Surgical Emergencies

Week 1 - Approach to the Caesarean Patient

• Brief overview of parturition
• Complications of parturition
• Caesarian section

Learning outcomes:

• Explain complications that might occur in parturition
• Explain the reasons for intervening in these cases in order to perform a C section
• Understand nursing of the caesarean patient

Week 2 -  The GDV Patient

• Physiology of GDV
• Diagnosis
• Stabilisation of the GDV
• Anaesthesia considerations
• Post-operative nursing

Learning outcomes:

• Understand the physiology of a GDV and list some of the common risk factors associated with this condition
• Describe how a GDV is diagnosed and which tests can help us to identify this
  condition in the emergency patient
• List the common stabilisation techniques in the emergency patient including
  management of shock and commonly used gastric decompression techniques
• Discuss anaesthesia considerations and how to make the patient a safe candidate for surgery
• Describe the nursing considerations for the post-operative GDV case and the factors which need to be included in the care plan of the hospitalised patient

Week 3 - Nursing the Septic Abdomen Patient

• What is SIRS / sepsis
• Recognising sepsis
• The use of diagnostic tools in the veterinary practice to help recognise a septic abdomen
• Nursing management of a septic abdomen

Learning outcomes:

• Describe SIRS and sepsis and the difference between them
• Understand how to recognise sepsis in veterinary patients
• List the different tests we have available in practice that can be used to help identify a septic abdomen
• Explain how patients with a septic abdomen can best be nursed in practice, pre-, peri and post operatively

Week 4 - Haemoabdomen

• Physiology of haemoabdomen
• Diagnosis
• Stabilisation of the haemoabdomen
• Anaesthesia considerations
• Post-operative nursing

Learning outcomes:

• Understand the physiology of a haemoabdomen and list some of the common causes associated with this condition
• Describe how a haemoabdomen is diagnosed and which tests can help us to identify this condition in the emergency patient
• List the common stabilisation techniques in the emergency patient including
  management of shock
• Discuss anaesthesia considerations and how to make the patient a safe candidate for surgery
• Describe the nursing considerations for the post-operative haemoabdomen case and the factors which need to be included in the care plan of the hospitalised patient

The course will be fully tutored by Elle Haskey and Katie Gray, and will consist of 10 hours of CPD given in various formats, including tutorials, tasks, case studies, forum discussions and quizzes.

For some further information about our Online Tutored CPD courses - please open the guide below:

ONLINE TUTORED CPD COURSES - PDF GUIDE