaling and polishing

Pocket control and therapy

Medications, homecare (brief), dental clinics (brief)

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants should be able to:

Describe how gingivitis develops and its progression to periodontal disease

Explain what gingivostomatitis is

Outline the process of safe ultrasonic tooth scaling and its purpose

Week 3

Oral Pathology and Treatment

Trauma and treatment options

Tooth fracture / discolouration / (sub) luxation

Dental diseases and treatment options

Tooth resorption / caries / periodontal disease

Malocclusion and treatment options

Traumatic / dental / skeletal malocclusions

Other conditions and treatment options

Enamel defects / dentigerous cysts / persistent deciduous / root dilacerations and abnormal morphology / tumours

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants should be able to:

Identify common pathologies associated with the teeth and oral cavity

Describe some potential treatment options for common pathologies

Week 4

Oral Examination and Charting

History taking and clinical examination – conscious oral examination

Pre-operative tests

Assessment under general anaesthesia – including anaesthesia induction, intubation, oral preparation, probing

Charting – what to fill in, disease scoring and making your chart work

Imaging and other investigations

Radiography – parallel and bisecting angle techniques

Biopsy

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants should be able to:

Confidently undertake a thorough conscious examination of a patient’s teeth
and oral cavity

Set up for and assist with assessment of the teeth and oral cavity in an anaesthetised patient

Accurately complete a dental chart which documents all pathology discovered upon examination

Week 5

Instrumentation and Dental Surgery

Instruments – use, care and maintenance

Dental machine and other powered equipment – use, care and maintenance

Ancillary equipment – use, care and maintenance

Preparation for and veterinary nursing assistance with surgery

Pre-, intra- and post-operatively, including analgesia

The role of intraoperative radiography

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants should be able to:

Differentiate between different instruments used for dental and oral procedures, and state what they are used for

Describe the proper use, care and maintenance of a range of dental instruments and equipment

Explain the benefits of oral radiography in veterinary patients and outline the basic, fundamental principles of the parallel and bisecting angle techniques

Week 6

Dental Clinics, Products and Homecare

What is an effective dental clinic

Types of patients attending dental clinics

Resources for dental clinic consultations

Products and interventions available to help with maintaining oral health

Oral homecare regimes

Effective dissemination of theoretical and practical oral hygiene advice

Client concordance and follow-up

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants should be able to:

Debate what makes a dental clinic effective

Explain the range of resources required to run an effective dental clinic, and the purpose of these resources

Describe how a range of products and interventions used to maintain optimal oral health work

Outline how to achieve and maintain client compliance with recommended oral homecare regimes

Week 1

Mammary Tumours

Mammary tumours are a common tumour in cats which are often malignant, yet a small percentage are benign. Early detection and intervention can have a positive outcome and some patients go on to live disease-free lives, others require continuous treatment and monitoring.

Presentation and behaviour of mammary tumours

Diagnosis and staging

Treatment modalities and monitoring considerations

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants should be able to:

Explain the potential causes of mammary tumours in cats

List what investigative procedures may be necessary to secure a diagnosis and what safety factors should be observed when sampling masses

Understand which treatment modalities are most useful for which form of the disease

Describe the patient and client care considerations when managing cases of feline mammary tumours

Week 2

Lymphoma

Lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphocytes and/or lymphoid tissue, which is present in many locations within the body; presentation and treatment of these cases is dependant on location. This week we will cover:

Manifestation of feline lymphoma and categories of disease

Diagnosis, staging and prognostic indicators

Treatment options for feline lymphoma

Chemotherapy protocols, client expectations and how to create a feline friendly environment

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants should be able to:

List the common manifestations of feline lymphoma and the patient groups most affected

Understand the value of staging and monitoring the disease

Describe the subtypes of feline lymphoma and the difference in treatment approaches

Explain the rationale of a multimodal chemotherapy protocol and how it may impact on prognosis

Analyse personal skill set and determine how you could support feline patients with lymphoma using your practice facilities

Week 3

Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Squamous cell carcinoma is the most common form of head and mouth cancer in cats; the behaviour of this neoplasm is sometimes unpredictable and can be very invasive. On week three we discuss the presentation, investigation and treatment options available for these patients and look at some practices which are novel to veterinary medicine.

