VETERINARY NURSING: MATHEMATICAL CALCULATIONS
| 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 745143.
This course does not require employment nor prior experience.
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| Course Focus - Learning Objectives - Completion Requirements |
Veterinary Nursing: Mathematical Calculations provides an overview of veterinary calculations. Numerous practical examples and worksheets are included to develop the student's confidence in carrying out the calculations.
Each type of calculation has its own separate section and is created to present the concepts in the clearest method possible in written and interactive formats. The course is structured in such a way that the student can progress from a simple explanation of the arithmetic principles involved to the more complicated application of these principles essential to veterinary calculations.
Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to:
- recognize and define common mathematical unit and veterinary dosage abbreviations
- perform fraction, percentage, decimal, metric and household unit conversions
- apply the concept of ratio and proportion in determining equal values
- compute dosages for medications in all forms
- demonstrate the mathematical preparation of solutions and dilutions
- calculate fluid dosages and estimate fluid deficits and maintenance
- formulate fluid drip rates for IV fluids
- anticipate tidal volume, minute volume, and anesthetic flow rates
- discuss basic radiology mathematical concepts and manipulate radiology calculations
- determine and understand a patient's energy requirements
Completion requirements:
Instructor Graded Interactive Calculation and Case Study Assignments: Designed to help the participant apply the newly learned skills and knowledge via implementation focused and patient based scenarios
Comprehension Quizzes: Must be submitted with a score of 80% or better, multiple attempts
Course Survey
A certificate of completion is provided.
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| Flexible Open Enrollment and the Activity Requirements |
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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. Students can expect to be able to access their course with 48 hours of enrollment submission.
The participant is not expected to be online in the course at any specific times as there are no real time lectures. The instructor will respond to an assignment submission, or a forum question, within 48 hours, with extended time for holidays.
Activity Requirements:
In order to remain in the course, a student must post assignments for grading on a regular, frequent, basis. Module or final exams, or just logging into the course, does not meet this requirement. As long as the participant continues to make regular progress, course access time is not set to a specific deadline.
However, the course is not designed to take months to complete. If 30 days elapses without submitted assignment activity, the student will be removed from the course and graded 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.
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| Technology Requirements |
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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.
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| Participant Feedback |
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When asked what aspects of the course liked best some responses were:
... The whole course was very beneficial for me. It's been a while since I have done dosage and it was an excellent review. I liked that the Radiography and anesthetic gases and flow rates were in the course as well.
... The step by step methods the course was laid out in was very helpful. I used the course to improve my confidence in math used in every day clinic use. I wanted to also increase my knowledge in areas we don't use math as frequently, due to charts pre done in our clinic. I achieved this goals in the majority of the areas I was seeking to do so.
... I loved this course! I have been out of practice for a while and it was a terrific refresher.
... I enjoyed this course very much. The dilution module was great! I like the way the course is structured and there was sufficient examples in each module to help fully understand each potential situation in "real life". Well done!
... I enjoyed that it covered a large range of mathematical concepts used in practice. The practice problems in the modules were useful as well.
... The entire course was challenging & provided me with equations and problem solving that i wasn't knowledgeable about before. The equations will definitely remain handy if i return working in a veterinary hospital. Thank you to the instructor for being accessible & accommodating.
... Applying things I learned to everyday situations in the practice helped a lot. The assignments and practice quizzes/demonstrations in the presentations really helped put everything into place for me.
...It was a really thought out course, well organized (from basics to more advanced math) and the reading material / modules were very well done and very accurately related to the assignments.
...Instructor feedback
...Determining fluid rates and how to make sedative cocktails
...Great refresher! Great feedback from instructor.
...Figuring out medication dosage was most useful, helping me understand medical math better, fractions/percentages
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| Course Instructor |
 Linda Merrill, LVT, VTS (Small Animal Internal Medicine) Emeritus
Linda received her AS degree in veterinary technology and an AA degree, both from Pierce College in Washington State. She has worked in specialty practice (cardio-pulmonary and oncology) and the majority of her time in small animal practice. She retired from clinical practice in 2021 but remains active in other areas of veterinary medicine.
She is an author and editor; her most recent works are as an author for the Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 9th edition and as the editor for Small Animal Internal Medicine for Veterinary Technicians and Nurses, 2nd edition (in print 2024).
Linda is the former President of the Washington State Association of Veterinary Technicians and former President of the National Association of Veterinary Technicians of America (NAVTA).
Linda has achieved two Veterinary Technician Specialists credentials. Her first is the Academy of Internal Medicine for Veterinary Technicians (AIMVT), she was the Founding Chair and is the current Executive Director. She currently holds Emeritus status. Her second specialty was as a Canine & Feline Veterinary Technician Specialist in Clinical Practice (AVTCP). At the time of her retirement, she withdrew her VTS in Clinical Practice.
In her spare time, Linda is an avid scuba diver and has traveled the 7 continents. Her husband, Jeff, is employed in the Alaskan seafood industry. They enjoy the company of their rescue cat, an adorable but clueless Persian named "The Cat Formerly Known as Philbert." Her household is also the home to 2 rescue dogs. Linda loves Corgis and currently has the sweetest Cardigans named Ember and Stewie.
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| 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.
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