VIN VSPN
VIN VSPN CE Portal Participant Resources Practice Area Course Archives Course Catalogs Suggestion Box
Back Print Save Bookmark in my Browser

OPEN FOR ENROLLMENT
TO
VETERINARY SUPPORT STAFF

    
VSPN CE Course TECH178-0415: Fundamentals of Small Animal Anesthesia Module 2
Audio and Text: In some of the course Real Time Sessions the lecture will be predominantly audio
while in others the lecture will be predominantly text.

Instructor(s): Darci Palmer, BS, LVT, VTS (Anesthesia), Brenda Feller, CVT, RVT, VTS (Anesthesia) and Lee Palmer, DVM, MS, DACVECC
Course Open: April 30-June 7, 2015
Real Time Sessions (RTS): Thursday, May 7, 14, 21 and 28, 2015; 9:00pm-11pm ET (USA)
Course RTS Times in Your Area: World Clock Converter

Practice Sessions: In order to prepare you for a successful experience in your CE course, we request you attend a Practice Session prior to the first Real Time Session. Please arrive promptly at the start time; each Practice Session is up to 1 hour in length. For more information, please visit the CE Practice Area.

*The instructors for this course will be using audio which will require you to have a headset or speakers to listen. If you have any concerns regarding your computer's audio capabilities, please be sure to attend one of the Practice Sessions.

Level and Prerequisites: This intermediate course is focused towards the veterinary technician who routinely deals with anesthesia case management. Veterinarians are highly encouraged to enroll with their veterinary technicians to work as a team in anesthesia. Module 1 is a prerequisite for Module 2 to help insure a complete understanding of the basic principles of anesthesia before learning how to develop an anesthesia protocol. These modules are approved CE for those applicants applying for their VTS (Anesthesia).
VSPN CE Course: This course is RACE approved for veterinarians and veterinary technicians. (RACE program #22-12451)
Veterinary Information Network�s RACE provider number is #22.

Course Description:
Module 2 will continue to build on the foundation principles of canine and feline anesthesia covered in Module 1. The focus of Module 2 will be on anesthesia drugs used for premedication, induction and maintenance; pertinent information regarding induction and recovery; the use of intra-operative pain management techniques such as local/regional blocks and analgesic constant rate infusions; use of ancillary drugs intra-operatively; and common anesthetic complications that may arise throughout the anesthetic period. Case scenarios will be presented during the real time sessions to highlight key points about the drugs and techniques. Participants will be encouraged to take the information presented each week and use it to construct an overall perspective of anesthesia case management. At the end of the course, participants will be able to effectively collaborate with their veterinarian in the development of anesthesia protocols and manage a patient through all phases of anesthesia care.

This course consists of four (4) Real Time Sessions of one hundred and twenty (120) minutes each, supplemental library materials, interactive message board discussions, a mandatory end-of-course test, and may include online multiple choice quizzes (after each Real Time Session). Successful completion (scoring 80% or better) on the end-of-course test is required to earn a certificate of completion for the course. To learn more about the requirements for earning a CE certificate, please refer to Receiving Your CE Credit and Course Completion Certificate.

*The lecture portion of this course will combine text and audio presentation, please be prepared to listen.

Upon completion of this course participants will be able to discuss and interpret Course Materials: Course materials will be available in the course library prior to each Real Time Session.

Required Textbook(s): There is no required textbook for this course.

About the Instructors: Darci Palmer has worked exclusively in veterinary anesthesia for 13 years. For the past 4 years she worked in the Small Animal Anesthesia Department at Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine. She lectures at the national and local level and provides anesthesia consulting for private practices. Brenda Feller developed an interest in anesthesia as a student at Michigan State University. After graduation she worked in a general practice for a few years before moving on to the Anesthesia Department at the University of Illinois Veterinary College. In specialty practice her main focus has been anesthesia and pain management. She is also a featured speaker on the topic of anesthesia at a variety of veterinary conferences in the United States and Canada. Lee Palmer is a Clinical Associate Professor of Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care at Oregon State University, College of Veterinary Medicine. Both Brenda and Darci are VSPN message board moderators for the anesthesia and pain management folders. Lee is a VIN consultant.

