VETERINARY NURSING: SMALL ANIMAL HEMATOLOGY PART ONE

 

 

RACE Approved Interactive For Veterinary Technicians/Nurses

Course meets the requirements for 18 RACE hours of continuing education credit for veterinary technicians in jurisdictions which recognize AAVSB's 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.

RACE Subject Category: Medical; Delivery Method: Interactive Distance; Program Number 755577.



This course does not require employment nor prior experience.

 

Course Focus - Learning Objectives - Completion Requirements

Veterinary Nursing: Small Animal Hematology Part One begins with the basic preparation and evaluation of normal blood films, and advances into abnormal erythrocytes, leukocytes, and platelets. Students learn to identify cells affected by pathologic destruction, inclusions, and infectious agents. Hereditary dysfunctions are also covered, as many of our common breeds are predisposed to genetic abnormalities. Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of blood cell production and factors affecting such process. Platelet and coagulation disorders, recommended tests, and immunohematology finish out the course.

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

  • estimate blood volume of a patient
  • evaluate packed cells, plasma appearance and determine fibrinogen from micro-hematocrit tubes
  • prepare and evaluate blood films
  • compare and contrast blood film staining procedures
  • identify the function of erythrocytes, leukocytes and platelets
  • identify abnormal erythrocytes and leukocytes, due to destruction, inclusions or infectious agents
  • compare and contrast hemolytic anemias and immune mediated disorders
  • describe the process of hematopoiesis
  • evaluate clotting and platelet maladies
  • differentiate acquired and hereditary coagulation disorders
  • identify transfusion reactions
  • assess immunodeficiency disorders

Completion requirements:

Instructor Graded Interactive Critical Thinking and Case Study Assignments: Designed to help the participant apply the newly learned skills and knowledge via implementation focused and patient based scenarios

Examinations: Must be submitted with a score of 80% or better, multiple attempts

Course Survey

A certificate of completion is provided.

 

How Does the Enrollment Process Work?

This course is designed to be as schedule friendly as possible as we understand it can be hard to fit interactive CE into an already busy life. Open enrollment allows students to enroll in this course at any time.

Once the course payment transaction has been submitted, we will receive a notification of enrollment. In addition, the student will be sent a couple of "heads up" emails. The payment receipt will be sent to the email address designated in the payment page of the shopping cart, by the person who paid.

There is a post-payment manual process we must complete in order to add the new student to the course.

Completing enrollments as quickly as possible is a priority but it can take a full 24 hours, especially on weekends and holidays. Once fully enrolled. the student will be sent a course welcome email containing important information, including how to access and log into the course.

 

Activity Requirements

Students are not expected to be online in the course at any specific times as there are no real time lectures.

In order to remain active in the course, a student must post assignments on a regular basis. Module or final exams, reading or viewing training materials, or just logging into the course, does not meet this requirement. Assignments are course activities that require submission to the instructor for review, grading (pass/fail) and feedback. As long as the participant continues to make regular progress, course access time is not set to a specific deadline.

If 30 days elapses without submitted assignment activity, the student will be removed from the course and graded out as incomplete, as the lack of activity will indicate the student wishes to drop the course.

But What If Something Comes Up?:

There are times that students will have situations that interfere with their ability to work the course on a regular basis. In that case an email to VetMedTeam, as soon as such a situation arises, will allow us to work with the student to adjust the time frame. It all comes down to communication.

 

Technology Requirements

Reading content within the course is provided via PDF therefore the ability to download files and open PDFs is required.

It is recommended that participants utilize a program such as MS Word to create, and save, their assignment submission to their computer. Then the information can be pasted into the assignment submission area.

 

Participant Feedback

When asked what aspects of the course liked best some responses were:

...The overall quality of the micro-photographs was excellent and were a vital part of be successful with this course. The instructor was kind enough to also provide further information when needed, which I appreciated very much.

...I found the course case studies were most beneficial to me. Searching for all possible diagnosis with information provided for each case was challenging and interesting. Feedback was very helpful and educational for me. Thanks!!

...The website runs smoothly.

...This was the most beneficial CE course I've ever completed! The fact that you had to turn in assignments and have them graded really made you take the time to learn the material. Anyone can go and sit and listen to a lecture for CE credit, but this was more like taking a course than any other CE I've completed. I'll definitely be taking more VetMedTeam online courses!

...I liked learning about the morphology of various blood cells, different anemias, functions of blood cells and stains. It was a really nice review on the topics I learned in school with some new information mixed in. I really liked the case studies because they helped with critical thinking and made you put together information in a real world scenario.

...The layout of the course website was very easy to understand and navigate.

...This was a course that was very relevant to my job. I appreciate the emphasis on blood film review.

...This course provided exactly what I wanted. All our bloods go to an external lab but I wanted a greater understanding of the patient's results and why they had occurred. Rebeccah was a brilliant instructor giving me great guidance when I ask.

...Pictures, diagrams, and charts in the readings to help me with identifying cells, etc

...The critical thinking/ real world problem solving

...The reading and case study questions

...RBC morphology and evaluation of leukocytes

...case studies and feed back from instructor

 

Course Instructor

Rebeccah Vaughan, CVT, VTS (Anesthesia) (Clinical Practice- canine/feline)Rebeccah Vaughan, CVT, VTS (Anesthesia) (Clinical Practice- canine/feline)

Becky Vaughan is a Certified Veterinary Technician and a Veterinary Technician Specialist (VTS) in Anesthesia/Analgesia and in Clinical Practice - Canine/Feline. After graduating from Manor College in Jenkintown, PA in 2002, Becky's career has taken her to General Practice and Specialty Surgery, Radiology, Dentistry, and Emergency services in Philadelphia, Vermont, and the Chicagoland area in a variety of patient care and leadership roles.

Becky is currently an ER Veterinary Nurse for Veterinary Emergency Group in Lincoln Park, Chicago, IL, where the hospital provides a unique open-concept experience for pet owners throughout all aspects of emergency care, even during anesthesia and surgery. She also serves on the Credentials Committee as well as is the Vice President (becoming President afterward) for the Academy of Veterinary Technicians in Clinical Practice.

Becky has lectured on anesthesia and dentistry topics throughout the US since 2006. She has contributed to magazines, textbooks, and VSPN on a number of topics, as well as being an instructor for VetMedTeam courses. Becky also spent many years as part of a Technician and Assistant Task Force for the VCA corporate Medical Operations division in an effort to improve and standardize support staff education nationwide.

Becky has a special interest in critical anesthesia, dentistry, and feline pain management. She loves working with all species of patients. She shares her home in Downers Grove, IL with her family and pets.

 

Pricing

Price: $199.00 USD


Practices may enroll individual team members. To learn how to assign a specific team member to a course, please visit the Assigning Students page.


Please use this link to view the Withdrawal Policy for this course.