Veterinary Nursing and Applied Animal Behaviour FdSc

Focus on the role of the veterinary nurse and working relationships with clients and members of the veterinary team, while learning effective communication strategies. Develop knowledge and understanding of a range of common medical conditions, exploring how these pathologies are detected and how they affect the physiological, sensorimotor and behavioural functioning of animals. You’ll gain a thorough understanding of recovery factors and aspects of drug administration in veterinary medicine and cover health and safety within the practice setting, including risk assessments, safe handling of animals and equipment, compliance with protocols for the maintenance of veterinary equipment and handling of hazardous materials, as well as emergency procedures. You’ll assess, devise, implement and evaluate appropriate management and treatment regimes for a range of acute and chronic health problems, within an evidence-based paradigm of care planning and delivery. The delivery, assessment and pass marks for this module have been approved by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons to enable you to apply to enter the register of veterinary nurses.

This module will equip you with both theoretical and practical knowledge of the natural behaviours and needs in captivity of a wide range of common and exotic species kept as human companions. You will become familiar with the gross anatomy of a range of companion animal species to allow you to undertake the safe handling of a variety of animals. Through this practical experience you will become proficient in a range of animal handling and husbandry techniques, including methods for the safe and effective restraint of a range of species and the conduction of routine health checks. Matters of Health and Safety as well as the legislative requirements of keeping animals will be covered. You will be expected to assess a wide variety of commercial housing and husbandry regimes and reflect on the factors which influence them and suggest evidence-based modifications to improve animal welfare. You will gain understanding of the breeding cycles of a range of domestic and exotic species and appreciate the reproductive strategies of natural mating, artificial insemination and pseudocyesis. You are expected to complete both routine and advanced husbandry duties within the Small Animal Unit, including weekend duties. Diary / Log book assessment will involve collecting evidence to support competency of practical skills and your ability to work effectively in a team as well as an evaluation of the professional and occupational standards followed in relation to your own specific practice. By the end of the module you will have developed the practical skills required to care for a range of animals as well as transferable skills required to work within the diverse animal Industry.

Gain an understanding of the operational processes and procedures that are fundamental to the effective management of veterinary practices. Explore the factors influencing working relationships with clients and between members of the veterinary team, and learn strategies to promote effective communication via the spoken and written word for both information exchange and the imparting of advice and guidance to clients. Particular attention will be paid to effective telephonic communication. Through an exploration of the psychology of animal owners as clients, you’ll develop effective communication skills for imparting professional advice and treatment information and supporting clients through the grieving process after the loss of a pet. The nature of Observed Simulated Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) will be explained and students will engage with the process through the rehearsal and assessment of some key practical tasks in readiness for their work-experience, which forms an integral part of this module. Students will explore the range of legislation and guidance governing the storage, prescribing and sale of veterinary medicines and non-food items and gain understanding of the range of skills required for the appropriate storage of drugs within a veterinary practice context.

Learn the role of a veterinary nurse in the surgical environment, including preparation and hygiene in the surgical environment, routine preparation of patients for operative procedures, supporting the surgical team during the procedure and the stabilisation and monitoring of the post operative patient.

Through this module, you’ll get an appreciation of how major anatomical structures and systems within animals relate to locomotion and behaviour. We’ll investigate the anatomy and physiology of animals giving you a thorough understanding of animal morphology. You’ll investigate the structure and function of all major body organs, including the superficial and deep muscles, skeletal structures, cardiovascular, digestive, nervous and respiratory systems. Through the study of the senses, particularly the auditory and visual systems, you’ll understand how various animals perceive their environment and the influence this has on its behaviour. Computer-based learning assignments will give you immediate formative guidance on your performance and assessments will be short answer, multiple choice based assessments and a traditional essay where you'll be required to relate anatomy and physiology to behavioural characteristics of animals.

In this module the philosophy and multidisciplinary origins of the scientific study of behaviour are reviewed. The ethically sound use of the scientific study of animal behaviour in pure and applied disciplines will be considered, especially in the context of the assessment of animal welfare. Differences in the emphases between the fields of psychology and animal behaviour are discussed, with particular reference to the learning process, and the synthesis of these fields is presented using a framework of proximate (developmental and mechanistic) and ultimate (functional and phylogenetic) explanations. Fundamental processes influencing animal behaviour will be considered, including the relative contributions of evolutionary processes, gene expression and environment in the elucidation of behaviour, and how the structures and processes of the nervous system underpin the biological bases of behaviour.

Gain knowledge and understanding of emerging imaging techniques and traditional laboratory diagnostics for differential diagnosis of disease and injury in veterinary practice. You’ll use a range of laboratory equipment and conduct standard laboratory tests, understanding and following protocols devised to comply with health and safety and other relevant safety at work legislation. Learn all the essential skills related to the preservation and processing of pathological samples and specimens and interpretation of the results from these investigations. You’ll focus on principles, practice, indications for use and interpretation of results of X-ray, ultrasonic and magnetic resonance imaging, CAT scans and endoscopic examination. This will develop your understanding of the principles and interpretation of electro cardiograms and competence in the maintenance and practical application of the equipment used for this diagnostic technique. The delivery, assessment and pass marks for this module have been approved by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons to enable you to apply to enter the register of veterinary nurses.

This module introduces the use of statistics and computing software in the biosciences. Although we focus on biological applications, the quantitative and IT skills you will gain will be of benefit in a number of graduate employment roles. You will be shown how to use information in the form of data to answer questions about biological systems, and learn a range of visual data presentation and statistical techniques. We will also show you how to choose the most appropriate technique for a range of data types and circumstances, perform and interpret numerical and graphical analyses correctly, and communicate the results clearly and transparently.

