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| Unit name |
Principles of Animal Care and Nursing |
| Unit code |
VETS10003 |
| Credit points |
10 |
| Level of study |
C/4
|
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24)
|
| Unit director |
Mrs. Jeffery |
| Open unit status |
Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
None
|
| Co-requisites |
All other 1st year units
|
| School/department |
Bristol Veterinary School |
| Faculty |
Faculty of Health Sciences |
Description including Unit Aims
This unit will enable students to understand how healthy animals functions, how health can be maintained . Students will also learn to develop the essential skills of care and nursing in the management of patients in ill health.
Aims:
- To provide students with the theoretical knowledge and understanding to support the practical aspects of animal management .
- To provide students with the knowledge to work effectively within the clinical environments of veterinary practice.
- To provide students with an introduction to nursing cats, dogs and other small animal species commonly kept as pets.
Intended Learning Outcomes
- Discuss factors essential for maintaining animal health including handling and restraint
- Describe commonly used methods of animal identification ( eg tatooing, microchip)
- Recognise the different types of veterinary animal accommodation and evaluate their use in a range of clinical situations
- Explain the accommodation and management requirements of other small animal species commonly kept as pets.
- Identify different breeds of dogs and cats and classify them according to their recognised groupings. Discuss coat types and grooming required.
- Identify other small animals, birds, reptiles and exotic species commonly kept as pets.
- Identify the key features of nutrition,digestion and fluid balance
- Understand and be able to carry out procedures for admission, discharge and identification of patients.
- Explain the concept of nursing care as a support to veterinary treatment
- Describe the assessment and clinical observation of patients and explain the associated nursing needs
- Describe the nursing care and management of patients
- Understand the need for and provide special nursing care for geriatric, recumbent (including physical therapies), surgical, weak, premature and neonatal patients.
- Understand the breeding cycle ,parturition and neonatal care
- Describe the principles of sterilisation
- Understand the principles of Health and Safety within veterinary practice
- Demonstrate an understanding of infection control ( hand washing, barrier nursing, nosocomial infection)
Teaching Information
Lectures, practicals, small group seminars
Assessment Information
The overall pass mark for the unit is 40%.
Students must obtain a minimum of 40% in each of the following:
Written paper (1 hour) (50%)
Practical ( 20 minutes) (50%)
NB Students are expected to wear uniform for practical examinations.
Resits:
A failure in the above assessment will result in the student being required to re-sit at the next available opportunity.
Reading and References
- BSAVA Textbook of Veterinary Nursing 4th ed. Edited by Lane, Cooper & Turner.
- The Complete Textbook of Veterinary Nursing V. Aspinall.
- Bailliere’s Study Skills for Nurses. 3rd ed. Maslin-Prothero.
