Subject: Surgery

This 6 week course will cover many different aspects of nursing orthopaedic patients and the role nurses can play in giving these patients the best chance of a good recovery.

 

Week 1

The orthopaedic trauma patient

Presentation

Triaging wounds

Initial wound management

Open fracture management

Learning objectives

Prepare equipment for initial stabilisation of the trauma patient

Select dressings and materials for initial wound management

Understand the grading system for open fractures and how this affects management of these cases

Prepare all necessary items for treatment of open fractures

 

Week 2

Preparing the patient for surgery

Clipping and preparing the patient

Orthopaedic theatre nursing

Theatre set up

Instrumentation

Scrub nurse role

Cleaning and sterilising

Learning objectives

Create an appropriate surgery schedule

Identify common orthopaedic surgical instruments and their use

Prepare and confidently check the theatre set up for a range of procedures, including equipment

Have a full understanding of orthopaedic equipment and how to care for it correctly

Understand the benefits a scrub nurse provides to the surgeon, the patient and the surgical procedure

 

Week 3

Orthopaedic procedures – so many to choose from!

 surgery

Arthroscopy

Learning objectives

Understand the options available for common orthopaedic conditions

Create a case study for a patient they have been involved in the nursing care of

Identify common surgical equipment, its use and how to prepare for surgery

 

Week 4

Fracture repair – Internal fixation

Fracture classification

Implants and consumables

Surgical instruments and equipment

Learning objectives

Identify common surgical implants used in fracture repair

Understand how the method of repair used will impact on the care required for the patient post-operatively

 

Week 5

Fracture repair – External fixation

Implants and consumables

Surgical instruments and equipment

Learning objectives

Identify common surgical implants used for external fracture repair

Understand the instructions required by owners for the ongoing care and management of patients with external fixators

 

Week 6

Recovery and the post-operative period

Recovery from anaesthesia

Immediate therapy

Ongoing nursing care plans

Surgical complications

Learning objectives

Create nursing care plans for post-operative surgical patients

Develop the team role for nurses in the rehabilitation orthopaedic patients

Understand the key responsibilities for client communication and post-operative care

Identify common complications and how to ensure owners understand the potential consequences

 

The course will be fully tutored by Alison Young and will consist of 15 hours of CPD given in various formats, including tutorials, tasks, case studies, forum discussions and quizzes.

Click here for further details

This 6 week course will cover many different aspects of nursing orthopaedic patients and the role nurses can play in giving these patients the best chance of a good recovery.

 

Week 1

The orthopaedic trauma patient

Presentation

Triaging wounds

Initial wound management

Open fracture management

Learning objectives

Prepare equipment for initial stabilisation of the trauma patient

Select dressings and materials for initial wound management

Understand the grading system for open fractures and how this affects management of these cases

Prepare all necessary items for treatment of open fractures

 

Week 2

Preparing the patient for surgery

Clipping and preparing the patient

Orthopaedic theatre nursing

Theatre set up

Instrumentation

Scrub nurse role

Cleaning and sterilising

Learning objectives

Create an appropriate surgery schedule

Identify common orthopaedic surgical instruments and their use

Prepare and confidently check the theatre set up for a range of procedures, including equipment

Have a full understanding of orthopaedic equipment and how to care for it correctly

Understand the benefits a scrub nurse provides to the surgeon, the patient and the surgical procedure

 

Week 3

Orthopaedic procedures – so many to choose from!

 surgery

Arthroscopy

Learning objectives

Understand the options available for common orthopaedic conditions

Create a case study for a patient they have been involved in the nursing care of

Identify common surgical equipment, its use and how to prepare for surgery

 

Week 4

Fracture repair – Internal fixation

Fracture classification

Implants and consumables

Surgical instruments and equipment

Learning objectives

Identify common surgical implants used in fracture repair

Understand how the method of repair used will impact on the care required for the patient post-operatively

 

Week 5

Fracture repair – External fixation

Implants and consumables

Surgical instruments and equipment

Learning objectives

Identify common surgical implants used for external fracture repair

Understand the instructions required by owners for the ongoing care and management of patients with external fixators

 

Week 6

Recovery and the post-operative period

Recovery from anaesthesia

Immediate therapy

Ongoing nursing care plans

Surgical complications

Learning objectives

Create nursing care plans for post-operative surgical patients

Develop the team role for nurses in the rehabilitation orthopaedic patients

Understand the key responsibilities for client communication and post-operative care

Identify common complications and how to ensure owners understand the potential consequences

 

The course will be fully tutored by Alison Young and will consist of 15 hours of CPD given in various formats, including tutorials, tasks, case studies, forum discussions and quizzes.

Click here for further details

This online course aims to improve your confidence in managing neurological patients. We will aim to equip you with the knowledge and skills required to apply clinical reasoning skills to important neurological problems that present in small animal practice. Not only will you develop and strengthen your problem-solving skills in nursing neurological patients, you will also become more confident in identifying abnormalities seen during hospitalisation that might benefit from a prompt action.

