Cost: £200

Of the numerous cancers that affect our canine companions, lymphoma, mast cell tumours, oral melanoma and osteosarcoma are the most frequently diagnosed in the veterinary clinic.

This 4 week course dedicates a week per subject, where we explore the risk factors associated with each of these neoplasms and investigate the methods used to acquire a diagnosis. Treatment options will be discussed with particular detail placed on medical and surgical management techniques that can be applied to general practice and specialist nursing alike.

After completing this online course, participants will have a greater knowledge of these common diseases, enabling understanding of the prognosis and treatment goals; ultimately broadening communication and practical skills in the subject area.

Week 1

Mast cell tumours

Mast cell tumours are a form of skin cancer in dogs, which depending on their grade and affected site, can have an impact on neoplastic behaviour and prognosis. Many patients go on to live disease-free lives, others require continuous treatment and monitoring.

Presentation and behaviour of mast cell tumours

Diagnosis, staging and specialised tests

Treatment modalities and monitoring considerations

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

Explain which breeds of dogs are commonly affected by mast cell tumours and how the patient may present

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

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

Understand the use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors and “metronomic chemotherapy” as a method for controlling cancer growth

Week 2 

Osteosarcoma

Canine osteosarcoma of the weight bearing bones often manifests in pain and/or lameness in affected patients.  Once a diagnosis has been determined, the behaviour of this neoplasm is predictable,  yet still individual to the animal.

Osteosarcoma 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 canine osteosarcoma and how it is a model for comparative medicine

List the different treatment options and their impact on survival time

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

Week 3 

Melanoma

Oral melanoma is the most common form of cancer of the mouth in dogs; there are various forms and the behaviour of this neoplasm is sometimes unpredictable. 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 oral melanoma, including lymph node mapping

Treatment options and impact on prognosis

Surgical interventions, nursing support and rehabilitation

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

Describe the value of different tissue sampling and specialist imaging techniques

List treatment options and prognostic indicators for canine melanoma

Describe the surgical technique, complications and post-operative care required for oral melanoma cases

Understand the mechanism of action behind current research for canine melanoma and apply to evidence-based medicine within nursing practice

Week 4

Lymphoma

Lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphocytes and/or lymphoid tissue, which is present in many locations within the body, hence making the presentation of these cases typical or atypical depending on location. Specialist tests have been developed to categorise this cancer and treatment is determined by these findings.

Manifestation of lymphoma and categories of disease

Diagnosis, staging and specialist tests for lymphoma

Treatment options for lymphoma

Chemotherapy protocols, client expectations and the cancer journey

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

List the common manifestations of canine lymphoma and the patient groups most affected.

Understand the value of specialist tests required to further categorise cancer

Describe the subcategories of 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 patients with lymphoma using your practice facilities

The course will be fully tutored by Nicola Read, 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

Week 1

Consulting skills

Communication in clinics

Consultation skills

Content of your clinic

Standardisation of the clinics

Charging for clinics

Learning Outcomes
By the end of the week delegates will be able to:

Understand the process of consulting

Understand the importance of communication, the customer journey and improving outcomes

Understand the importance of protocols for clinic content and the running of these clinics

Week 2

Lifestage clinics

Puppy and kitten clinics

Senior clinics

Other lifestage clinics

What to include

Timings of clinics

Learning Outcomes
By the end of the second week, delegates will be able to:

Timings of clinics and how these will improve client education and binding to the practice

Understand the content for these clinics and what to discuss with clients at this time

Understand the elements of preventative healthcare

Week 3

Obesity and mobility clinics

Content of mobility and obesity clinics

Nutritional requirements for obesity

Client motivation

Learning Outcomes
By the end of the third week, delegates will be able to:

Understand the content to include for each of these clinics

Learn how to calculate feeding amounts, what treats (if any) we can feed and exercise regimes.

Understand how environmental adaptations can improve QOL for our pets with mobility issues

Understand the role of supplements in these cases

Discuss methods of how to motivate clients

Week 4

Practical aspects of running clinics

How to increase client numbers

Client compliance

Making recommendations

Learning Outcomes
By the end of the fourth week, delegates will be able to:

How to increase compliance in clinics

How to increase numbers coming into clinics, and increasing recommendations to the clinics.

