TECH120-0409: Practical Review for Veterinary Technicians: S2009 VTNE Preparation Class

INSTRUCTORS:
Nanette Walker Smith, M.Ed., RVT, CVT, LVT, Darci Palmer, RVT, VTS (Anes), Barb Burri, MBA, CVT, LVT, Shelley Shopsowitz-Durand, RVT, Mark Sharpless, CMAR, RLATG, CPIA

DATES:
April 13-June 24, 2009
Real Time Sessions: Sunday evenings, April 19, 26, May 3, 10, 17, 31, June 7, and 14, 2009 (no class May 24, 2009); 8:00pm-9:30pm ET (USA)

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This course is designed to help veterinary technician students review the basics of veterinary technology. It is also a very good review for veterinary technicians who wish to revisit the basics.

• Real-time interactive sessions will include discussion of systems to help the thinking process, use of methods to study and remember data, and exposure to interactive poll questions in a multiple choice format.
• Handouts may include study lists; questions and answers; and/or materials to help direct the student better identify what aspects of veterinary technology he/she needs to concentrate on for each topic.
• Message boards will be used to stimulate questions and guidance between all students and instructors. They should be used often to discuss homework, questions, and ideas for studying/remembering issues.
• Weekly homework quizzes will be available online to enhance the student's study of course topics providing additional exposure to the various styles of questions seen on the VTNE or state board exam.
• Due to the large amount of topics covered in this course, weekly study guides will not always cover what will be covered in the real time session or vice versa. Edited real time session logs emailed to all students should be treated as additional handouts, augmenting the library handouts, quizzes, and message boards discussions.

Upon completion of this class, students

• should be able to easily recall the basics of veterinary technology (those subjects taught in a typical 2-year veterinary technology program).
• should be able to solve multiple-choice questions similar to those given on the VTNE or any state board exam.
• should be able to locate, examine, and interpret information and apply study materials.
• will have built a network of colleagues through interaction with other course participants for sharing ideas and resources.
• will have been exposed to a minimum of 500 questions stimulating review of basic veterinary technology.

TEXTBOOKS: There are no required texts for this course. Students and graduates of AVMA/Canadian accredited veterinary technology programs should have the majority of or a similar set of the references and resources listed for this course. Below is our list of highly recommended texts for adjunctive information. A more complete list is available to participants once the course opens.
The VIN Store (http://store.vin.com) requires your VIN/VSPN secure information to purchase any of the recommended texts:

HIGHLY Recommended:

• Blood, D. C., Studdert, V. P., & Gay, C. C. (Ed.) (2007). Saunders Comprehensive Veterinary Dictionary, 3rd ed. Elsevier Health. VIN Store at: https://store.vin.com/custom/edit.asp?p=82402
• Veterinary Support Personnel Network. (2008). VSPN Notebook�, version 3.0 is online at VSPN for free. The printed version 3.0 is available through the VIN Store at https://store.vin.com/custom/edit.asp?p=99853. VSPN and VIN members MUST LOG IN to the Store to purchase this text
• Colville, T. P. (2003). Review Questions & Answers for Veterinary Technicians 3rd ed. VIN Store at: http://store.vin.com/custom/edit.asp?p=91423
• Tighe, M. M. & Brown, M. (2008). Mosby's Comprehensive Review for Veterinary Technicians, 3rd ed., VIN Store at: http://store.vin.com/custom/edit.asp?p=82333
• McCurnin, D. M. & Bassert, J. M. (2006). Clinical Textbook for Veterinary Technicians by 6th ed. Elsevier Health. VIN Store at: http://store.vin.com/custom/edit.asp?p=82142
• Other texts that might be of interest for further resources will be listed in the course area library.

Course Outline:

Week 1: Medical terminology, office practices, client relations, ethics, animal welfare, law, and occupational hazards
Real time session: Laboratory animals, laboratory procedures including sampling, parasitology, hematology, and microbiology

Week 2: Anatomy, physiology, pathology, zoonoses, and disease prevention
Real time session: Review of anatomy, physiology, pathology, zoonoses, and disease prevention

Week 3: Mathematical calculations and pharmacology
Guest Lecturer: Barb Burri, MBA, CVT, LVT
Real time session: Review of mathematical calculations and pharmacology

Week 4: Nursing of all common species (physical exam, handling, restraint, and basic nursing), dentistry, nutrition, reproduction and genetics. Brief overview of other species including camelids, ratites, caged birds, poultry, small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and wild animals
Real time session: Review of physical exam, handling, restraint, and basic nursing of all common and some less common species.

Week 5: Fluid therapy, anesthesia
Guest Lecturer: Darci Palmer, RVT, VTS (Anesthesia)
Real Time Session: Anesthesia

Week 6: Emergency/critical care, surgery (assisting and instrumentation), radiology, diagnostic imaging, injuries/wound care, bandaging
Guest Lecturer: Barb Burri, MBA, CVT, LVT
Real Time Session: Emergency/critical care, surgery (assisting and instrumentation), radiology, diagnostic imaging.

