Common Emergency Patient Presentations (Part 1)
A six week online tutored CPD course with Kath Howie
Following completion of the tutored course, you now have unlimited lifetime access to the learning resources. These are provided for future reference only, and no further CPD hours may be claimed for reviewing the materials.
Week 1
Triage Assessment and Stabilisation of the Emergency Patient
- Conducting an effective triage assessment and the RVN’s role
- Major body system assessment
- Approach to dysfunction of the cardiovascular, respiratory and neurological systems
- Practical considerations for managing the emergency patient stabilisation
Learning objectives:
By the end of this week, delegates should be able to:
- Correctly identify a patient with dysfunction of a major body system
- Confidently triage and assess an emergency patient
- Recognise the approach to dysfunction of different major body systems and stabilisation techniques utilised for emergency patients
- Appreciate specific nursing considerations for the emergency presentation
Week 2
Urethral Obstruction
- Identification of the patient with urethral obstruction
- Stabilisation techniques
- Evidence-based discussion on emergency management, fluid types and analgesia options
Learning objectives:
By the end of this week, delegates should be able to:
- Participate in case based discussions
- Identify the patient’s condition and the pathophysiology alongside potential complicating factors such as co-morbidities
- Understand how to correct fluid deficits and identifying the difference between hypovolemia and dehydration
- Participate in acid-base and electrolyte discussions, including how to address hypo and hyperkalemia
- Appreciate the specific nursing considerations for patients with urethral obstruction
Week 3
Diabetic Ketoacidosis
- Presentation and initial emergency management
- Acid base balance and electrolyte abnormalities
- Pathophysiology of diabetic ketoacidosis and complicating factors
Learning objectives:
By the end of this week, delegates should be able to:
- Participate in case based discussions
- Identify the patient’s condition and the pathophysiology alongside potential complicating factors such as co-morbidities
- Understand how to correct fluid deficits and identifying the difference between hypovolemia and dehydration
- Participate in acid-base and electrolyte discussions, including how to address hypo and hyperkalaemia
- Appreciate the specific nursing considerations for patients with DKA
Week 4
The Acute Abdomen – Surgical Cases
- Pre-anaesthesia stabilisation and assessment
- Analgesia choices in the critically ill patient
- Peri-operative and recovery periods
- Nursing specific concerns post operatively
Learning objectives:
By the end of this week, delegates should be able to:
- Develop a pre-anesthetic plan and discuss suitable stabilisation as well as attribute an ASA score
- Complete with confidence a surgical checklist and identify areas of concern
- Understand analgesia choices, the options we have including CRIS, local and regional techniques
- Engage in cased based presentations, including abdominal foreign bodies and gastric dilatation and volvulus
Week 5
The Acute Abdomen – Medical Cases
- Analgesia and pain scoring
- Non-surgical versus surgical patients
- SIRS and DIC
- Nutritional support
Learning objectives:
By the end of this week, delegates should be able to:
- Understand pain scoring and the importance of using validated methods
- Understand analgesia choices, the options we have including CRIS, local and regional techniques
- Decide if a patient is surgical or non-surgical, especially in the case of traumatic haemoabdomen
- Understand the pathophysiology behind systemic inflammatory response syndromes and disseminated intravascular coagulation and how to identify the early indications of development of these syndromes
Week 6
Acute Gastrointestinal Disease
- Haemorrhagic gastroenteritis including parvovirus
- Fluid therapy
- Antibiosis
Learning objectives:
By the end of this week, delegates should be able to:
- Identify appropriate approaches to fluid replacement including discussion of the use of crystalloids and colloids in the patient with AHDS
- Appreciate the importance of nutrition in the patient with acute gastro-intestinal disease and how we can provide that
- Describe potential complications that may occur, including sepsis
- Discuss the rational use of antibiotics, using evidence bases
Common Emergency Patient Presentations (Part 1)
Course progress
Online CPD for Vet Nurses
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