How to talk to clients about nutrition – and nutritional fashions.

Understand the importance of nutritional assessments in all of the nurse clinics

The course will be fully tutored by Nicola Ackerman, 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

Of the numerous cancers that affect our canine companions, lymphoma, mast cell tumours, oral melanoma and osteosarcoma are the most frequently diagnosed in the veterinary clinic.

This 4 week course dedicates a week per subject, where we explore the risk factors associated with each of these neoplasms and investigate the methods used to acquire a diagnosis. Treatment options will be discussed with particular detail placed on medical and surgical management techniques that can be applied to general practice and specialist nursing alike.

After completing this online course, participants will have a greater knowledge of these common diseases, enabling understanding of the prognosis and treatment goals; ultimately broadening communication and practical skills in the subject area.

Week 1

Mast cell tumours

Mast cell tumours are a form of skin cancer in dogs, which depending on their grade and affected site, can have an impact on neoplastic behaviour and prognosis. Many patients go on to live disease-free lives, others require continuous treatment and monitoring.

Presentation and behaviour of mast cell tumours

Diagnosis, staging and specialised tests

Treatment modalities and monitoring considerations

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

Explain which breeds of dogs are commonly affected by mast cell tumours and how the patient may present

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

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

Understand the use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors and “metronomic chemotherapy” as a method for controlling cancer growth

Week 2 

Osteosarcoma

Canine osteosarcoma of the weight bearing bones often manifests in pain and/or lameness in affected patients.  Once a diagnosis has been determined, the behaviour of this neoplasm is predictable,  yet still individual to the animal.

Osteosarcoma 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 canine osteosarcoma and how it is a model for comparative medicine

List the different treatment options and their impact on survival time

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

Week 3 

Melanoma

Oral melanoma is the most common form of cancer of the mouth in dogs; there are various forms and the behaviour of this neoplasm is sometimes unpredictable. 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 oral melanoma, including lymph node mapping

Treatment options and impact on prognosis

Surgical interventions, nursing support and rehabilitation

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

Describe the value of different tissue sampling and specialist imaging techniques

List treatment options and prognostic indicators for canine melanoma

Describe the surgical technique, complications and post-operative care required for oral melanoma cases

Understand the mechanism of action behind current research for canine melanoma and apply to evidence-based medicine within nursing practice

Week 4

Lymphoma

Lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphocytes and/or lymphoid tissue, which is present in many locations within the body, hence making the presentation of these cases typical or atypical depending on location. Specialist tests have been developed to categorise this cancer and treatment is determined by these findings.

Manifestation of lymphoma and categories of disease

Diagnosis, staging and specialist tests for lymphoma

Treatment options for lymphoma

Chemotherapy protocols, client expectations and the cancer journey

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

List the common manifestations of canine lymphoma and the patient groups most affected.

Understand the value of specialist tests required to further categorise cancer

Describe the subcategories of 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 patients with lymphoma using your practice facilities

The course will be fully tutored by Nicola Read, 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

Week 1

Consulting skills

Communication in clinics

Consultation skills

Content of your clinic

Standardisation of the clinics

Charging for clinics

Learning Outcomes
By the end of the week delegates will be able to:

Understand the process of consulting

Understand the importance of communication, the customer journey and improving outcomes

Understand the importance of protocols for clinic content and the running of these clinics

Week 2

Lifestage clinics

Puppy and kitten clinics

Senior clinics

Other lifestage clinics

What to include

Timings of clinics

Learning Outcomes
By the end of the second week, delegates will be able to:

Timings of clinics and how these will improve client education and binding to the practice

Understand the content for these clinics and what to discuss with clients at this time

Understand the elements of preventative healthcare

Week 3

Obesity and mobility clinics

Content of mobility and obesity clinics

Nutritional requirements for obesity

Client motivation

Learning Outcomes
By the end of the third week, delegates will be able to:

Understand the content to include for each of these clinics

Learn how to calculate feeding amounts, what treats (if any) we can feed and exercise regimes.