 

Week 1
The Neurological Exam  – What do I need to know?

Neurology pathways and anatomy

The neurological examination

Interpretation and differential diagnoses

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants:

Understand the anatomy of the neurology system that can be applied to nursing the neurological patient.

Understand the normal function of the different pathways that are tested during the neurological examination

Know the names of the different tests that are performed during the neurological examination, even under stressful situations and what they mean

Prioritise the different parts of the neurological examination according to the type of emergency

Recognise normal and abnormal findings during the neurological examination

Know how to neurolocalise, demonstrated with clinical cases

Understand how to list the most likely differential diagnoses based on clinical reasoning

 

Week 2
Seizures – Hospitalised Patients and Phone Consultations

Seizure recognition and common causes

Treatment and nursing care

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants:

Recognise an epileptic event

Review the classification of epileptic seizures

Review the common causes of epileptic seizures

Understand the emergency treatment during hospitalisation

How to best nursing the epileptic patient

 

Week 3
Vestibular syndrome

Clinical signs and common causes

Monitoring, treatment and nursing care

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants:

Understand which structures are involved in the function of the vestibular system

Learn to recognise clinical signs suggestive of vestibular syndrome and what to monitor during hospitalisation

Understand which clinical signs can be used to differentiate between central and
peripheral vestibular disease and clinical signs that indicate clinical deterioration

Learn about the most common causes of vestibular dysfunction in dogs and cats

 

Week 4
The Neuromuscular System – from Function to Dysfunction

Function and anatomy of the neuromuscular system

Neuromuscular diseases

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants:

Understand the anatomy and function of the neuromuscular system

Learn to recognise clinical signs suggestive of dysfunction of the neuromuscular system

Understand which clinical signs indicate clinical deterioration

Learn about the most common causes of neuromuscular diseases in dogs and cats

 

Week 5
Intervertebral Disc Herniations

Classification of disc herniation types

Clinical signs, treatment and nursing care

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants:

Understand the different types of intervertebral disc herniation and the different treatment and nursing approaches

Learn to recognise clinical signs suggestive for each type of intervertebral disc herniation

Understand which clinical signs indicate clinical deterioration in dogs with intervertebral disc herniation

 

Week 6
Clinical Cases – from Peripheral Nerves to the Brain!

Case studies

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants:

Apply all the knowledge acquired on the previous weeks to clinical cases

Be able to discuss the most indicated nursing approach to provide the best care for individual patients.

 

This course will be fully tutored by Elsa Beltran, and will consist of 15 hours of CPD given in various formats, including tutorials, tasks, case studies, forum discussions and quizzes.

 

Click here for further details

This online course aims to improve your confidence in managing neurological patients. We will aim to equip you with the knowledge and skills required to apply clinical reasoning skills to important neurological problems that present in small animal practice. Not only will you develop and strengthen your problem-solving skills in nursing neurological patients, you will also become more confident in identifying abnormalities seen during hospitalisation that might benefit from a prompt action.

 

Week 1
The Neurological Exam  – What do I need to know?

Neurology pathways and anatomy

The neurological examination

Interpretation and differential diagnoses

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants:

Understand the anatomy of the neurology system that can be applied to nursing the neurological patient.

Understand the normal function of the different pathways that are tested during the neurological examination

Know the names of the different tests that are performed during the neurological examination, even under stressful situations and what they mean

Prioritise the different parts of the neurological examination according to the type of emergency

Recognise normal and abnormal findings during the neurological examination

Know how to neurolocalise, demonstrated with clinical cases

Understand how to list the most likely differential diagnoses based on clinical reasoning

 

Week 2
Seizures – Hospitalised Patients and Phone Consultations

Seizure recognition and common causes

Treatment and nursing care

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants:

Recognise an epileptic event

Review the classification of epileptic seizures

Review the common causes of epileptic seizures

Understand the emergency treatment during hospitalisation

How to best nursing the epileptic patient

 

Week 3
Vestibular syndrome

Clinical signs and common causes

Monitoring, treatment and nursing care

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants:

Understand which structures are involved in the function of the vestibular system

Learn to recognise clinical signs suggestive of vestibular syndrome and what to monitor during hospitalisation

Understand which clinical signs can be used to differentiate between central and
peripheral vestibular disease and clinical signs that indicate clinical deterioration

Learn about the most common causes of vestibular dysfunction in dogs and cats

 

Week 4
The Neuromuscular System – from Function to Dysfunction

Function and anatomy of the neuromuscular system

Neuromuscular diseases

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants:

Understand the anatomy and function of the neuromuscular system

Learn to recognise clinical signs suggestive of dysfunction of the neuromuscular system

Understand which clinical signs indicate clinical deterioration

Learn about the most common causes of neuromuscular diseases in dogs and cats

 

Week 5
Intervertebral Disc Herniations

Classification of disc herniation types

Clinical signs, treatment and nursing care

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants:

Understand the different types of intervertebral disc herniation and the different treatment and nursing approaches

Learn to recognise clinical signs suggestive for each type of intervertebral disc herniation

Understand which clinical signs indicate clinical deterioration in dogs with intervertebral disc herniation

 

Week 6
Clinical Cases – from Peripheral Nerves to the Brain!