Course Outline:
Week 1 (Real Time Session May 7): Pre-anesthetic Drugs
Content: We will begin module 2 with a discussion on the importance of providing a balanced anesthesia drug protocol. Balanced anesthesia can be divided into 4 phases: pre-anesthetic, induction, maintenance and recovery. Week 1 will focus on the drugs used during the pre-anesthetic period. We will discuss non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs), opioids, phenothiazines, benzodiazepines, alpha-2 agonists and anticholinergics. Case based discussions on appropriate premedication protocols for specific patients will be included to increase participants� recognition and use of these medications.

Week 2 (Real Time Session May 14): Induction Period and Recovery Period
Content: Phase 2 of balanced anesthesia includes the use of injectable agents such as barbiturates, dissociatives, propofol, etomidate, alfaxalone and opioids. Phase 3 is the maintenance phase and includes the use of inhalants and some injectable agents. An overview of currently used inhalants and their physical properties along with a review of the stages of anesthesia will be provided. Case based discussions on appropriate induction and maintenance protocols for specific patients will be included to increase participants� recognition and use of these medications. Phase 3 also includes intra-op pain management and will be discussed during week 3 of this course. Phase 4 is the recovery phase. We will discuss the immediate post-op period and briefly touch on the considerations for the next 24-72 hours post-surgery.

Week 3 (Real Time Session May 21): Pain Management
Content: During the maintenance phase (Phase 3) of balanced anesthesia it is important to address pain management. The best way to manage pain is through a multimodal approach. This week we will begin with an overview of pain physiology that will lead into a discussion about the drugs and techniques used to provide multimodal analgesia. We will explore specific local and regional techniques and how to perform each block followed by a discussion on the different types of analgesic constant rate infusions. Case based discussions on appropriate pain management protocols will be included to increase participants� recognition and use of these medications.

Week 4 (Real Time Session May 28): Anesthetic Complications and Ancillary Drugs
Content: In this final week we will focus on predictable complications such as hypoventilation, hypoxemia, hypotension, hypovolemia and hypothermia. Additional topics that will be covered include complications that can arise from human error; cardiopulmonary arrest during anesthesia; an overview of common arrhythmias that can occur during anesthesia; and the role of sympathomimetic and neuromuscular blocking agents in anesthesia.

CE Credits: 8

Tuition: $160 ($144 early bird special if enrolled by April 16, 2015)
*Enroll in both modules by March 5, 2015 and receive a 15% discount off the original course price.
* 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).
*To ensure participants are ready and prepared for classes, enrollment will close at 5 pm ET May 7, 2015, or when the maximum number of participants is reached.
*For more information on how online CE works, see the Participant Resource Center.

  1. Enrollment qualifications: VIN CE courses are open to VIN member and non-member veterinarians. Veterinarians enrolling in a VSPN CE course must be a VIN member. Veterinary support staff must be a VSPN member to enroll in a VSPN CE or a VIN CE course open to VSPN member enrollment.
  2. Each enrollee must be able to receive emails from @vspn.org and @vin.com addresses. Email is our major form of communication with participants; personal emails are highly recommended rather than clinic/hospital email addresses.
  3. Each person is individually responsible for his/her own registration. To ensure that all information received is secure and correct, please do not enroll for a course on behalf of another individual.
  4. For further assistance call 800-846-0028 ext. 792 or email VSPNCE@vspn.org. Please include the course title, your full name, and contact information in your correspondence.
*Note: "This course is approved for 8 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 800-846-0028 ext. 792 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: A complete refund of the paid course price will be issued when your withdrawal request is received prior to the listed start date of the course. If you wish to withdraw after the start date please contact the VSPN office 800-846-0028 ext. 792 to discuss eligibility for a pro-rated refund.
* Note: To ensure rapid handling of your request for withdrawal, we recommend that you call the VSPN office at 800-846-0028 ext. 792.

*For more information on VSPN's upcoming CE courses, check the VSPN Course Catalog.

The CE team:

Charlotte Waack, RVT, CVT
VSPN Director/VSPN CE Interim Director

VSPN CE Services: VSPNCE@vspn.org
800-846-0028 or 530-756-4881; ext. 792
or direct line to VIN/VSPN from the United Kingdom: 01452 226154
or direct line to VIN/VSPN from Australia: 02 6145 2357

800.846-0028, ext. 792  |  VSPNCE@vspn.org  |  530.756.4881  |  Fax: 530.756.6035
777 West Covell Blvd, Davis, CA 95616
Copyright 2014, Veterinary Information Network, Inc.