Presentation, diagnosis and staging of squamous cell carcinoma, including lymph node mapping

Treatment options and impact on prognosis

Surgical interventions, nursing support and rehabilitation

Introduction to electrochemotherapy and photodynamic therapy

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants should be able to:

Describe the different imaging techniques used to evaluate feline squamous cell carcinoma

List treatment options and prognostic indicators for feline squamous cell carcinoma

Understand the mechanism of action behind novel techniques for feline squamous cell carcinoma

Describe the common surgical interventions and post-operative patient considerations

Week 4

Soft Tissue Sarcoma

Feline injection site sarcoma (FISS) is one of the most common soft tissue sarcomas of cats. The disease may present as a minor mass to the owner but often this is just the tip of the iceberg. Week 4 looks at FISS in more detail and brings the courses learning materials all together in this last week

Soft tissue sarcoma pathophysiology overview

Diagnostic and staging processes

Treatment options, radiation and surgical management

Adjuvant (post-operative) chemotherapy and restaging

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants should be able to:

Describe the diagnostic approach to determining cancer diagnosis and tumour burden

Explain typical neoplastic behaviour of FISS and the impact of intervention on survival time

Understand the fundamental reasoning for adjuvant chemotherapy and the options for post-operative care

Week 1

Nutritional Assessment and Calculations

How to perform a nutritional assessment

Calculate energy requirements and how much to feed

Treatment regimens for inappetence

Instigating nutritional support

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants should be able to:

Perform a nutritional history and assessment of the animal

Calculate BER and RERs and apply this to how much to feed

Identify when nutritional support is required and how to do this

Week 2

Clinical Nutrition – Renal, Urinary, Liver and Cardiac

Clinical nutrition for renal, urinary, liver and cardiac disease

Look at each of the nutrient requirements for each of these management regimes

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants should be able to:

Make recommendations for clinical diets for renal, urinary, liver and cardiac disease

Understand the nutrient specifications for these diets

Discuss the benefits of these diets

Week 3

Clinical Nutrition – Gastrointestinal and Pancreatic

Clinical nutrition for gastrointestinal and pancreatitis

Look at each of the nutrient requirements for each of these management regimes

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants should be able to:

Make recommendations for clinical diets for range of gastrointestinal and pancreatitis

Understand the nutrient specifications for these diets

Discuss the benefits of these diets

Week 4

Nutritional Supplements and Trends

Supplements

Nutritional trends (including raw and homecooked diets)

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants should be able to:

Make recommendations for supplements for the diseases discussed in weeks 3 and 4

Look at the nutritional evidence behind nutritional fashions

Discuss raw and home cooked feeding with clients

Week 1

Performance Reviews and Appraisals

This first week, we will look at how to conduct appraisals and performance reviews. We will look at the different styles of checklists and forms that can be used to conduct these sessions, and we will discuss how to give feedback, whether good or bad. We will look at how performance reviews can be used to help with staff members who are not performing at an expected level.

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants should be able to:

Know how to give constructive feedback

How to set performance action plans

Design an appraisal form, in order to conduct an appraisal

Week 2

Quality Improvement

QI is an important part of clinical practice and it often lands on veterinary nurses to conduct clinical audits. We will explore what QI involves, how to develop evidence-based practice, what a journal club is, and how to implement clinical audits.

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants should be able to:

Understand the concepts of clinical governance, quality improvement and clinical audits

How to implement a clinical audit

Understand how to start a journal club

Week 3

Disciplinary Issues

We will look at what to do if you have a situation when a staff member that doesn’t arrive to work on time, has performance issues, or doesn’t comply to rules. We will look at how you can manage these people, how to set reviews and action plans, along with what to do if they don’t adhere to these action plans.

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants should be able to:

Set action plans and how to review these

Know how to conduct an investigation into conduct

Understand what the disciplinary process involves

Week 4

Finances

Part of being a head nurse is also knowing how the business works – having a basic understanding of how your role as head nurse affects profit/loss is important. Stock control, purchasing, pricing and charging correctly are a vital part of this

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants should be able to:

Understand the importance of stock control and how to implement a simple system to aid your stock takes

Understand the importance of charging and how making a few changes can make a difference

Know why it is important to charge for your time

Week 1

Approach to the Caesarean Patient

Brief overview of parturition

Complications of parturition

Caesarean section

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants should be able to:

Explain complications that might occur in parturition

Explain the reasons for intervening in these cases in order to perform a C section

Understand nursing of the caesarean patient

Week 2

The GDV Patient

Physiology of GDV

Diagnosis

Stabilisation of the GDV

Anaesthesia considerations

Post-operative nursing

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants should be able to:

Understand the physiology of a GDV and list some of the common risk factors associated with this condition

Describe how a GDV is diagnosed and which tests can help us to identify this condition in the emergency patient

List the common stabilisation techniques in the emergency patient including management of shock and commonly used gastric decompression techniques

Discuss anaesthesia considerations and how to make the patient a safe candidate for surgery

Describe the nursing considerations for the post-operative GDV case and the factors which need to be included in the care plan of the hospitalised patient

Week 3

Nursing the Septic Abdomen Patient

What are SIRS and sepsis?

