Review by Kathy Lyon
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As with all British publications on technician's education/duties, the tasks described in this book are reaching far beyond what USA technicians are permitted. The opening chapter on "Role of the Veterinary Nurse" should not be expected to apply 100% to the role of a US technician. One should check first one's technician licensing board and the employing veterinarian. This is not to say that US technicians should ignore the book, the book is an interesting read, but keep in mind the limiting factor when employing some of the recommended duties.
British nurses expect to have their own room for consulting with clients prior to seeing the veterinarian, US technicians, probably just a few minutes in the exam room while you wait for the veterinarian.
This book has instructions on conducting a physical exam. Here, that is probably best left to the veterinarian—he/she would most likely repeat the exam so as to have firsthand knowledge of the animal and not want a technician to possibly interfere with the attitude of the animal prior to his/her exam.
If you are prepared to accept the fact that you probably will not be doing what the British "nurse" can do, the bulk of the information is useful and will assist you in creating a rapport with the clients. Also, there are many good ideas on the client-pet-technician relationship that will help the technician and the veterinarian as well.
The book illustrates tools common in the clinic and their use. Marketing is included with ideas on how you can help promote the clinic with special seasonal events that include the clients and their pets. Other ideas are included such as developing written protocols for the clinic, instructing clients on food and feeding, nutrition, behavior modification methods (food aversions, positive reinforcements, etc.), all interesting.
The book is educational and will provide useful information in many areas of animal care. The caution is to be sure and run any new protocols by your veterinarian before including them in the clinic format.
The USA veterinary nurse could learn a great deal from their British counterparts, and perhaps some ideas in the book would be useful to introduce to domestic technician training and protocols.
Read the book, it is excellent, and apply that which can be applied.
Table of Contents: Abbreviations; Introduction; Acknowledgments;
Part I The Role of the Nurse in the Veterinary Practice
1 Ethics; 2 Consulting Room and Literature; 3 The Consultation; 4 Diagnostic Clinics; 5 Marketing; 6 Named
Nurse and Protocol Writing;
Part II Nutrition and Diet
7 Food and Feeding; 8 Feeding Behaviours; 9 Nutrition for Puppies and Kittens; 10 Nutritional Assessment;
11 Dietary Transitions; 12 Methods of Increasing Water Consumption; 13 Dietary Supplements; 14 Rabbit Nutrition
Part III Behavioural Issues
15 Puppy and Kitten Behaviour; 16 Noise Phobias and Fireworks; Part IV ‘Well Pet’ Clinics; 17 Vaccination
Clinics; 18 Post-Neutering Clinics; 19 Senior Pet Clinics
Part V Medical Clinics
20 Arthritis; 21 Cancer; 22 Cardiac Disorders; 23 Cognitive Dysfunction; 24 Dental Problems; 25 Diabetes;
26 Epilepsy; 27 Gastrointestinal Disorders; 28 Hepatobiliary Disorders; 29 Obesity; 30 Pancreatic Disorders;
31 Renal Disorders; 32 Nutrition-Related Skin Disorders; 33 Urinary Tract Disorders
Appendix 1 Diet history sheet,
Appendix 2 Unit Conversion Tables, Glossary, Index
Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell
IBN 978-0-470-65514-6
VIN Bookstore: Currently Unavailable