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£255.00 Ex VAT
Start: 20th October 2025
CPD: 15 hours (UK), 15 points (AUS, NZ) over 6 / 8 weeks
Level: Intermediate
This course is aimed at nurses working in general practice
In recent years there has been a marked interest in identifying the causes of gastrointestinal disease in companion animals; the path to diagnosis has progressed with the identification of serological biomarkers and more access to endoscopy within general practice. Novel protein diets have been developed by veterinary food companies resulting in a positive effect on outcome in combination with pharmaceuticals for some animals.
The veterinary nurse plays a key role investigation, treatment and client support for these often, chronic cases. Having an enhanced level of knowledge on the pathophysiology and treatment options, together with a firm understanding of the diagnostic process is paramount to patient recovery.
After completing this 6 week online course, the participants will have a greater knowledge and understanding of the basic principles of gastrointestinal disease which they can apply regularly in practice.
Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants should be able to:
Learning materials this week:
(released on Monday morning for on demand learning until the course ends – approximate timings)
Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants should be able to:
Learning materials this week:
(released on Monday morning for on demand learning until the course ends – approximate timings)
Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants should be able to:
Learning materials this week:
(released on Monday morning for on demand learning until the course ends – approximate timings)
Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants should be able to:
Learning materials this week:
(released on Monday morning for on demand learning until the course ends – approximate timings)
Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants should be able to:
Learning materials this week:
(released on Monday morning for on demand learning until the course ends – approximate timings)
Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants should be able to:
Learning materials this week:
(released on Monday morning for on demand learning until the course ends – approximate timings)
The course will be fully tutored by Nicola Read and Gina Parkes and will consist of 15 hours of CPD given in various formats, including tutorials, tasks, case scenarios, forum discussions and quizzes. This course is tutored for 6 weeks, followed by a two week extension of untutored ‘catch up’ time, before the course officially ends.
All delegates will then have unlimited lifetime access to the learning material for future reference
Nicola Read MSc (Veterinary Nursing), PgCert (Oncology Nursing), PgCert (Vet Ed), DipAVN (Med), AFHEA, RVN
Head Oncology Nurse, Royal Veterinary College
Nicola qualified in 2000 from a well-established small animal general practice in North West London where she also gained the D32/33 Assessor qualification. She spent a year at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in 2001 to gain experience in a charity based organisation and then moved to the Queen Mother Hospital, Royal Veterinary College in 2002, in order to study for the RCVS Advanced diploma. In June 2008 she became the Head Medicine Nurse at the Royal Veterinary College, then Head Oncology Nurse in 2015 after a departmental split. She recently earned her MSc in Veterinary Nursing and PgC in Veterinary Education. Her clinical interests are endocrinology, gastroenterology, oncology immune-mediated disease and palliative care.
Gina Parkes DipAVN(Small Animal), PgCert Vet Ed, FHEA, RVN
Head Medicine Nurse, Royal Veterinary College
Gina qualified in Northern Ireland in 2008 and found a passion for nursing in teaching hospitals at the University of Melbourne. She returned to the UK and joined the Royal Veterinary College as the Senior Medicine Nurse in 2011. She won best clinical abstract presented by a nurse at BSAVA in 2015 and became the Head Medicine Nurse in 2016. She completed her PgCert in Veterinary Education in 2018 and has a passion for infection control, endoscopy and endocrinology.
This online course is worth 15 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.
The Australian Veterinary Nurse and Technician (AVNAT) Regulatory Council has allocated 15 AVNAT CPD points to this continuing education activity.
This course is also recognised by the New Zealand Veterinary Nursing Association (NZVNA) as providing 15 CPD points.
Upon purchase you will be registered to attend the course, for 6 weeks from the start date. The course will consist of various interactive tasks and lessons, including quizzes, case studies, forum discussions and further reading material.
The course is fully tutored, with new material will be provided each Monday morning, but the onus will be on the individual delegate to ensure that all tasks are fully complete. The certificate will only be issued at the end of the course when all tasks have been accomplished. Fewer CPD hours will be awarded at the the end of the course if there are unfinished tasks or there has been no contribution to the discussion forum, for example
The course is fully flexible, and there are no weekly ‘deadlines’ – the lessons and tasks may be completed whenever is convenient for each delegate, and any live lessons with be recorded and made available later that same day. Furthermore, all the course material will be available for a further 2 weeks, to allow delegates the opportunity to catch up on missed lessons and tasks, or to take the opportunity to delve further into the suggested reading texts. Please note however, that the course will not be tutored by the speaker during these final two weeks, but the time spent will count towards your CPD hours
After 8 weeks, the course will be complete and there will be no further opportunity to gain the certificate or CPD hours, however, you will have unlimited lifetime access to the tutorials, further reading and quizzes for future reference. If you make any personal notes during the course using the ‘take notes’ app, these will be saved, along with your certificate and CPD record for permanent access in ‘My CPD’
For some further information about our Online Tutored CPD courses – please read our PDF guide to Online Tutored CPD
This course has been listed as ‘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
You will earn 255 Pawprint Points (£25.50 website credit) when you purchase this course
Our loyalty scheme rewards you with 10% in website credit to spend on future courses. Choose pay with Pawprint Points during checkout.
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:
Please note the following:
Excel CPD specialises in providing online CPD for veterinary nurses and technicians all over the globe. Our courses are also fully approved by AVNAT for our nursing colleagues in Australia and New Zealand.
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Lyndsey B –
The course gave me a good understanding of the steps we need to take in diagnosing GI dieases and how we as nurses can play a part in this
Rated: Intermediate level
(Newly qualified <2 years - UK)
Karen H –
Great interactive learning and tutorials
Rated: Intermediate level
Laura M –
Really useful and interesting lectures and good varied tasks to complete each week
Rated: Intermediate level
Sophie B –
The course was engaging, informative and structured well.
Rated: Introduction / Intermediate / Advanced level
Nathalie F –
Very informative with very good tutorials and further reading, the tests at the end were interesting and I liked the crosswords
Rated: Intermediate level
Karen N –
Good course which was easy to follow and informative
Rated: Introduction
Strachan C –
Very informative, without being too technical. Perhaps a bit too long?
Rated: Advanced level