You’ll learn about animal morphology through investigation of the gross anatomy and physiology of animals. Investigate the structure and function of all major body organs, including the superficial and deep muscles, skeletal structures, cardiovascular, digestive, nervous and respiratory systems. Learn anatomical features of specific animals and the terminology for describing organs, regions of the body and anatomical directions. Through the study of the senses, particularly the auditory and visual systems, you’ll develop understanding of the way various animals perceive their environment and the influence this has on its behaviour.

Extensive knowledge of both conventional and contemporary emergency and critical care procedures and perioperative veterinary support for sick animals is crucial to the effectiveness of the role of the veterinary nurse. You’ll gain understanding of your potential role in relation to emergency and surgical care and the responsibilities of members of the surgical and post operative nursing team. You’ll gain in depth knowledge of the principles and practice of small animal first aid covering information gathering and history taking and such procedures as techniques of casualty assessment, the safe movement and transport of unconscious animals and immediate first aid for fractures and burns. The processes and equipment required for the receipt of an emergency casualty in the veterinary practice will be explained including procedures to stabilise or resuscitate a patient. You’ll learn the legal and administrative requirements for the admission and preparation of animals for surgery and develop your ability to create nursing records. You’ll cover in detail the core nursing procedures in the post operative period including patient monitoring of vital signs and bodily functions, comfort and freedom from psychological stress; administration of medication, fluids and nutrition; the hygienic elimination of waste products and wound management, including surgical wound care. You’ll cover emergency procedures for rapid deterioration and special intensive care nursing techniques such as the principles of intravenous cannulation, the administration of blood and the principles of respiratory therapy and parenteral nutrition is thoroughly explained. Discharge planning and advice on post-operative homecare is explained and you’ll devise appropriate homecare plans for a range of animals in common surgical scenarios. The delivery, assessment and pass marks for this module have been approved by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons to enable you to apply to enter the register of veterinary after graduating.

This module will introduce you to the study of animal health and nutrition with particular emphasis on the relationship between health, disease, nutrition and welfare in domesticated animals. You will examine the essential components of food and learn how they contribute to a balanced diet in domesticated animals. We will discuss comparative digestive anatomy and physiology, as well as the impact of appropriate and inappropriate nutrition on animal health and welfare. You will examine the agents of significant animal diseases including epizootics and zoonoses, and the transmission, management and prevention of disease. We will discuss the use of veterinary intervention, drugs and feed supplements and the impact of these measures on welfare. We will also consider the ethical implications of their deployment in problems of animal disease.

Animal handling, husbandry and general care are delivered in diverse settings by a number of professions. Here, you’ll explore different settings by negotiating a short placement of your choice within an appropriate specialist animal care setting. Your experience will foster the skills for independent learning, allow for experience of care in a different environment and may lay the foundations for your future career choices. You’ll spend time in a specialist animal care arena, allowing you to identify a personal focus for building upon the experience of inter-professional collaboration that you’ll gain throughout your course. The major focus of the module will relate to the understanding of evidence-based ‘best’ practice and the factors that can detract from the ideal within normal clinical settings. You’ll be given the opportunity for expert and peer review of their clinical practical skills in a simulated practice environment within the College of West Anglia. Group and individual engagement with realistic case scenarios will enable you to refine your problem-solving skills and culminate in the OSCE (Observed Structured Clinical Examination) to assess clinical competency in a range of practical skills fundamental to the practice of veterinary nursing. The delivery, assessment and pass marks for this module have been approved by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons to enable you to apply to enter the register of veterinary nurses.

An understanding of the professional, legal and ethical frameworks within which veterinary nurses operate in the UK is essential to safe and effective professional practice. You’ll learn to interpret the provisions of the Veterinary Surgeons Act and other relevant legislation in order to explain their impact on the scope of professional practice. Ethical frameworks will be examined and their relevance to veterinary nursing practice explored. You’ll gain an understanding of the functions of the RCVS as the professional regulatory body for veterinary nursing and its pivotal role in guiding professional conduct.

This module will build on your previous learning to develop a wider understanding of the range of disease and injury found in animal species. You’ll explore and rehearse handling, husbandry and rehabilitation techniques, including the use of the state of the art equipment within our new Equine Therapy Centre, designed to maintain and improve animal health. Through expert presentations and practical sessions, you’ll become familiar with the range of therapeutic and rehabilitation techniques that may be prescribed by veterinary personnel to combat a range of common illnesses and injuries in animal species. Video recording equipment and specialist analysis software will allow detailed observation of the movement patterns of both fit and injured animals. You’ll also have the opportunity to visit specialist centres such as the Animal Health Trust and veterinary hospitals. Guest lecturers from rehabilitation specialists will also be arranged. We’ll assess your learning through a case-study, showing your understanding of appropriate assessment techniques and immediate first-aid for an animal suffering from an illness or injury.

Investigate the gross anatomy and physiology of animals and understand how major anatomical structures and systems within animals relate to locomotion and behaviour. Investigate the structure and function of all major body organs, including the superficial and deep muscles, skeletal structures, cardiovascular, digestive, nervous and respiratory systems. Learn anatomical features of specific animals and the terminology for describing organs, regions of the body and anatomical directions. Through the study of the senses, particularly the auditory and visual systems, you’ll understand the way various animals perceive their environment and the influence this has on its behaviour. You’ll compare specific anatomical and physiological structures of birds, reptiles and mammals.