Week 7: Large animal medicine and nursing with emphasis on equine and food animals
Guest Lecturer: Shelley Shopsowitz-Durand, RVT
Real time session: Review of all large and food animal topics

Week 8: Review.
Real Time Session: 50 question practice exam, rapid-fire multiple choice. In addition there will be a 50 question multiple choice final exam in the course library to be completed online prior to course closure

Note: This class does not guarantee passage of the exam, but is designed to aid in studying for the exam by reviewing the information that a VT student should know upon graduation from an AVMA/Canadian accredited veterinary technology program. We will approach as many topics as possible in an effort to help the student identify levels of competency and to know better where to focus study efforts. In depth and advanced topics will NOT be covered.

Note: The course area remains open after the scheduled VTNE in January and June for an additional few days to allow participants to return to the course area and submit the course end evaluation. Participants are encouraged to continue reading and posting in the message boards for credit. The last real time session is the Sunday before the VTNE and the final exam is open prior to the VTNE for one last review of multiple choice questions.

LIBRARY MATERIALS:
Library materials will be made available prior to the topic week so participants will have plenty of time to prepare for the real time sessions and discussion. Due to the amount of material to be covered, it is highly recommended the student comes to class having reviewed the handouts for that week, reviewed the previous week's homework and study guide, utilized the message boards for the course, and is prepared to interact during the real time session.

MESSAGE BOARD DISCUSSIONS:
Message board discussions regarding the topic presented will begin on the day the course opens and continue for one week following the last real time session. These discussions will be held in the VSPN CE course area.

CE HOURS: 12 CEUs

TUITION:
$210 ($105 for enrolled VT program students or those who have graduated within 6 months of the course start date, see below).
* 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). You must include the following information in the comments section of the CE enrollment form in order to be eligible for this discount: your program director's name and contact information (email/phone) and school name.

NOTE:

• Enrollment for this course CLOSES on Monday, April 13, 2009
• Tuition fees are deeply discounted thanks to a generous grant from the VIN Foundation.
• VT students must include the following information in the 'comments' section of the course enrollment form for verification of your VT program student status in order to receive the reduced student rate. If this information is missing, the discount will NOT be applied:
  • Program director's name &email address
  • School name
  • Program phone number
  • Student's complete HOME or MAILING address

For more on how online CE works see the VSPN Participant's Resource Center: https://www.vin.com/CE/Public/VSPN/ParticipantVspn.htm

TO ENROLL:

1. Each enrollee must individually be a registered member of VSPN or VIN (www.vspn.org). Membership in VSPN is free; VIN membership includes VSPN membership.
2. To enroll in any VSPN CE course click on the ENROLL NOW link below the course title on the right side of the page at www.vspn.org/CE
3. Each enrollee must be able to receive emails from @vspn.org and @vin.com addresses. This is our major form of communication with participants. It is highly recommended that course participants use their own, personal emails rather than clinic/hospital/school email addresses.
4. VIN Member veterinarians SHOULD NOT register for their staff. Please have the staff member register through VSPN. Please email VSPNCE@vspn.org if you have questions.

Note: "This course has been submitted for approval for 12 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 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: Withdrawal prior to the listed start date of a course entitles the registrant to a complete refund or a credit toward a future VIN CE course, whichever is preferred. Withdrawal within 1 week after the listed start date (i.e. including no more than one real-time session) entitles the registrant to a credit toward any future VIN CE course. (Does not apply to courses with only one real-time session.) After the first real-time session, a registrant may withdraw due to special circumstances and receive prorated credit towards a future VIN course. These requests will be handled on an individual basis. The amount of the prorated credit will be determined based on 65% of the time remaining in the course at the time of withdrawal. It is not possible to withdrawal retroactively. Note: To ensure rapid handling of your request for withdrawal, we recommend that you call the VIN office at 1-800-700-INFO.

---

Nanette Walker Smith, M.Ed., RVT, CVT, LVT (VSPNCE@vspn.org)
BS, AS, AS
VSPN CE & Content Director (www.vspn.org)

Charlotte Waack (Charlotte@vspn.org); ext 193
Chris Upchurch (Chris@vspn.org), ext. 197
Darci Palmer (Darci@vspn.org); ext 179
Debbie Bess (DBess@vspn.org); ext 178
VSPN CE Services
1-800-846-0028 or 1-530-756-4881

1-800-700-4636 or 530-756-4881 ext 187 or 183

[ CE MAIN | COURSE CATALOG | RACE/GETTING CREDITS | ONLINE CE HOW TO | SUGGEST A COURSE | VIN MAIN ]

---

800.700.4636  |  CEonVIN@vin.com  |  530.756.4881  |  Fax: 530.756.6035 777 West Covell Blvd, Davis, CA 95616 Copyright 2000, Veterinary Information Network, Inc.