Academic Catalog

V T 56: SMALL ANIMAL NURSING II

Foothill College Course Outline of Record

Foothill College Course Outline of Record
Heading Value
Effective Term: Summer 2025
Units: 4
Hours: 3 lecture, 3 laboratory per week (72 total per quarter)
Prerequisite: V T 55.
Degree & Credit Status: Degree-Applicable Credit Course
Foothill GE: Non-GE
Transferable: CSU
Grade Type: Letter Grade Only
Repeatability: Not Repeatable

Student Learning Outcomes

  • Demonstrate entry-level knowledge and competency in the basic principles of animal care and the essential medical and surgical nursing tasks required of the first year Veterinary Technology student.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of phases of wound healing and proper management of traumatic and surgical wounds.
  • Demonstrate required knowledge of and competently perform all relevant Essential Skills for the Veterinary Technician as required by Program Accreditation.
  • Be able to read and understand food labels on pet food and discuss proper nutrition with pet owners.

Description

Students will utilize skills learned in V T 55 in collaboration with their classmates to gain the following nursing skills: wound care and bandaging, fluid therapy principles and practice, aseptic technique. Diagnostic skills include those common in small animal practice: blood pressure and cardiac monitoring, ophthalmic and dermatologic assessments. Intended for students in the Veterinary Technology Program; enrollment is limited to students accepted in the program.

Course Objectives

The student will be able to:

  1. Identify the various components of the ECG machine and explain the genesis of the electrocardiogram
  2. Perform blood pressure monitoring using both Doppler and Oscillometric monitors
  3. Demonstrate technical competency in basic diagnostic skills
  4. Demonstrate technical competency in basic therapeutic skills
  5. Discuss the basic principles of fluid administration
  6. Discuss intravenous catheter maintenance and troubleshooting
  7. Describe the phases of wound healing and exemplary wound care
  8. Demonstrate proper application of bandages and splints

Course Content

  1. ECG
    1. Parts of the ECG machine
    2. Types of ECG machines
    3. Recording an ECG
      1. Artifacts
      2. Troubleshooting
      3. Patient position and tips
      4. Physiology of each wave
      5. Normal variations
    4. Common abnormalities
  2. Diagnostic blood pressure
    1. Doppler monitor
      1. Troubleshooting
      2. Patient positioning
      3. Parts
      4. Tips
    2. Oscillometric monitor
      1. Troubleshooting
      2. Patient positioning
      3. Parts
      4. Tips
  3. Basic diagnostic skills
    1. Dermatologic skills
      1. Skin scraping
      2. Ectoparasite exam
      3. Dermatophyte test
      4. Ear cytology
    2. Ophthalmic skills
      1. Schirmer tear test
      2. Fluorescein stain
      3. Tonopen
  4. Basic therapeutic skills
    1. Ear exam and ear cleaning
    2. Nail trim: dog and cat
    3. Subcutaneous fluids
    4. Grooming dogs
    5. Grooming cats
    6. Anal sac expression
  5. Principles of fluid administration
    1. Fluid compartments in the animal body
    2. Oncotic pressure
    3. Assessment of dehydration
    4. Calculation
    5. Fluid selection
    6. Assessment of fluid needs
      1. Maintenance
      2. Ongoing losses
      3. Dehydration
      4. Rate
      5. Fluid pumps, drip rates
  6. Intravenous catheter
    1. Intravenous catheter placement
      1. Selection of vein
      2. Selection of catheter
      3. Securing the catheter
    2. Aseptic technique
    3. Problems and how to solve them
  7. Phases of wound healing
    1. Phases
    2. Triage
    3. Wound care techniques and tips
  8. Bandages and splints
    1. Bandage materials
    2. Primary, secondary, and tertiary layers
    3. Bandage technique and construction
    4. Apply simple bandages
      1. Modified Robert Jones
      2. Head bandage
      3. Body bandage
      4. Tail bandage

Lab Content

  1. ECG machine; record various ECG tracings on different species (dog, cat, human)
  2. Artifact free ECG tracing
  3. Intravenous catheterization on models
  4. IV catheter maintenance and troubleshooting
  5. Bandages and splints
  6. Common diagnostic and therapeutic procedures used in small animal clinics

Special Facilities and/or Equipment

1. Classroom and laboratory equipped with multimedia presentation and projection capabilities.
2. Laboratory equipped with intravenous catheters, needles, syringes, injectable solutions, bandaging materials and splints, microscopes, clinical pathology supplies, live dogs and cats, and housing and handling facilities.
3. Vascular access models.
4. Injection models.
5. Expired medications used for teaching.

Method(s) of Evaluation

Methods of Evaluation may include but are not limited to the following:

Assessments
Written homework assignments
Practical laboratory examinations
Completion of an essential skills competency checklist using standard criteria appropriate to the topics practiced in this course

Method(s) of Instruction

Methods of Instruction may include but are not limited to the following:

Lecture
Discussion
Cooperative learning exercises
Oral presentations
Laboratory activities: skills practice, demonstration

Representative Text(s) and Other Materials

Bassert, Joanna M., and Dennis M. McCurnin. Clinical Textbook For Veterinary Technicians, 10th ed.. 2023.

Types and/or Examples of Required Reading, Writing, and Outside of Class Assignments

  1. Weekly reading assignments from text, class handouts, and outside sources, ranging from 50-100 pages per week.
  2. Written assignments, participation in online forum discussions may be required, short answer essay questions.

Discipline(s)

Registered Veterinary Technician