Recognising sepsis

The use of diagnostic tools in the veterinary practice to help recognise a septic abdomen

Nursing management of a septic abdomen

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants should be able to:

Describe SIRS and sepsis and the difference between them

Understand how to recognise sepsis in veterinary patients

List the different tests we have available in practice that can be used to help identify a septic abdomen

Explain how patients with a septic abdomen can best be nursed in practice, pre-, peri and post operatively

Week 4

Haemoabdomen

Physiology of haemoabdomen

Diagnosis

Stabilisation of the haemoabdomen

Anaesthesia considerations

Post-operative nursing

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants should be able to:

Understand the physiology of a haemoabdomen and list some of the common causes associated with this condition

Describe how a haemoabdomen is diagnosed and which tests can help us to identify this condition in the emergency patient

List the common stabilisation techniques in the emergency patient including management of shock

Discuss anaesthesia considerations and how to make the patient a safe candidate for surgery

Describe the nursing considerations for the post-operative haemoabdomen case and the factors which need to be included in the care plan of the hospitalised patient

Week 1

Physiotherapy Toolkit (Modalities)

Electrotherapies

Therapeutic hot/cold packs

Manual therapies

Applied exercise therapies

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants should be able to:

Understand the principles and application of electrotherapy including:

K-laser

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS)

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES)

Pulsed magnetic therapy (Biomag)

Therapeutic ultrasound

Understand the use of therapeutic hot/ cold packs

Understand manual therapy and its application including:

Massage

Effleurage

Coupage

Joint mobilisations

Graded stretches

Understand applied exercise therapy including:

Strengthening and stabilising exercises

Balance and proprioceptive exercises

Functional exercises

Hydrotherapy

Week 2

Patient Assessment

Musculoskeletal patient assessment

Neurological patient assessment

Respiratory / critical care patient assessment

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants should be able to:

Carry out a basic musculoskeletal, neurological, and respiratory physiotherapy assessment

Understand valid outcome measures to guide patient treatment

How to write SOAP (subjective, objective, analysis, plan) notes to progress patient treatment

Week 3

Physiotherapy and Hydrotherapy Treatment Techniques

Early phase rehabilitation 0-2 weeks

Mid phase rehabilitation 2-6 weeks

Late phase rehabilitation 6-12 weeks

Patient discharge or maintenance physiotherapy programme

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants should be able to:

Carry out early physiotherapy treatment including:

Early manual therapy techniques

Early phase hot and cold pack treatment

Early electrotherapies to improve healing and for pain relief

Mid phase gentle exercise programmes including hydrotherapy

Late phase exercise therapy to include advanced strengthening, proprioceptive, balance and functional exercises

Late phase electrotherapies for pain relief, soft tissue injuries and muscle strengthening

Week 4

Physiotherapy Progression Plans and Home Exercise Programmes

Patient rehabilitation plans

Discharge and maintenance programmes

Home exercise plans

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants should be able to:

Learn how and when to progress patient plans from early to mid through to late stage rehabilitation to optimise patient outcomes

Understand when to discharge a patient, or to continue with a maintenance programme for chronic cases or surgical complications

Design home exercise programmes for owners to carry out

Week 5

Musculoskeletal Case Studies

CCL reconstruction – TPLO or lateral suture

Soft tissue injuries (tendinopathies, iliopsoas strains)

Fracture repair

Conservative management of chronic conditions, including hip dysplasia and elbow dysplasia

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants should be able to:

Consider appropriate assessment, treatment plan and progression of a musculoskeletal case study

Consider appropriate assessment, treatment plan and progression of a soft tissue case study

Consider appropriate assessment, treatment plan and progression of a fracture repair case study

Consider appropriate assessment, treatment plan and progression of a chronic condition case study

Week 6

Neurological and Respiratory (Intensive Care) Case Studies

Hemi- laminectomy (HLE)

Fibrocartilage embolism (FCE)

Pneumonia

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants should be able to:

Consider appropriate assessment, treatment plan and progression of a surgical neurological case study

Consider appropriate assessment, treatment plan and progression of a non-surgical case study

Consider appropriate assessment, treatment plan and progression of a respiratory (critical care) case study