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VETERINARY SUPPORT STAFF

    
VSPN CE Course TECH239-1014: Wound Management
Audio and Text: In some of the course Real Time Sessions the lecture will be predominantly audio
while in others the lecture will be predominantly text.

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Instructor(s): Louise O'Dwyer, MBA BSc (Hons), RVN, DipAVN (Medical & Surgical), VTS (ECC)
Course Open: October 2-November 9, 2014
Real Time Sessions (RTS): Thursdays, October 9, 16, 23 & 30, 2014; 8-9:30pm ET (USA)
Course RTS Times in Your Area: World Clock Converter

Practice Sessions: In order to prepare you for a successful experience in your CE course, we request you attend a Practice Session prior to the first Real Time Session. Please arrive promptly at the start time; each Practice Session is up to 1 hour in length. For more information, please visit the CE Practice Area.

*The instructors for this course will be using audio which will require you to have a headset or speakers to listen. If you have any concerns regarding your computer's audio capabilities, please be sure to attend one of the Practice Sessions.

Level and Prerequisites: This intermediate course is focused toward veterinary technicians and veterinary assistants working with wounds from initial assessment to long term care.
VSPN CE Course: This course has been RACE approved for veterinary technicians only.
The Veterinary Information Network (VIN) is RACE Provider #22.

Course Description:
Wound management is an aspect of veterinary medicine which is encountered in every type of veterinary practice, from general practice, through to a referral setting. Modern advances in wound management mean the correct techniques in initial treatment, and the variety of modern wound dressings available, can often be very confusing. This series will provide clarification in areas such as initial treatment of wounds, including lavage and debridement, how to select an appropriate wound dressing, when to consider wound closure, and finally infection control considerations when dealing with wounds.

This course consists of four (4) Real Time Sessions of ninety (90) minutes each, supplemental library materials, interactive message board discussions, a mandatory end-of-course test, and may include online multiple choice quizzes (after each Real Time Session). Successful completion (scoring 80% or better) on the end-of-course test is required to earn a certificate of completion for the course.

*The lecture portion of this course will combine both text and audio presentation, please be prepared to listen.

*To learn more about the requirements for earning a CE certificate, please refer to Receiving Your CE Credit and Course Completion Certificate.

Upon completion of this course, the participant should be able to 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.

About the Instructors:
Louise O'Dwyer gained her Diploma in Advanced Veterinary Nursing (Surgical) in 2004 followed by her Diploma in Advanced Veterinary Nursing (Medical) in 2007 and Veterinary Technician Specialist (Emergency and Critical Care) in 2011. She has contributed to over 20 journal articles and books, and lectures regularly on all aspects of anesthesia, emergency and critical care and infection control. She worked as Head Nurse for PetMedics in Manchester, the largest emergency clinic in the UK for the past 13 years, and is now Clinical Director. Louise's interests include all aspects of emergency care but particularly trauma patients, as well as anesthesia, infection control and wound management. Louise is the co-author of 'Practical Emergency and Critical Care Veterinary Nursing' as well as 'Wound Management in Small Animals: A Practical Guide for Veterinary Nurses and Technicians', and the BSAVA 'Pocketbook for Nurses' and the forthcoming 'A Veterinary Nurse's Guide to Infection Prevention and Control' due 2015.

Course Outline:
Week 1 (Real Time Session October 9): Triage, Assessment and Initial Treatment of Wounds
Content: This session will focus on dealing with wounds when they initially present, what is the best action to take in terms of lavage fluids, initial dressings and what considerations need to be given to the patient as a whole. Also we will look at what owner can do at home in the initial minutes following specific injuries such as burns to minimize the damage. The process of wound healing will also be covered in this session.

Week 2 (Real Time Session October 16): Debridement and Open Wound Management
Content: This session will look at the various debridement techniques which can be used, and which one would be best suited to a particular type of wound, and to a particular budget. The choice of dressing for open wound management is often a very confusing subject; we will look at the dressings available and how to select the best one.

Week 3 (Real Time Session October 23): Wound Closure, Reconstruction and Infection Control
Content: This third session will look at final closure of wounds and methods of reconstruction of difficult wounds. Difficult to heal wounds will also be discussed, and the reasons why this may occur. The use of negative pressure wound therapy will also be discussed and its application in our veterinary patients. Wound management clinics will also be reviewed, looking at the important role nurses play in these patients.

Week 4 (Real Time Session October 30): Case Studies
Content: This final week we will work through example cases. The participant will be quizzed on triage, assessment, considerations for the patient, wound management, which dressings should be used and finally the method of reconstruction that should be used.

CE Credits: 6

Tuition: $120 ($108 early bird special if enrolled by September 18, 2014)

* Students currently enrolled in and taking at least 2 classes or 5 units at an AVMA accredited or CAAHT approved Veterinary Technician Program may be eligible to receive a 50% discount off the regular rate for this course (upon verification of student status).
*To ensure participants are ready and prepared for classes, enrollment will close at 5 pm ET October 9, 2014. or when the maximum number of participants is reached.
*For more information on how online CE works, see the Participant Resource Center.

To Enroll:
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  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Each person is individually responsible for his/her own registration. To ensure that all information received is secure and correct, please do not enroll for a course on behalf of another individual.
  4. For further assistance call 1-800-700-INFO (4636) or email VSPNCE@vspn.org. Please include the course title, your full name, and contact information in your correspondence.
*Note: "This course is approved for 6 continuing education credits in jurisdictions which recognize AAVSB RACE approval; however participants should be aware that some boards have limitations on the number of hours accepted in certain categories and/or restrictions on certain methods of delivery of continuing education." Call VSPN/VIN CE at 1-800-700-4636 for further information. (Attendees are encouraged to check with their licensing jurisdiction(s) for information regarding recognition by their board).

Course withdrawal and refund policy: A complete refund of the paid course price will be issued when your withdrawal request is received prior to the listed start date of the course. If you wish to withdraw after the start date please contact the VIN/VSPN office 1-800-700-INFO (4636) to discuss eligibility for a pro-rated refund.
* Note: To ensure rapid handling of your request for withdrawal, we recommend that you call the VIN/VSPN office at 1-800-700-INFO (4636).

*For more information on VSPN's upcoming CE courses, check the VSPN Course Catalog.

The CE team:

Charlotte Waack, RVT, CVT
VSPN CE Coordinator

VSPN CE Services: VSPNCE@vspn.org
800-846-0028 or 530-756-4881; ext. 792
or direct line to VIN/VSPN from the United Kingdom: 01452226154


800.700.4636  |  CEonVIN@vin.com  |  530.756.4881  |  Fax: 530.756.6035
777 West Covell Blvd, Davis, CA 95616

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