Approach to Critical Care Nursing – Flexi CPD Course

£175.00 Ex VAT

Type:  Flexi CPD (converted from a tutored course)
Start:  On-demand / Unlimited Lifetime Access
CPD:    10 hours (UK), 10 points (approved in AUS, NZ)
Level:  Introduction / Intermediate

 

Description

SAVC and AVNAT Approved Course
This flexi CPD course is aimed at vet nurses and vet technicians in general practice and is available on-demand with unlimited lifetime access.  Each module consists of a tutorial, quiz and further reading articles

 

Module 1

Recumbency Nursing
  • Common causes for recumbency
  • Nursing the recumbent patient
  • Common complications associated with recumbency

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

 

  • List some of the common causes for recumbency and how these conditions may be treated
  • Discuss the nursing considerations for the recumbent patient and how these can be implemented to help support the patient during their recovery whilst hospitalised
  • Describe the common complications associated with recumbency and how these can be prevented whilst the patient is hospitalised

Module 2

Nutrition in the Hospitalised Patient
  • Why is nutrition important?
  • Who needs nutrition?
  • When should nutrition be started?
  • Creating a nutrition plan
  • Assisted feeding options

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

 

  • Understand why nutrition is important for the recovery of hospitalised patients
  • Identify patients in needs of nutrition
  • Discuss when is the appropriate time to start nutrition in their hospitalised patient
  • Describe how to create a feeding plan including patient assessment, calculation of RER and implementation of the nutritional plan
  • List the common assisted feeding techniques and understand the indications and contraindications of each

Module 3

Sepsis
  • What is SIRS / sepsis?
  • How to recognise sepsis in dogs
  • How to recognise sepsis in cats
  • Sepsis bundles
  • Recent sepsis research in human medicine

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

 

  • Know the definitions of SIRS / sepsis and the difference between them
  • List the patient observations used to help us be able to recognise sepsis in the dog
  • List the patient observations used to help us be able to recognise sepsis in the cat
  • Understand what a sepsis bundle is, and when they can be used in practice
  • Understand the recent research into sepsis in human medicine and how this impacts us in veterinary practice

Module 4

Acid Base / Electrolytes
  • What is acid / base?
  • What are electrolytes?
  • Electrolytes – Sodium
  • Electrolytes – Potassium
  • Electrolytes – Calcium
  • Glucose

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

 

  • Explain acid / base status
  • Understand which electrolytes we can measure in veterinary practice and why
  • Identify when a patient may become hypo or hypernatraemic, and describe the treatments that may benefit them
  • Identify when a patient may become hypo or hyperkalaemic, and describe the treatments that may benefit them
  • Identify why a patient may be hypo or hypercalcaemic, and describe the treatments that may benefit them
  • Identify why a patient may be hypo or hyper glycaemic, and describe the treatments that may benefit them

Module 5

Infection Control
  • How to create an infection control plan for the clinic
  • Assigning an infection control champion
  • Identify and develop protocols
  • Make an assessment
  • Staff education and training plans
  • Surveillance and compliance

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

 

  • Identify an infection control champion in practice and understand their role in the infection control plan
  • Discuss the common infection control protocols required in practice to minimise the spread of pathogens
  • Understand how to make an assessment of the protocols already in place and identify their strengths and weaknesses
  • Explain the importance of staff education and training when implementing infection control protocols
  • List the common surveillance techniques to ensure compliance to the infection control plan

Module 6

End of Life Care and Clinical Governance
  • Euthanasia
  • Palliative care
  • Mental health awareness
  • Clinical governance in practice

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

 

  • Understand the reasons vets and clients consider euthanasia, and learn ways to ensure the experience can be made as peaceful and calm as possible in practice for all involved
  • Understand the reasons that clients may choose to consider palliative care, and how we can help ensure the patients are comfortable within our role as veterinary nurses
  • Understand the impact of euthanasia and how the death of a pet can affect both the family of the patient and the veterinary staff involved
  • Understand the mental health implications of veterinary medicine on the team, and ways in which we can help our team and ourselves to cope
  • Describe what clinical governance is, what is discussed and why it may be beneficial to start holding these meetings in your practice