Case studies

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants:

Apply all the knowledge acquired on the previous weeks to clinical cases

Be able to discuss the most indicated nursing approach to provide the best care for individual patients.

 

This course will be fully tutored by Elsa Beltran, and will consist of 15 hours of CPD given in various formats, including tutorials, tasks, case studies, forum discussions and quizzes.

 

Click here for further details

This online course aims to improve your confidence in managing neurological patients. We will aim to equip you with the knowledge and skills required to apply clinical reasoning skills to important neurological problems that present in small animal practice. Not only will you develop and strengthen your problem-solving skills in nursing neurological patients, you will also become more confident in identifying abnormalities seen during hospitalisation that might benefit from a prompt action.

 

Week 1
The Neurological Exam  – What do I need to know?

Neurology pathways and anatomy

The neurological examination

Interpretation and differential diagnoses

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants:

Understand the anatomy of the neurology system that can be applied to nursing the neurological patient.

Understand the normal function of the different pathways that are tested during the neurological examination

Know the names of the different tests that are performed during the neurological examination, even under stressful situations and what they mean

Prioritise the different parts of the neurological examination according to the type of emergency

Recognise normal and abnormal findings during the neurological examination

Know how to neurolocalise, demonstrated with clinical cases

Understand how to list the most likely differential diagnoses based on clinical reasoning

 

Week 2
Seizures – Hospitalised Patients and Phone Consultations

Seizure recognition and common causes

Treatment and nursing care

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants:

Recognise an epileptic event

Review the classification of epileptic seizures

Review the common causes of epileptic seizures

Understand the emergency treatment during hospitalisation

How to best nursing the epileptic patient

 

Week 3
Vestibular syndrome

Clinical signs and common causes

Monitoring, treatment and nursing care

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants:

Understand which structures are involved in the function of the vestibular system

Learn to recognise clinical signs suggestive of vestibular syndrome and what to monitor during hospitalisation

Understand which clinical signs can be used to differentiate between central and
peripheral vestibular disease and clinical signs that indicate clinical deterioration

Learn about the most common causes of vestibular dysfunction in dogs and cats

 

Week 4
The Neuromuscular System – from Function to Dysfunction

Function and anatomy of the neuromuscular system

Neuromuscular diseases

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants:

Understand the anatomy and function of the neuromuscular system

Learn to recognise clinical signs suggestive of dysfunction of the neuromuscular system

Understand which clinical signs indicate clinical deterioration

Learn about the most common causes of neuromuscular diseases in dogs and cats

 

Week 5
Intervertebral Disc Herniations

Classification of disc herniation types

Clinical signs, treatment and nursing care

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants:

Understand the different types of intervertebral disc herniation and the different treatment and nursing approaches

Learn to recognise clinical signs suggestive for each type of intervertebral disc herniation

Understand which clinical signs indicate clinical deterioration in dogs with intervertebral disc herniation

 

Week 6
Clinical Cases – from Peripheral Nerves to the Brain!

Case studies

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants:

Apply all the knowledge acquired on the previous weeks to clinical cases

Be able to discuss the most indicated nursing approach to provide the best care for individual patients.

 

This course will be fully tutored by Elsa Beltran, and will consist of 15 hours of CPD given in various formats, including tutorials, tasks, case studies, forum discussions and quizzes.

 

Click here for further details

Week 1
Principles of Infection Control

Disinfectants and gold standard cleaning methods

Barrier nursing

PPE

Environmental swabbing

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

Identify components of a gold standard cleaning protocol

Appraise a range of disinfectants used in veterinary practice and their uses

Examine barrier nursing and its place in infection control procedures

Recognise the benefits of environmental swabbing

Evaluate PPE and its importance in infection control

 

Week 2
Surgical Instruments

Care and maintenance of instruments

Sterilisation methods

Indication methods

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

Implement care and maintenance protocols to prolong the life of surgical instrumentation

Compare and contrast a range of sterilisation methods

Appraise a range of sterilisation and cleaning monitoring methods to include recording protocols

 

Week 3
Endoscopes

Cleaning protocols

Care and maintenance

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

Recognise care and maintenance of endoscopes

Critique cleaning protocols for endoscopy equipment

Review routine endoscope checks to ensure a fitness for purpose

 

Week 4
Considerations for Surgery

Patient prepping techniques

Anaesthesia considerations

Post surgical site infections

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

Identify pre-operative procedures for preparing the surgical patient

Understand the role of the surgical checklist and its benefits

Analyse the relationship between hypothermia and surgical site infections

 

The course will be fully tutored by Louise Dale, and will consist of 10 hours of CPD given in various formats, including tutorials, tasks, case studies, forum discussions and quizzes.

 

Click here for further details