BASIC PRINCIPLES OF SURGICAL ASSISTING
| Course Description |
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Basic Principles of Surgical Assisting is a 4 week course that is informative and practical for every member of the veterinary practice team who is responsible for working in and around the surgical suite. The 4 modules of study includes identification of surgical instruments, methods for cleaning and care of instruments, sterile fields, preparation of surgical instruments for surgical procedures, how to fold and prepare surgical packs, suture material and patterns, and more. This course provides both informational and practical applications.
NOTE: Basic Principles of Surgical Assisting does NOT contain material regarding the management of anesthetic patients during surgical procedures. VetMedTeam offers Basic Principles of Anesthesia and Advanced Concepts in Veterinary Anesthesia courses that thoroughly instructs the student on the proper techniques for the anesthetic patient.
NOTE: The course content and assignments are specifically designed for students working in a veterinary practice and contains assignments that require access to practice resources.
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| Learning Objectives |
After completion of this course, the student should be able to:
- identify the most used surgical instruments
- identify the various methods of sterilization used in veterinary medicine
- determine the proper method for cleaning, packing, and sterilizing various surgical instruments
- have a working and practical understanding of importance of a sterile field
- prepare the surgical suite for procedures
- prepare patients for surgical procedures
- know how to prepare and fold drapes, gowns, and surgical packs for sterilization
- identify the various surgical closure material and their usage
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| Course Content |
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The 4 modules of study includes identification of surgical instruments, methods for cleaning and care of instruments, sterile fields, preparation of surgical instruments for surgical procedures, how to fold and prepare surgical packs, suture material and patterns, and more.
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| Testimonials |
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...The pictures and descriptions of the instruments were very helpful to me.
...I found the course to be well-written, easy to understand and the pictures were great.
...I really enjoyed it and have one of Theresa's books
... The course was well organized. I appreciated the pdf files and photos to support written explanations
... Instrument identification was immediately very helpful in my day to day duties at work. I found the different types and styles of suture to be the most interesting aspect of the course.
... I really liked all the photos that the instructor included. It was very helpful. I also found the instrument checklist to be useful. From that I am in the midst of creating an entire instrument inventory for our hospital...on my own! Was just inspired by this!
... The course was very detailed and explained procedures very well. Easy to understand and follow. Instructor responds quickly to questions and discussion boards.
... Best of all I liked 4-th part about assisting in surgeries, especially parts about scrub nurse, suture material and suture pattern.
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| Student Login Requirements |
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VetMedTeam courses are asynchronous - they do not contain real time components. Students log in while a course is in session at times convenient to personal schedules.
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| Course Completion Requirements |
Upon fulfillment of all requirements, the student will receive a VetMedTeam, RACE documenting, certificate of completion. Students must:
- attain a score of 80% or higher on each of the course examinations
- complete the required posts to the discussion boards
- complete the course exit survey
The assignments in this course are highly practical, using the student's experience and the practice's resources to fulfill.
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| Recommended Student Criteria |
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This course is suitable for any member of the practice team seeking to develop skills and knowledge in surgical assisting.
Note: The course content and assignments are specifically designed for students working in a veterinary practice and contains assignments that require access to practice resources.
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| Continuing Education Credits |
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Course meets the requirements for 15 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.
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| Course Writer |
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Teresa Sonsthagen, BS, LVT
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| Course Instructor |
 Teresa Sonsthagen, BS, LVT
Teresa works in the Animal Sciences Department at North Dakota State University in the Veterinary Technology Program. She has been established there for many years and enjoys interacting with students and sharing her love of the profession with them. She is one of the Advisors for the Veterinary Technology Club at NDSU.
Teresa is an active member of the North Dakota Veterinary Technician Association having served in various officer positions and is currently their webmaster. She is an active member of the Association of Veterinary Technician Educators, serving as their Secretary/Treasurer.
Teresa is the author of "Veterinary Instruments and Equipment - A Pocket Guide" and co-author of "Animal Restraint for Veterinary Professionals" both published by Elsevier. She has also contributed to "Mosby's Comprehensive Review for Veterinary Technicians."
She shares a home with her husband, Brian, and two dogs, Gus, "A bad example of an English Cocker", and Rubi, a mini-weinie. She is also very active with her church as the Adult Bell Choir Director and Webmaster.
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| Pricing |
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Price: $145.00 USD
Students may enroll in this course after it has begun, up to the enrollment deadline date. Participants who enroll after the start date do not miss out on any components of the course. There are no real time sessions. The design of this course allows each student to proceed based on individual schedule, as long as all assignments are submitted by the assignment submission deadline.
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