 

The course will be available immediately following purchase, with unlimited lifetime access and will provide a total of:
10 hours of CPD (UK)
10 points (Australia and New Zealand)
10 points (South Africa – SAVC Accreditation Number AC/2449/25)

Release date: Apr 2025

 

27 reviews for Approach to Critical Care Nursing – Flexi CPD Course

  1. Karen N –

    A well presented and easy to understand module. Learnt a lot in the tutorial and the further reading was also informative. This is the second Excel course I have undertaken and would definitely like to sign up for more.

    Rated: Intermediate level
    (Qualified RVN in general practice >5 years – UK)

  2. Letitia M –

    This course was brilliant! I learnt so much! I’ve even given some side notes to my colleagues already on areas such as acid base where most people don’t feel comfortable interpreting. This course will help me continue to thrive in ECC work as an OOH nurse.

    Rated: Intermediate level
    (Qualified RVN in general practice >5 years – UK)

  3. Nicole M –

    Very informative, really enjoyed the course.

    Rated: Intermediate level
    (Newly qualified (<2 years) - UK)

  4. Jodie P –

    I really have enjoyed the course and feel that I have had both a refresh and learned new things on many subjects. I feel like it will really help me in my OOHs role at the practice I work at.

    Rated: Introduction level
    (Qualified RVN in general practice <5 years - UK)

  5. Charlotte C –

    a detailed course into Approach to Critical Care Nursing. Containing good modules for nurses

    Rated: Introduction level
    (Newly qualified (<2 years) - UK)

  6. Kate A –

    Course layout was easy to follow, webinars well presented and interesting

    Rated: Intermediate level
    (Referral or specialist RVN – UK)

  7. Joanne R –

    I feel this was a good introduction to critical care nursing. I feel it has given more confidence to provide better care for my patients with complex needs, while also providing insight into how best to care for myself, my colleagues, and the owners too.

    Rated: Introduction level
    (Newly qualified (<2 years) - UK)

  8. Holly W –

    I really enjoyed the tutorials each week. They were really informative and any questions I had were met with great feedback that I can take and continue to use, the extra reading were also really interesting and I took some ideas back to my clinic to hopefully put into our daily routines.

    Rated: Introduction / Intermediate level
    (Newly qualified (<2 years) – UK)

  9. Beverley B –

    Very informative and well structured

    Rated: Intermediate level
    (Referral or specialist RVN – UK)

  10. Maria B –

    I found the course really helpful and engaging, and the tutors were both incredibly knowledgeable in their field.

    Rated: Introduction level

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Speakers

Eleanor Haskey BSc(hons), VTS(ECC) VPAC A1, RVN
Senior ECC Nurse, Royal Veterinary College

 

Eleanor graduated in 2008 from the University of Bristol with an honours degree in Veterinary Nursing and Practice Administration. She worked as a branch head nurse in a mixed practice in the Midlands for 2 years before returning to the University of Bristol as senior ICU nurse, where she was responsible for the day to day running of the intensive care unit, triaging and assessing emergencies and providing care for critical patients. In 2014 Eleanor transferred to the emergency and critical care centre at the Royal Veterinary College.  Eleanor gained the VTS(ECC) qualification in 2012, and she particularly enjoys trauma, seizures, ventilator cases and haematological disorders

Speakers

Katy Gray PGCert VE, DipAVN, RVN, FHEA, MNCS
The Ralph Veterinary Referral Hospital

 

After registering as an RVN in 2012, Katie worked as both a surgery nurse and then an emergency and critical care nurse at the Royal Veterinary College referral hospital, where she spent 6 years as a senior ECC nurse. During her time there, she completed the Advanced Nursing Diploma, a Post Graduate Certificate in Veterinary Education, and the Blue Cross Bereavement Certificate. Katie regularly lectures for VNs, both in the UK and internationally; and has written a few articles, including her own research into sepsis recognition. Since 2019, Katie has been working towards the Advanced Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling, and in Spring 2022 started working in a supportive role at The Ralph Veterinary Referral Hospital. Outside of work Katie volunteers for StreetVet, and she is on the Veterinary Critical Care Nurse Committee which is part of the British Association of Critical Care Nurses.

