Tutored Online CPD

Common Emergency Patient Presentations (Sept 2025)

£255.00 Ex VAT


Start:  15th September 2025
CPD:    15 hours (UK), 15 points (AUS, NZ) over 6 / 8 weeks
Level:  Intermediate

 

Description

This course is aimed at nurses working in general practice

 

Week 1

Triage Assessment of the Trauma Patient and Stabilisation of the Emergency Patient
  • Carrying out an effective triage assessment and the RVN’s role
  • Major body system assessment
  • Approach to dysfunction of the cardiovascular, respiratory and neurological systems
  • Practical considerations for managing the emergency patient stabilisation

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

 

  • Correctly identify a patient with dysfunction of a major body system
  • Confidently triage and assess an emergency patient
  • Recognise the approach to dysfunction of different major body systems and stabilisation techniques utilised for emergency patients
  • Appreciate specific nursing considerations for the emergency presentation

Learning materials this week:
(released on Monday morning for on demand learning until the course ends – approximate timings)

  • Pre-recorded tutorial with Kath = 50 minutes
  • Further reading = 60 minutes
  • Forum discussion topic = 10 minutes
  • Multiple choice questions quiz = 10 minutes

Week 2

Urethral Obstruction
  • Identification of the patient with urethral obstruction
  • Stabilisation techniques
  • Evidence-based discussion on emergency management, fluid types and analgesia options

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

 

  • Participate in case based discussions
  • Identify the patient’s condition and the pathophysiology alongside potential complicating factors such as co-morbidities
  • Understand how to correct fluid deficits and identifying the difference between hypovolemia and dehydration
  • Participate in acid-base and electrolyte discussions, including how to address hypo and hyperkalemia
  • Appreciate the specific nursing considerations for patients with urethral obstruction

Learning materials this week:
(released on Monday morning for on demand learning until the course ends – approximate timings)

  • Pre-recorded tutorial with Kath = 80 minutes
  • Further reading = 60 minutes
  • Written checklist task = 30 minutes
  • Multiple choice questions quiz = 10 minutes

Week 3

Diabetic Ketoacidosis
  • Presentation and initial emergency management
  • Acid base balance and electrolyte abnormalities
  • Pathophysiology of diabetic ketoacidosis and complicating factors

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

 

  • Participate in case based discussions
  • Identify the patient’s condition and the pathophysiology alongside potential complicating factors such as co-morbidities
  • Understand how to correct fluid deficits and identifying the difference between hypovolemia and dehydration
  • Participate in acid-base and electrolyte discussions, including how to address hypo and hyperkalaemia
  • Appreciate the specific nursing considerations for patients with DK

Learning materials this week:
(released on Monday morning for on demand learning until the course ends – approximate timings)

  • Pre-recorded tutorial with Kath = 65 minutes
  • Further reading = 60 minutes
  • Forum discussion topic = 10 minutes
  • Multiple choice questions quiz = 10 minutes

Week 4

The Acute Abdomen – Surgical Cases
  • Pre-anaesthesia stabilisation and assessment
  • Analgesia choices in the critically ill patient
  • Peri-operative and recovery periods
  • Nursing specific concerns post operatively

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

 

  • Develop a pre-anesthetic plan and discuss suitable stabilisation as well as attribute an ASA score
  • Complete with confidence a surgical checklist and identify areas of concern
  • Understand analgesia choices, the options we have including CRIS, local and regional techniques
  • Engage in cased based presentations, including abdominal foreign bodies and gastric dilatation and volvulus

Learning materials this week:
(released on Monday morning for on demand learning until the course ends – approximate timings)

  • Pre-recorded tutorial with Kath = 70 minutes
  • Further reading = 60 minutes
  • Written nursing care plan task = 60 minutes
  • Multiple choice questions quiz = 10 minutes

Week 5

The Acute Abdomen – Medical Cases
  • Analgesia and pain scoring
  • Non-surgical versus surgical patients
  • SIRS and DIC
  • Nutritional support

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

 

  • Understand pain scoring and the importance of using validated methods
  • Understand analgesia choices, the options we have including CRIS, local and regional techniques
  • Decide if a patient is surgical or non-surgical, especially in the case of traumatic haemoabdomen
  • Understand the pathophysiology behind systemic inflammatory response syndromes and disseminated intravascular coagulation and how to identify the early indications of development of these syndromes

Learning materials this week:
(released on Monday morning for on demand learning until the course ends – approximate timings)

  • Pre-recorded tutorial with Kath = 75 minutes
  • Further reading = 60 minutes
  • Forum discussion topic = 10 minutes
  • Multiple choice questions quiz = 10 minutes

Week 6

Acute Gastrointestinal Disease
  • Haemorrhagic gastroenteritis including parvovirus
  • Fluid therapy
  • Antibiosis

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

 

  • Identify appropriate approaches to fluid replacement including discussion of the use of crystalloids and colloids in the patient with AHDS
  • Appreciate the importance of nutrition in the patient with acute gastro-intestinal disease and how we can provide that
  • Describe potential complications that may occur, including sepsis
  • Discuss the rational use of antibiotics, using evidence bases

Learning materials this week:
(released on Monday morning for on demand learning until the course ends – approximate timings)

  • Pre-recorded tutorial with Kath = 70 minutes
  • Further reading = 60 minutes
  • Forum discussion topic = 10 minutes
  • Multiple choice questions quiz = 10 minutes

 

The course will be fully tutored by Kath Howie and will consist of 15 hours of CPD and will be provided 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

20 reviews for Common Emergency Patient Presentations (Sept 2025)

  1. Tamsin R –

    I really enjoyed this course, I found the presentations to be full of useful information for me to take back to my practice. The presentations were easy to follow and I found the additional information provided to be excellent, especially for making suggestions at work if there is anything we could be doing differently.

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

  2. Sarah W –

    Excellent!

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

  3. Sharon D –

    Great course informative, great support material

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

  4. Donna F –

    Really enjoyable and very informative. Learned so many tips to bring back into practice.

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

  5. Hazel H –

    Really informative course. I have learnt a lot of things that were new to me and I have gained a lot of ideas and knowledge that I am looking forward to bringing into my practice

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

  6. Victoria P –

    fantastic course, very informative and easy to navigate

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

  7. Anonymous –

    Really interesting CPD. Really learnt a lot and Kath was really easy to listen to.

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

  8. Jade M –

    Great course, loads of valuable information and advice to take back into practice to help with common emergencies. Really informative and clear tutoring.

    Rated: Intermediate / Advanced level
    (Qualified RVN in general practice <5 years - UK)

  9. Alex B –

    Very good. Went into a lot of depth.

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

  10. Jenny W –

    Useful reminders and tips for supporting critically ill patients.

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

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Speaker

Kath Howie  VTS (ECC), RVN
Principal Nurse Manager, VetsNow

 

Kath worked in a primary care practice through her training and qualified in January 2000. After a few years in practice as a registered nurse she decided to take the step into referral nursing in 2003. After a couple of years gaining experience of nursing intensive care patients and those with complex needs, she moved into emergency practice in 2005. In 2009 she achieved the Veterinary Technician Speciality in Emergency and Critical Care and re- certified in 2014.

AVNAT

Australia and New Zealand 

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.

 

CPD Hours

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.

Information

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’

Online Tutored CPD - Information Guide

Levels

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

Pawprints

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.

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

Related Courses

Online CPD for Vet Nurses

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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