2019 - 2020 College Catalog 
    
    Mar 29, 2024  
2019 - 2020 College Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

VETS 238 - Surgical Nursing and Anesthesia


Credit Hours: 3
Lecture Hours: 3
Laboratory Hours: 0

Prerequisite(s): VETS 115 , VETS 131 , VETS 132 , VETS 160 , VETS 171 , VETS 180 , VETS 183 , CHEM 120  or CHEM 180 , BIOL 218 , and BIOL 230 .

Restriction(s): None

Corequisite(s): VETS 239  

This lecture course presents the components and monitoring of general anesthesia, use of anesthetic and monitoring devices, anesthetic drug calculations, fluid therapy, aseptic technique, surgical assisting, common small-animal surgical procedures, and care of the small- animal patient in and around the anesthetic period.

Student Learning Outcomes of the Course:
  1. The student will be able to create and maintain surgical, anesthesia, and controlled substance records and logs in compliance with regulatory guidelines
  2. The student will be able to establish and maintain appropriate sanitation and nosocomial protocols for a veterinary facility which will include maintaining appropriate disposal protocols for hazardous materials
  3. The student will be able to communicate and work with other team members in a professional manner
  4. The student will demonstrate, understand and observe legal boundaries of veterinary healthcare team members; interact professionally with clients and fellow staff members; and demonstrate a commitment to high quality patient care
  5. The student will demonstrate proficiency in their ability to prepare medications; label and package dispensed drugs correctly; read and follow veterinarian’s pharmacy orders; recognize groups of drugs, their mechanisms, and clinically relevant side effects; accurately perform appropriate calculations; use weights and measures correctly; safely and effectively administer drugs by common parenteral and enteral routes; be able to explain appropriate routes and methods and when used; demonstrate the ability to accurately record medical information; demonstrate understanding of controlled substance regulations.
  6. The student will demonstrate proficiency, when given a drug order, to properly prepare medications for dispensing, including performing accurate calculations and demonstrating compliance with regulations governing prescription drugs versus over-the-counter drugs.
  7. The student will demonstrate understanding of regulations governing maintenance of controlled substances log book.
  8. The student will demonstrate proficiency in their ability to obtain a thorough patient history; evaluate and record temperature, pulse, respiration, auscultation, hydration status; and collect specimens for diagnostic purposes. Given the characteristics of the patient, the veterinary technician student will be able to safely and efficiently obtain subjective and objective patient data that will allow accurate evaluation of the patient’s physical status with minimum stress and maximum safety.
  9. The student will demonstrate proficiency in their ability to implement sanitation procedures for animal holding and housing areas.
  10. The student will demonstrate proficiency in parenteral administration of medications.
  11. The student will demonstrate proficiency in fluid therapy.
  12. The student will demonstrate proficiency in applying bandages.
  13. The student will demonstrate proficiency in their ability to perform routine dental prophylaxis (manual and machine) and understand client education regarding patient home care.
  14. The student will demonstrate proficiency in their ability to administer anesthetic-related drugs by injection, mask, induction chamber or endotracheal tube; place endotracheal tubes in patients when appropriate; utilize clinical signs and appropriate equipment to monitor patient status in all stages of anesthetic procedures; evaluate patient and implement and evaluate pain management protocols; recognize and respond appropriately to patients in compromised states; perform appropriate resuscitation procedures as needed.
  15. The student will demonstrate proficiency in their ability to maintain and operate anesthetic delivery and monitoring equipment.
  16. The student will demonstrate proficiency in identifying standard soft tissue and orthopedic surgical instruments and knowledge of the following procedures (OHE, C-Section, Orchiectomy, Laparotomy)
  17. Given the characteristics of the patient and the surgical procedure to be performed, the veterinary technician student will be able to use medical records and patient identification methods to assure that the patient and scheduled procedures are correct.
  18. Given the characteristics of the patient and the surgical procedure to be performed, the veterinary technician student will be able to
    1. Identify the appropriate area of hair to be removed and select appropriate methods to reduce microbial flora on the skin in the area of surgical site in order to decrease the chance of surgical wound contamination.
    2. Understand and utilize appropriate aseptic techniques to assist operative personnel in order to provide maximum safety and benefit to the patient. Assure that anesthetic and post-operative pain management protocols are appropriate to provide maximum safety and benefit to the patient.
    3. Understand and administer the appropriate methods of post-operative care to assure maximum safety and benefit to the patient.
    4. Properly select, wrap and sterilize appropriate instruments and supplies and prepare and maintain the surgical environment to ensure maximum safety and benefit to the patient.