CPD Hours

This online course is worth 10 hours of CPD.

 

A certificate will be available from the ‘My Courses’ section, for you to download and print, once you have completed the course.  A permanent record of your total CPD hours will also be recorded in your account section.

AVNAT

Australia and New Zealand 

The Australian Veterinary Nurse and Technician (AVNAT) Regulatory Council has allocated 10 AVNAT CPD points to this continuing education activity.

 

This course is also recognised by the New Zealand Veterinary Nursing Association (NZVNA) as providing 10 CPD points.

 

SAVC

South Africa

The South African Veterinary Council (SAVC) has allocated 10 CPD points to this continuing education activity. Accreditation Number AC/2449/25)

Information

Upon purchase you will be immediately registered to attend the course, with unlimited lifetime access.  The course will consist of six modules, where each module provides one hour and forty minutes of CPD, in the form of a tutorial, a quiz and also a selection of further reading journals, articles or book chapters.

 

The course is completely flexible, where all the learning resources are provided immediately – it is designed for you to complete one module per week, but it is completely up to you, how and when you decide to complete the course. You have unlimited lifetime access to all the supportive learning materials, and once you have completed the whole course, a certificate will be automatically generated.

 

Looking for some further information? – please have a look at our Flexi Online CPD Courses – PDF Guide

Levels

This course has been listed as ‘Introduction / Intermediate’ level

 

All of our courses are aimed at veterinary nurses in general practice, but everyone who works in the veterinary profession is very welcome to attend, whether you are a clinical receptionist, veterinary surgeon, student nurse or have been a qualified nurse for over 20 years!

 

The courses are not formally assessed for skill level, so the following CPD levels are just a rough guide to help you decide if a course may be more or less suitable:

 

Introduction
– maybe most suitable for qualified nurses in general practice approaching a new topic or looking for a refresher course

Intermediate
– maybe most suitable for qualified nurses in general practice along with referral / specialist nurses looking for a refresher course

Advanced
– maybe most suitable for referral / specialist nurses and highly experienced qualified nurses in general practice

Invoice My Practice

Invoice

Debit or credit card is the preferred payment method

Please ask your practice manager or accounts department to visit the website, register an account in their own name, and during checkout, complete the ‘delegate name’ and ‘delegate email’ sections with your personal details.  We will then register you a personal account on your behalf, and transfer the course booking over to your new personal account.  We will of course email you all the information you need to access this new account and your CPD course.

 

If you need an invoice and no other payment method is available to you, then please email [email protected] with all the following information:

  • Full name of delegate
  • Email address for delegate
  • Course(s) booking
  • Any discounts / promotions being redeemed
  • Practice name and address
  • Invoice name and address (if different)
  • Corporate group name (Linnaeus, IVC, Medivet, VetPartners etc) (if applicable)
  • Practice code (eg Vet4Pets practices)
  • Booking / invoice reference (if required)
  • Email address to send the invoice (practice manager, accounts department or head office – not your own email address please)

Please note the following:

  • Invoices must be requested a minimum of 4-6 weeks prior to a course starting, to allow time for the payment to be received
  • Delegates will not be allowed access to any course without prior payment
  • An invoice will be emailed to the contact provided and the course booking will be reserved for 7 days, whilst payment via debit / credit card or BACS is arranged
  • There will be an administration fee of £2.50 +VAT per invoice generated. You may book multiple delegates / multiple courses on a single invoice to the same practice

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