Education

Bare below the elbows — is there any evidence?

HAIs are infections which a patient acquires during a period of hospitalisation. They can take on many forms including urinary tract infections, surgical site infections and infections associated with...

Ethical, legal and professional implications of student veterinary nurses working lone shifts

According to Rollin (2006) ethics are a set of rules or standards that govern the conduct of a person or persons who are members of a profession or culture. They include the reasons behind...

Identifying and controlling hazards to operating theatre personnel

The vast majority of sharps incidents in human surgery occur in the operating theatre and most are due to scalpel and suture needle injuries, which is not surprising given that these are the two most...

The euthanasia of aggressive dogs

Although there are no veterinary specific ethical frameworks, there are several frameworks used in human medicine that can be applied to veterinary medicine. Of these frameworks, perhaps the most...

Using fluoroscopy safely

Fluoroscopy uses x-ray radiation to produce moving or still images of the patient. In this respect many of the radiation protection issues have been addressed elsewhere in articles concerning x-ray...

Advanced approaches to handling dogs in practice

The first step in the application of modern behavioural knowledge to handling in practice is understanding the drives for canine behaviour and how dogs use communication to avoid aggression..

To spay or not to spay: the nurse's role in owner education

When admitting an animal for a surgical procedure the code of conduct dictates that consent must be obtained from the owner, which must be ‘informed’, meaning the pet owner must understand what will...

Using the ability model to design and implement a patient care plan

As described by Can and Erol (2012) NCPs provide an organised framework for the knowledge, thoughts and actions that nurses bring into patient care. Their structure is based on a model of nursing care...

An introduction to radiation protection in veterinary radiography

The main set of rules governing the use of x-rays are the Ionising Radiations Regulations (IRR 99). As these make heavy reading, the British Veterinary Association has published guidelines to help...

The impact of pet loss: an update on the research and evidence-based ways to help grieving clients

Grief is the term for the behavioural, social, psychological and emotional reactions that a person has in response to the ending of a significant relationship (Casarett et al, 2001). It is a...

Anticipating grief – the role of pre-euthanasia discussions

The moment of recognition that a cure is unattainable defines the beginning of palliative or hospice provision in an animal's care. When highly-bonded pet owners acknowledge this moment, it is normal...

Reducing sharps injuries in veterinary practice

Safety concerns are often thought of as costly; it is important to evaluate the current circumstance within the veterinary environment and apply safety measures to the areas of most concern as...