Description
This course is aimed at nurses working in general practice
Brachycephalic breeds have seen a huge surge in popularity in recent years, and we are now nursing these patients on a daily basis. These patients come with a whole host of breed specific problems, directly related to their anatomy, and this course aims to comprehensively cover all aspect of nursing brachycephalics in general practice, including anaesthesia, medicine, surgery, critical care and our vitally important role in client education.
Week 1
An Introduction to Brachycephalics
- Brachycephalic anatomy basics
- Breeds commonly affected
- Recent increase in popularity and the effects on the breed
- Co-morbidities commonly seen in brachycephalics
- Communication with owners
Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants should be able to:
- Recognise and discuss the anatomy of a brachycephalic patient
- Understand the causes that can be attributed to clinical signs often displayed by patients suffering with BOAS
- Identify co-morbidities often diagnosed in brachycephalic patients
- Understand when and why communication with owners about brachycephalic pet ownership is vital
- Understand the Cambridge BOAS assessment
Learning materials this week:
(released on Monday morning for on demand learning until the course ends – approximate timings)
- Pre-recorded tutorial with Lydia = 25 minutes
- Further reading = 60 minutes
- Forum discussion topic = 10 minutes
- Multiple choice questions quiz = 10 minutes
Week 2
Brachy Breathing – Crisis and Management
- Triage
- Respiratory sounds
- Blood gas analysis
- Aspiration pneumonia
- Oxygen therapy
Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants should be able to:
- Understand how to triage the brachycephalic patient
- Recognise the difference between the various respiratory sounds
- Identify the uses of blood gas analysis in respiratory conditions
- Understand available treatments for aspiration pneumonia
- Explain the different methods of providing oxygen therapy
Learning materials this week:
(released on Monday morning for on demand learning until the course ends – approximate timings)
- Pre-recorded tutorial with Katie = 40 minutes
- Case report with Katie = 10 minutes
- Further reading = 60 minutes
- Crossword quiz = 10 minutes
- Written task (clinical case scenario – nursing care plan) = 60 minutes (to be submitted by 5pm Friday week 8)
Week 3
It’s a Hot Topic – Heatstroke Management
- Heatstroke identification
- Treatment options
- Recovery process
- Risks and complications
Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants should be able to:
- Identify a patient at risk of heatstroke
- Explain how to care for the hot brachycephalic
- Understand the risks associated with heatstroke
- List the clinical signs to look out for in a recovering heatstroke patient
- Describe treatments for the recovering heatstroke patient with a secondary condition
Learning materials this week:
(released on Monday morning for on demand learning until the course ends – approximate timings)
- Pre-recorded tutorial with Katie = 45 minutes
- Further reading = 60 minutes
- Crossword quiz = 10 minutes
- Forum discussion topic = 10 minutes
Week 4
Brachycephalic Anaesthesia
- Balanced anaesthesia plans
- Anaesthetic equipment
- Anaesthetic monitoring
Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants should be able to:
- Understand how to perform a pre-anaesthetic evaluation
- Design a patient specific anaesthesia plan, to include – premedication, induction, maintenance, and other medications to support the brachycephalic patient in the peri-anaesthesia period
- Understand the approach to monitoring the brachycephalic patient under anaesthesia
Learning materials this week:
(released on Monday morning for on demand learning until the course ends – approximate timings)
- Pre-recorded tutorial with Lisa = 65 minutes
- Further reading = 60 minutes
- Forum discussion topic = 10 minutes
- Multiple choice questions quiz = 10 minutes
Week 5
Managing a Difficult Airway
- Pre-anaesthetic airway compromise and signs of potential difficult airways
- Intubations, including tips and equipment aids
- Ways to assist patient recovery from anaesthesia
Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants should be able to:
- Evaluate a patient prior to anaesthesia to determine severity of airway compromise
- Identify the clinical signs to alert the anaesthetist to a potential difficult airway prior to induction
- List the different intubation aids and how to maximise successful intubations, to maintain oxygenation and minimise hypoxia.
- Understand how we can assist recoveries in the brachycephalic patient to achieve extubation and reduce incidence of post anaesthesia respiratory obstruction
Learning materials this week:
(released on Monday morning for on demand learning until the course ends – approximate timings)
- Pre-recorded tutorial with Lisa = 40 minutes
- Further reading = 60 minutes
- Written task (clinical case scenario – anesthesia plan) = 60 minutes (to be submitted by 5pm Friday week 8)
- Multiple choice questions quiz = 10 minutes
Week 6
Head and Neck Surgery
- Preparing the patient for surgery
- Surgical techniques to correct common conditions – stenotic nares, elongated soft palate, everted laryngeal saccules, everted palatine tonsils, skin fold resection and tracheotomy/tracheostomy
- Surgical techniques for conditions affecting the eyes – canthoplasty, grafting for ulceration, entropion etc.
