Course Open: May 29-July 4, 2024
Real Time Sessions (RTS): Mondays, June 3, 10, 17, 24, 2024; 8:00-9:30 PM ET (USA) World Clock Converter
Total CE Credit: 6
RACE Category: 6 hours Medical
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Tuition: $132 ($119 early bird special if enrolled by May 15, 2024) |
Course Information:
Physical rehabilitation for animals is rapidly becoming a standard of care in most specialty and university hospitals and general practice. This course is designed to teach seasoned veterinary technicians and assistants various physical rehabilitation techniques that can immediately be implemented in their clinic for the benefit of their hospitalized patients. It is designed to help technicians have the proper skills to carry out rehab exercises prescribed by the managing veterinarian. The discussion will include charting, pain scales, therapeutic exercise goals, precautions, and contraindications.
- Understand the veterinary technician’s role as part of the rehab team.
- Utilize pain scales to document pain levels in patients.
- Document rehab exercises and outcomes in patient charts.
- Differentiate between proper and improper body mechanics.
- Recognize benefits, contraindications, and treatment parameters for cryotherapy, thermotherapy, and hydrotherapy.
- Select different rehab equipment that can be used with hospitalized patients.
- Describe the responses of different tissues to disuse and immobilization.
- Describe the components of a patient’s gait.
- Demonstrate the difference between passive and active ROM and point out the benefits of each and when one is preferable over the other.
- Assist with supported weight-bearing and gaiting exercises.
- Define goals of rehab for early-stage post-operative orthopedic patients.
- Recognize where patients lie on a neurological function spectrum.
- Differentiate between upper and lower motor neuron tone.
- Define goals of rehab for hospitalized neurologic patients.
- Demonstrate knowledge of various techniques utilized to care for the “down” patient.
- Assess patient body language for levels of aggression and fear.
- Utilize certain techniques to reduce fear and anxiety levels in patients in order to minimize/prevent aggression.
- Prepare a patient for photobiomodulation therapy.
- Effectively apply and use an assistive cart for mobility assistance.
RACE Accreditation: This program has been RACE approved for 6 hours of continuing education credit for veterinary technicians/technologists in jurisdictions that recognize RACE approval. (20-1192032)
Course Agenda:Week 1 (Real Time Session June 3): Introduction to Veterinary Physical Rehabilitation
Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to understand the veterinary technician’s role as part of the rehab team, utilize pain scales to document pain levels in patients, document rehab exercises and outcomes in patient charts, understand the responses of different tissues to disuse and immobilization, differentiate between proper and improper body mechanics, recognize benefits, contraindications, and treatment parameters for cryotherapy and thermotherapy, and select different rehab equipment that can be used with hospitalized patients.
Week 2 (Real Time Session June 10):
Physical Rehabilitation of the Orthopedic Patient
Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to describe the components of a patient’s gait, demonstrate the difference between passive and active ROM, and point out the benefits of each and when one is preferable over the other, assist with supported weight-bearing and gaiting exercises, and define goals of rehab for early-stage post-operative orthopedic patients.
Week 3 (Real Time Session June 17):
Physical Rehabilitation of the Neurologic Patient
Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to recognize where patients lie on a neurological function spectrum, differentiate between upper and lower motor neuron tone, define goals of rehab for hospitalized neurologic patients, and demonstrate knowledge of various techniques utilized to care for the “down” patient.
Week 4 (Real Time Session June 24):
Treatment of the Aggressive Patient and Further Modalities
Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to assess the patient's body language for levels of aggression and fear, utilize certain techniques to reduce fear and anxiety levels in patients in order to minimize/prevent aggression, prepare a patient for photobiomodulation therapy, the benefits of hydrotherapy, effectively apply and use an assistive cart for mobility assistance.
Successful completion (scoring 80% or better) on the end-of-course test is required to earn a certificate of completion for the course. To learn more about the requirements for earning a CE certificate, please refer to Receiving Your CE Credit and Course Completion Certificate.
Course Materials: Course materials will be available in the course library prior to each Real Time Session.Required Textbook(s): There is no required textbook for this course.
Enroll Now |
Tuition: $132 ($119 early bird special if enrolled by May 15, 2024) |
- Enrollment qualifications: VIN CE courses are open to VIN member and non-member veterinarians. Veterinarians enrolling in a VSPN CE course must be a VIN member. Veterinary support staff must be a VSPN member to enroll in a VSPN CE or a VIN CE course open to VSPN member enrollment.
- Each enrollee must be able to receive emails from @vspn.org and @vin.com addresses. Email is our major form of communication with participants; personal emails are highly recommended rather than clinic/hospital email addresses.
- For further assistance call 800-846-0028 ext.792 or email VSPNCE. Please include the course title, your full name, and contact information in your correspondence.
800-846-0028 or 530-756-4881; ext. 792
or direct line to VIN/VSPN from the United Kingdom: 01 45 222 6154
or direct line to VIN/VSPN from Australia: 02 6145 2357