Understand how environmental adaptations can improve QOL for our pets with mobility issues

Understand the role of supplements in these cases

Discuss methods of how to motivate clients

Week 4

Practical aspects of running clinics

How to increase client numbers

Client compliance

Making recommendations

Learning Outcomes
By the end of the fourth week, delegates will be able to:

How to increase compliance in clinics

How to increase numbers coming into clinics, and increasing recommendations to the clinics.

How to talk to clients about nutrition – and nutritional fashions.

Understand the importance of nutritional assessments in all of the nurse clinics

The course will be fully tutored by Nicola Ackerman, 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

Week 1

Common respiratory disease

Lower respiratory tract disease

Pleural disorders

Pulmonary disease

POCUS and sampling

Management

Learning outcomes

Describe lower respiratory tract physiology and the disease processes seen in practice

Understand the different causes of pleural disorders

Understand the different causes of pulmonary disease

Identify the uses of POCUS and understand which patients may benefit from thoracocentesis

Describe how to manage the patient with acute respiratory distress

Week 2

BOAS – From Admit to Discharge

Admit considerations

BOAS Plan

Anaesthesia considerations

Dealing with the BOAS crisis

Other nursing considerations

Learning outcomes

List the considerations which should be discussed with the owner when the patient is admitted to the hospital

Discuss safe ways of managing these cases whilst they are hospitalised to minimise complications

Understand how to make BOAS patients anaesthesia plans safer

Explain the concerns associated with a BOAS crisis and how to manage these

Describe other nursing considerations associated with these breeds and how we can factor these into our nursing care plans for hospitalised patients

Week 3

Blood gases

Why do we use blood gas analysis?

How to take a sample for a blood gas analysis

What is Acid/Base?

Interpretation of a blood gas report

Compensation

Learning outcomes

Understand why blood gas analysis is important for managing the respiratory patient

Describe how to take a sample for blood gas analysis

Understand Acid/Base status and what this means for the patient

Interpret a blood gas report using a step by step approach so that this can be transferred to your patients in practice

Understand the physiology behind compensatory mechanisms

Week 4

Oxygen Therapy 

How to identify a patient in need of oxygen therapy

Non-invasive methods of oxygen therapy

Invasive methods of oxygen therapy

Monitoring a response to therapy

Learning outcomes

Understand which parameters are used to identify patients are in need of oxygen therapy

Describe which methods of non-invasive oxygen therapy are available and which is the most suitable for their patient

Describe which methods of invasive oxygen therapy are available and which is the most suitable for their patient

Discuss whether a patient is responding to oxygen therapy and when a decision may be made to discontinue oxygen support

The course will be fully tutored by Elle Haskey and Katie Gray, 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

Week 1

Infection Control

Aims of infection control

Risk factors

Impact of the environment

Cleaning techniques

Bacterial monitoring within the environment

Learning Outcomes
By the end of the week delegates will be able to:

Understand the aims of infection control within theatre

Identify how the layout of the operating theatre and associated rooms may affect infection control

Achieve effective maintenance and cleaning of the environment and instruments

Identify the ideal theatre design and implement this in practice

Week 2

Maintenance and Care of Instruments

Instrument cleaning

Instrument maintenance

Sterilisation methods and sterility indicators

Learning Outcomes
By the end of the second week, delegates will be able to:

Clean and care for surgical instruments

Understand the different methods of instrument cleaning

Understand the various sterilisation techniques and indicators

Recognise routine protocols for maintenance of the theatre environment and materials

Week 3

Patient Care and Theatre Organisation

Hypothermia and the effect on surgical site infections

Hand hygiene

Draping techniques

Scrubbing techniques

Theatre attire

Learning Outcomes
By the end of the third week, delegates will be able to:

Understand sterility, and how to reduce the incidence of surgical site infections

Prepare patients for surgery using best practice methods

Optimise preparation of the surgical team

Discuss skin preparation techniques

Monitor infection control in the practice

Understand hand hygiene, and its role in reducing the spread of hospital acquired infections

Define techniques to achieve high standards of patient care and organisation within theatre

Appraise the maintenance of high environmental standards within the theatre suite

Week 4

Staff Development and Organisation

Nursing roles

Methods of organisation

Staff training and development

Learning Outcomes
By the end of the fourth week, delegates will be able to:

Understand the importance of setting specific nursing roles

Examine a range of methods to increase efficiency and organisation within the theatre environment.

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