The student will be able to:

1. Explain how to restrain dogs and cats for common veterinary procedures.
2. Interpret dog and cat behavior.
3. Describe the steps taken to "room" a patient.
4. Describe the steps for common laboratory procedures in the veterinary clinic.
5. Summarize safety precautions required in a veterinary radiography setting.
6. Describe routes for common administration of veterinary medicines.
7. Describe techniques used in general nursing care of dogs and cats.
8. Explain the principles of wound care and bandaging.
9. Summarize principles of aseptic technique in surgical nursing.
10. Describe methods used to disinfect and sterilize surgical instruments and supplies.
11. Describe procedures for preparing the surgical site and surgical team.
12. Apply veterinary medical terminology to different organ systems and clinical procedures.

1. Animal restraint
   1. Manual restraint techniques
      1. Dog
      2. Cat
      3. Rabbit
   2. Manual restraint for common clinical procedures
      1. General examination
      2. Blood collection
      3. Urine collection
      4. Medicating by all routes
   3. Restraint devices
      1. Collars and leashes
      2. Muzzles
      3. Restraint bags
      4. Towel restraint
      5. Gloves
      6. Capture net
      7. Capture pole
2. Dog and cat behavior
   1. Visual cues
   2. Psychological restraint
3. Rooming a patient
   1. Client (pet owner) data
   2. Patient (dog or cat) data
   3. Normal and abnormal findings
4. Common laboratory procedures in the veterinary clinic
   1. Supplies needed for testing blood, urine, feces
   2. Safety protocols in the veterinary laboratory
5. Safety precautions required in a veterinary radiography setting
   1. X-ray machines
   2. Personal protective equipment necessary in taking radiographs
   3. Cleaning equipment
6. Medication administration
   1. Safety
   2. Enteral vs. parenteral
      1. Subcutaneous injections
      2. Intramuscular injections
      3. Giving oral medications
   3. Subcutaneous fluids
   4. Different topical routes (ophthalmic, aural, skin, rectally)
   5. Documentation in the medical record
7. General nursing care of dogs and cats
   1. Physical needs of hospitalized dogs and cats
   2. Psychological needs of hospitalized dogs and cats
   3. Level of consciousness, weight, body temperature, pulse, respiration, and urine production of hospitalized cats and dogs
   4. Pain in dogs and cats
   5. Documentation/recording of patient care
8. Wound care and bandaging
   1. Immediate wound care
   2. Beneficial effects of bandaging
   3. Specific types of bandages and layers
   4. Discharge instructions for bandaging
9. Surgical nursing
   1. Rules of aseptic technique and standard precautions
      1. Consequences of contamination
      2. Hand washing
      3. PPE
   2. Operating room conduct
      1. Roles of surgical team members
      2. Sterile zone
10. Disinfect and sterilize surgical instruments and supplies
    1. Surgical instrument identification
    2. Procedures and types of sterilization
       1. Autoclave
       2. Ethylene oxide gas sterilization
       3. High-level disinfection
    3. Surgical packs
    4. Cleaning the surgical suite
    5. Cleaning and preparing surgical linens
11. Preparing the surgical site and surgical team
    1. Hair removal and skin prep
    2. Assist the surgical team in gowning and gloving
    3. Surgical hand prep
    4. Surgical patient prep procedure
    5. Legal parameters surrounding anesthesia in a veterinary hospital
12. Veterinary medical terminology for different organ systems and clinical procedures
    1. Cardiovascular system terminology
    2. Respiratory system
    3. Gastrointestinal system
    4. Genitourinary system
    5. Special senses
    6. Immune system

Not applicable.

Assessments
Written assignments and projects
Participation in class discussion forums

Lecture
Electronic discussions/chat
Online course modules

Sonsthagen, Theresa. Tasks for the Veterinary Assistant, 4th ed.. 2020.

McBride, Douglas. Learning Veterinary Terminology, 2nd ed.. 2002.

Although the McBride text is older than the suggested "5 years or newer" standard, it remains clinically relevant and appropriate for the level of the student in this area of study.

1. Weekly reading assignments from online modules, text, internet resources, and other outside sources, ranging from 30-60 pages per week.
2. Written assignments, participation in online discussion forums.