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

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

Module 1

Monitoring Modalities

There are many advanced monitoring tools and nursing interventions that can be used in our patients, however, a key part of this is deciding when it is appropriate to employ them. We will discuss and compare different monitoring tools that we have available, including:

Blood pressure monitoring – invasive versus non-invasive

Central venous pressure

ECG

Blood gases – venous versus arterial

We will also explore when these monitoring tools may be beneficial compared with when their use might be contraindicated.

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

Determine which patients would benefit from more intensive monitoring

Understand how to conduct each kind of monitoring and explain the information we can obtain

Understand the difference between arterial blood pressure monitoring and central venous pressure

Understand the complications of using the more invasive monitoring tools

Module 2

Tubes and Drains

Various tubes and drains are commonly used in critically ill ICU patients, and it is vital we understand how to manage these safely and effectively. We will look at a variety of different tubes and drains including Jackson Pratt drains and active grenades, thoracic tubes, tracheostomy tubes and pericardiocentesis catheters among others.

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

Understand the different drains and their functions

Safely manage and nurse patients with various types of tubes

Understand the complications that may occur with various interventions

Confidently troubleshoot drain management

Module 3

Cardiovascular Support

Sometimes fluids just aren’t enough! There are a variety of issues we can encounter with our critically ill patients and cardiovascular support and monitoring becomes an important aspect of the RVN’s role. We will look at the different causes of cardiovascular instability and how we can address those including the use of vasopressors and inotropes.

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

Understand the methods of monitoring that can assist with determining both low and high-volume states

Identify cases where the use of vasopressors and inotropes are indicated

Explain the different conditions that lead to changes in cardiovascular function

Understand the ECG assessment and recognise the main life threatening abnormalities

Module 4

Constant Rate Infusions

Constant rate infusions are commonly used in the ICU, and it is really useful for RVN’s to be able to calculate these dosages. Whilst the maths can sometimes seem baffling, if you understand the basics, it is a very useful skill. CRIs are very beneficial for many of our patients and are attainable in any practice with an infusion pump.

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

Calculate ANY CRI from scratch!

Understand the benefits and issues associated with use of CRIs

Understand multimodal analgesia options for critically ill patients

Module 1

What is an Anaesthesia Plan?

How to construct an individual anaesthesia plan

Common anaesthesia-related complications

What you need to know about the drugs

Very old and very young patients

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

Construct an individualised anaesthesia plan

Understand common anaesthesia and surgery related complications

Appreciate the important effects and side effects of drugs commonly used in the peri-anaesthetic period

Understand specific considerations for geriatric and paediatric patients

Module 2

The Anaesthetist’s Worst Nightmares!

Brachycephalic dogs

Obese patients

Care! Difficult temperament

Some endocrine and medical conditions

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

Provide safe anaesthesia for brachycephalic and obese patients

Understand how to anaesthetise ‘aggressive’ dogs safely

Understand the priorities for sick patients and those with concurrent disease

Module 3

Let’s get Cutting – Abdominal Surgery

Anaesthetic considerations for laparotomy and laparoscopy

Case examples

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

Provide analgesia and local anaesthesia for abdominal surgery

Understand the effects of laparoscopy on the patient’s physiology and how to manage them

Discuss the considerations for some particular examples of abdominal surgery

Module 4

Heart and Lungs

Anaesthetic considerations for respiratory disease and thoracic surgery

Anaesthetising patients with common cardiac diseases

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

Know the requirements of patients with intra-thoracic disease

Understand how to manage a patient undergoing a thoracotomy

Appreciate the basics of controlled ventilation

Provide analgesia and local anaesthesia for thoracic surgery

Manage patients with common cardiac diseases

Module 5

Eyes, Brains and Spines

Anaesthetic considerations for neurology and ophthalmology patients

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

Understand practical and physiological considerations for ocular surgery

Explain the basics of neuromuscular blockade

Know how to provide analgesia and local anaesthesia for spinal surgery

Identify the pathophysiology of intracranial disease and how to manage it

Understand the particular difficulties of anaesthesia for magnetic resonance imaging

Module 6

Bringing it all Together – Case Examples

Complex procedures and sick patients, plus some orthopaedic procedures

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

Understand how to combine patient and procedure related requirements

Construct advanced anaesthesia plans

Understand how to prioritise the importance of different anaesthetic considerations

Provide analgesia and local anaesthesia for some orthopaedic procedures