VSPN Review by Lisa Kernaghan, CVT, VTS (ECC) 
(Click on stars for an explanation) |
This book is Out of Print. |
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This text is designed to be a quick reference for everyday information needed by the veterinary technician. It is a small book, set up into nineteen alphabetically tabbed sections and is printed on pages that can be wiped off if needed. It is the “nerd book” many people try to make in order to have frequently needed information at their fingertips. Here all the work is done for the technician.
The book covers most of the major topics that one might run across in the average day- from anesthesia and imaging to lab techniques and nursing care. It also covers medical records and office procedures. Each section is easily accessible and there are areas to write in one’s own notes. The topics include: Anatomy, Anesthesia, Cytology and Endocrine Function Tests, Dentistry, Emergencies, Physical Exam, Hematology, Imaging, Nursing Care, Nutrition, Medical Records and Office Procedures, Parasitology, Pharmaceuticals, Pocket Pets, Reproduction, Surgery, Urinalysis, Vaccines and Disease, and Zoonosis.
This book would be a great asset to a new technician as it has quite a bit of information that is used daily. Although the book is not meant to be an in-depth analysis of the many topics it covers, is a good basis to start, with each section having a list of references at the back if further information is needed. The reviewer would have liked to have seen clearer pictures in the laboratory sections for comparisons. The pharmaceuticals section had a nice listing of drug calculations and conversion factors that are always good to have at hand as well as CBC formulas and procedures in the hematology section which are most appreciated. Although there were a few areas the reviewer felt could have provided a little more information, overall she would have loved this book as a new technician, and is happy to add it to her library now to supplement many years of practical experience.
This is definitely a book technicians will turn to in everyday practice. It might not be the first book a veterinarian would grab for daily use, but it is a handy reference for those tasks they might need some brushing up on if they are called to some technical duties.
Publisher: Delmar - Cengage Learning (2010).
ISBN-13: 978-1-4283-5782-2.