Education

Supporting students in practice part 2: role of the training practice team

The authors could find limited articles detailing the experience of SVNs in the CLE. The veterinary nursing profession could therefore look to the literature currently available in student human...

Supporting students in practice part 1: clinical supervisor role

The experiences a student has in the CLE are critical in preparing student human nurses (SHNs) for their career, allowing opportunities to put theory into practice, develop clinical skills, and build...

Quality improvement for patient safety and a better practice culture

Figure 1 shows the relationship between quality improvement and practice culture. Quality improvement can be defined as the combined efforts of the whole team to make changes that will lead to...

Surveillance of hospital acquired infections in veterinary practices

A surveillance programme has two overall goals: to monitor specific outbreaks, e.g. meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP); and establish a baseline threshold for HAI incidences....

Canine behaviour medicine in UK small animal practice

If behaviour is an essential consideration in the assessment and treatment of disease (Overall, 2013; Landsberg and Tynes, 2014), then a basic understanding of a dog's natural behaviour is necessary...

Weight management: insights from the science of human behaviour change

Veterinary professionals (particularly veterinary surgeons) are often taught that their role is to impart knowledge in order that the other party can change their behaviour; discussions with clients...

An evidence-based approach to workplace anaesthesia training. Part 2

When a SVN enters a workplace, they are expected to begin to ‘put into action’ what they have learned in the classroom. This is no simple transition (Konkola et al, 2007). Students may struggle to...

The use of an evidence-based approach for teaching student veterinary nurses during workplace anaesthesia training. Part 1

Key to helping students learn is to understand them as learners: how they learn and the difficulties they encounter. SVNs are ‘adult learners’ (Knowles 1984a; Knowles et al, 2005), which means they...

How debriefing post cardiopulmonary arrest and resuscitation can be used to improve training

The reassessment campaign on veterinary resuscitation (RECOVER) initiative discussed knowledge gaps in veterinary medicine and training, using question worksheets in veterinary emergency and general...

Evaluation of the nursing care plan in a thyroidectomy surgical case

The patient was a 12-year-old, male neutered, 5.3 kg domestic short-haired cat. A clinical examination revealed weight loss of 0.2 kg, polyphagia, and a palpable goitre. He was tachycardic, with a...

EBVM: a quick guide to evaluating veterinary evidence

Evidence can come in many forms (Box 1). A randomised controlled trial (RCTs) is often considered the ‘gold standard’ of experimental research, however in the author's experience the availability of...

An evaluation of Henderson's nursing needs model and how it can be adapted for use in veterinary nursing

Virginia Henderson was an American theorist who believed that the patient's most important aspect was their ability to be as independent as when they are in full health (Gonzalo, 2014). The priority...