- Instrumentation
Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants should be able to:
- Prepare the patient for a range of procedures, including preparation of skin, eyes and mucous membranes
- Correctly position patients for a range of surgical procedures involving the head and neck
- Understand the most common surgical procedures, and explain these to owners
- Tailor a post-operative care plan for each individual patient
Learning materials this week:
(released on Monday morning for on demand learning until the course ends – approximate timings)
- Pre-recorded tutorial with Alison = 55 minutes
- Further reading = 60 minutes
- Forum discussion topic = 10 minutes
- Multiple choice questions quiz = 10 minutes
Week 7
All the Other Problems Not in the Head and Neck!
- Preparing the patient for surgery
- Surgical techniques for a range of common conditions including caesarean sections, fracture repairs (humeral condyle), hiatus hernia, screw tail, hemilaminectomy and pulmonic stenosis
- Instrumentation
Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants should be able to:
- Prepare theatre and the patient for a range of surgical procedures
- Understand the most common surgical procedures, and explain these to owners
- Tailor a post-operative care plan for each individual patient
- Identify common surgical instruments and understand their use
Learning materials this week:
(released on Monday morning for on demand learning until the course ends – approximate timings)
- Pre-recorded tutorial with Alison = 55 minutes
- Further reading = 60 minutes
- Forum discussion topic = 10 minutes
- Multiple choice questions quiz = 10 minutes
Week 8
Ophthalmology
- Corneal ulceration, exposure keratopathy and corneal pigmentation
- Corneal sequestrums in cats
- Entropion and Ectropion
- Keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS)
- Tear overflow and staining
- Proptosis
Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants should be able to:
- Explain the common ocular conditions in the brachycephalic patient
- Understand the treatment options for the above conditions
- Feel more confident when nursing the ophthalmic patient and what specific considerations to bear in mind
Learning materials this week:
(released on Monday morning for on demand learning until the course ends – approximate timings)
- Pre-recorded tutorial with Sian = 40 minutes
- Case report with Sian = 15 minutes
- Further reading = 60 minutes
- Forum discussion topic = 10 minutes
- Multiple choice questions quiz = 10 minutes
Please note: In weeks 6 and 7 you will not be taught how to conduct any of the surgical techniques, as this is outside the remit of veterinary nursing in general practice
This course will be fully tutored by Lydia Christie Woodend Smith, Katie Gray, Lisa Angell, Alison Young and Sian Woodham-Davies and will consist of 20 hours of CPD given in various formats, including tutorials, tasks, case studies, forum discussions and quizzes. There will be two short written assignments for the course, one based on ECC and the other on an anaesthesia topic. This course is tutored for 8 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
Kayley A –
Easy to use, lots of information
Rated: Intermediate level
(Newly qualified <2 years - UK
Sandra T –
A VERY INFORMATIVE COURSE
Rated: Intermediate level
(Qualified RVN in general practice >5 years – UK)
Beth R –
Really helpful and had some really interesting points during the course.
Rated: Intermediate leve
(Qualified RVN in general practice <5 years - UK)
Heather B –
The course was incredibly informative and the lecturers were incredibly knowlegable and helpful.
Rated: Introduction level
(Newly qualified <2 years - UK)
Sophie G –
This course was really informative and provided a refresher on nursing brachycephalic and the conditions that they have. This course would be ideal for nurses in general practice or nurses that would like a refresher, as a more advanced course would be needed for referral/ specialist nurses covering more on the surgical side/ anaesthesia.
Rated: Introduction / Intermediate level
(Referral or specialist RVN – UK)
Jade S –
Very happy and impressed by the amount of information given in this course. I will be using the information in the course to help me better improve the nursing care of our brachycephalic patients at my practice.
Rated: Intermediate level
(Referral or specialist RVN – UK)
Katherine M –
I thoroughly enjoyed this course as it gave me lots of knowledge to take away to nurse the brachycephalic patient to the best of my ability. The lecturers were very informative and interesting to listen to.
Rated: Intermediate level
(Qualified RVN in general practice <5 years - UK)
Emma P –
Great informative course with some good knowledge
Rated: Intermediate level
(Qualified RVN in general practice >5 years – UK)
Louise E –
Excellent, informative, easy to access
Rated: Intermediate level
(Referral or specialist RVN – UK)
Laura M –
Really useful cpd and also some great resources
Rated: Intermediate level
(Qualified RVN in general practice >5 years – UK)