Nursing Brachycephalics
Excel CPD - Vet Nurse CPD
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Date: Monday 2nd September, 2024 - Friday 25th October, 2024
Start time: 12:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Duration: 20 hour(s)
Cost: £355
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 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
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
Week 2 - Brachy Breathing – Crisis and Management
Triage
Respiratory sounds
Blood gas analysis
Aspiration pneumonia
Oxygen therapy
Learning objectives
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
Week 3 - It’s a Hot Topic – Heatstroke Management
Heatstroke identification
Treatment options
Recovery process
Risks and complications
Learning objectives
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
Week 4 - Brachycephalic Anaesthesia
Balanced anaesthesia plans
Anaesthetic equipment
Anaesthetic monitoring
Learning objectives
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Tutors: Lydia Christie Woodend Smith, Katie Gray, Lisa Angell, Alison Young and Sian Woodham-Davies
Date: 2nd Sept - 25th October 2024
Cost: £355 +vat
Length: 8 weeks
CPD: 20 hours
Level: Intermediate
Who is it for?
Veterinary Nurses
Number of CPD hours this event can be recorded as
20 hours
Registration and Booking
Click here to reserve your place
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