2018-2019 College Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Veterinary Science Technology - AAS
|
|
 Return to: All Programs
SUNY Curriculum Code: 0521
Advisement Options within the Program
The AAS degree has an additional advisement option: Laboratory Animal technician. With additional professional experience, graduates who complete advanced laboratory animal courses are eligible to take the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science Certification examination. The program provides opportunities for continuing education for laboratory animal technicians. Students interested in these options should discuss their interest with and work closely with their advisor since additional courses would be required.
Students who pursue veterinary school must be highly motivated, have a strong interest in veterinary science, perform well academically in science and mathematics, and be capable of carrying a heavy credit load as they are required to take additional courses in biology, chemistry, and mathematics at the pre-calculus level or higher (a higher level of mathematics than is required for the AAS degree).
Academic Requirements
|
Minimum Total Credit Hours = 64
Program Learning Outcomes
A graduate of the Veterinary Science Technology AAS program should be able to:
- Successfully complete the Veterinary Technician National Exam.
- Demonstrate skills and knowledge of domestic animals, including: normal values for temperature, pulse, and respiration; conduct a thorough and accurate physical examination, including the proper use of the stethoscope; restrain animals for physical examination and veterinary techniques.
- Perform animal nursing and critical care for all common domestic animals, including: restraint, administering medications, diagnostic sampling for laboratory evaluation, maintaining fluid therapy, applying and removing bandages and splints, and applying established emergency protocols.
- Assist with animal surgery, including: knowledge of routine procedures and operating-room equipment; prepare the patient, veterinary personnel, and equipment for sterile surgical procedures; function effectively as a surgical assistant to the veterinary surgeon during surgical procedures.
- Induce, stabilize, monitor, and maintain anesthesia under supervision of the veterinarian; recognize and report anesthetic emergencies; apply resuscitation techniques and CPR.
- Assist with diagnostic imaging, including: radiography and ultrasound; expose, develop, and evaluate radiographs to provide diagnostic images for veterinary interpretation and diagnosis; and properly clean and maintain diagnostic imaging equipment.
- Perform common laboratory procedures, including: hematological examinations, blood chemistries, urinalysis, parasitic examinations, cytological procedures, microbiological procedures, and necropsy.
- Provide competent assistance with office procedures: telephone contacts, making appointments, admitting and discharging patients, maintaining medical and financial records, and establishing and maintaining a clean and orderly veterinary facility.
- Communicate with the public, clients and colleagues through both verbal and written communication skills, including effective listening and grief-management assistance to clients and colleagues.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the common medicines used in veterinary medicine, including: types and groups of drugs; labeling and packaging of dispensed drugs; using weights and measures correctly; calculating dosages; safely storing, handling, and disposing of controlled substances, biologics, therapeutic agents, and hazardous wastes.
- Differentiate between normal and abnormal patient responses to medication.
- Understand basic knowledge of animal health, common diseases, and disease processes for all common domestic animals.
- Demonstrate skills and knowledge associated with the use of common laboratory animals, including basic principles of animal research; local, state, and federal animal-welfare regulations.
- Demonstrate skills and knowledge associated with cleaning, sanitizing, and sterilizing equipment and facilities, including knowledge of products, equipment, procedures, and techniques routinely used in reducing, eliminating, or preventing contamination of the animal-care institutions.
- Demonstrate the skills and knowledge associated with dental hygiene, dental charting, dental prophylaxis and client education regarding dental health.
SUNY General Education Requirement
Students who intend to receive AA, AS, or baccalaureate degrees must satisfy SUNY and campus General Education (GE) requirements to graduate. Students should be aware that GE requirements may vary by academic program. Consult with your academic advisor for program-specific information; for general information: General Education
AAS and AOS degree students may not be required to fulfill General Education (GE) requirements; however, any student who may wish to transfer should complete as many GE courses as possible. Consult with your academic advisor.
Technical Standards for Veterinary Science Technology Programs
The technical standards listed below are intended to inform students of the skills, abilities, and behavioral expectations required in this program. These technical standards reflect performance abilities and characteristics that are necessary to successfully complete the requirements of this program at SUNY Delhi. These standards are not conditions of admission to the program, but persons interested in applying for admission to the program should review this list to develop a better understanding of the skills, abilities, and behavioral expectations necessary to successfully complete the program. The college complies with the requirements and spirit of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990; therefore, the college will endeavor to make reasonable accommodations for participants with disabilities who are otherwise qualified.
Office and Hospital Procedures, Client Relations
The student must:
- Communicate with clients and other veterinary professionals to disseminate information relevant to patient care, including obtain an accurate patient history.
- Participate in facility management utilizing traditional and electronic media to manage inventory, schedule appointments, admit and discharge patients.
- File medical records, radiographs, and lab reports.
- Demonstrate telephone etiquette.
- Apply crisis intervention/grief management skills with clients.
- Understand and observe legal boundaries of the veterinary healthcare team members.
- Interact professionally with clients and fellow staff members.
- Demonstrate a commitment to high quality patient care.
- Respect and protect the confidentiality of client and patient information.
- Demonstrate the ability to accurately record medical information.
Pharmacy and Pharmacology
The student must:
- Interpret and follow veterinarian’s pharmacy orders and accurately perform appropriate calculations to prepare medications, including correctly labeling and dispensing drugs.
- Monitor therapeutic responses to drugs and differentiate between abnormal and normal responses to medication.
Nursing Care
The student must:
- Safely work with domestic farm animals, dogs, cats, and laboratory animals.
- Demonstrate safe, effective, and appropriate restraint techniques while veterinary procedures are performed on an animal.
- Demonstrate safe and effective use of restraint devices such as:
- Muzzle
- Elizabethan collar
- Restraint pole
- Halter
- Twitch
- Chutes
- Transfer patients in and out of cages, kennels, and stalls.
- Safely administer medication to animal patients via:
- Parenteral (subcutaneous, intramuscular, intravenous)
- Enteral (balling gun, dose syringe, gastric intubation, hand pilling)
- Topical routes (including eye meds)
- Perform fluid therapy.
- Placement and care of intravenous catheters
- Determine and maintain fluid infusion rate
- Monitor patient hydration status
- Perform patient assessment techniques that will allow for accurate evaluation of the patient’s physical status with minimal stress and anxiety.
- Obtain temperature, pulse, respiration.
- Assess hydration status.
- Safely apply and remove bandages.
- Recognize and respond appropriately to veterinary medical emergencies and apply established emergency protocols. Perform:
- First aid
- Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
- Recognize common domestic animal species and breeds.
- Demonstrate therapeutic bathing, basic grooming, and dipping of small animals.
- Implement appropriate husbandry techniques to enhance wellness and reduce risk of injury and stress.
- Perform appropriate sanitation and nosocomial protocols for a veterinary facility.
- Manipulate and operate equipment necessary for veterinary medical care.
- Interpret expressions and signs of pain in the veterinary patient.
- Identify and interpret changes in patient mucous membrane to evaluate for cyanosis, icterus, and shock.
- Collect diagnostic specimens such as blood, urine, and feces.
- Monitor and assess health status.
- Auscultation of heart and lungs
- Respond to equipment alarms and warning sounds of impending danger from animals, humans, and/or equipment
Anesthesia and Surgical Nursing
The student must:
- Communicate in a surgery room while all occupants wear surgical masks.
- Safely manipulate and move patients to a surgical table.
- Accurately calculate and properly administer anesthetic drug dosages via injection, endotracheal tube or mask.
- Safely perform endotracheal intubation.
- Maintain and operate anesthetic delivery and monitoring equipment, including:
- Pulse oximeter
- Capnograph
- Esophageal stethoscope
- Electrocardiograph
- Resuscitation bag
- Scavenging systems
- Oxygen sources
- Respiratory monitors
- Blood pressure monitoring
- Laryngoscopes
- Thermometer
Laboratory Procedures
The student must:
- Use a compound microscope to identify cells and organisms.
- Accurately pipette specimens.
- Accurately record the results of manual tests such as:
- Packed cell volume
- Total protein
- Specific gravity
- ELISA tests
- Accurately record the physical properties of diagnostic specimens.
- Prepare fecal specimens using floatation techniques.
- Perform microbiological procedures to accurately identify microbes.
- Use of Bunsen burner
- Loop
- Staining techniques
- Culture media
- Perform fine needle tissue aspirates and impression smear preparation.
- Perform necropsy.
Imaging
The student must:
- Manipulate and operate radiographic equipment.
- Critique radiographs to determine if radiographic contrast and density are correct.
- Properly measure anatomic area to be radiographed.
- Accurately interpret technique charts and properly set the parameters in the console of the radiographic machine.
- Properly record parameters in radiation log book.
- Properly label film with patient information.
- Manipulate patient for correct positioning to produce a diagnostic radiograph.
- Perform proper maintenance of radiographic equipment.
|
Return to: All Programs
|
|
|
