ORTHOPAEDIC NURSING SKILLS
Without great nursing, veterinary orthopaedic surgery is a pipedream
Many veterinary practices are upskilling to provide orthopaedic surgery services. We know this, because our surgical workshops for vets are hugely popular.
But what about the nursing?
Not every practice can send their nursing staff to a dedicated workshop. Because we see nurses and techs as a critical part of the orthopaedic process, we’re doing everything we can to make CE accessible. Without skilled nurses and techs, you can’t control asepsis, patient prep, theatre setup, surgical workflows, anaesthesia monitoring, instrument maintenance and assembly… and there’s plenty more.
The whole team needs to be “in the know”
Something we hear frequently is that veterinary nurses and techs are underutilised in practice. We agree. This course is designed to help you and your team make the leap: by providing perioperative training to nurses and techs so the whole process of orthopaedic surgery can run smoothly, from patient prep to recovery.
Getting the whole team on the same page is absolutely vital for patient outcomes and for team satisfaction and engagement.
No time for staff training?
We can help. Send your surgical support stars to this flexible online course to upskill in all those areas where nurses and techs are vital to perioperative care. You’ll be able to focus the whole team on patient care and efficient workflow, reduce the stress of procedural shifts and allow your team to enjoy the feeling of doing great work.
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SIX MONTHS OF ACCESS TO ALL MODULES
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FLEXIBLE CPD WHEN YOU WANT
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DOWNLOADABLE NOTES
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CERFITICATE UPON COMPLETION
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MOBILE FRIENDLY INTERFACE
NURSES MAKE THE WORLD GO ROUND
Applied nursing for orthopaedics
- Patient positioning for standard radiographic views
- Assembly of complex orthopaedic equipment
- Instrument reprocessing & maintenance
- Theatre management & infection control
- Patient handling & preparation
- Incision preparation & management of asepsis
- Foot wraps & hanging limb preps
- Patient positioning for surgery
- The scrubbed surgical assistant role
- Tissue handling, haemostasis, retraction, handling & cutting suture
FREE VIDEO PRESENTATION:
Top 5 Skills for the Orthopaedic Veterinary Nurse
This sneak peek shows you how to handle hands-free radiographic positioning, orthopaedic equipment assembly, and a range of perioperative techniques to get your patient into surgery with a minimum of time and much less fuss.
Rhonda will also cover some of the more technical components of surgical nursing, like skin prep for proper asepsis, orthopaedic draping, and instrument handling movements while you’re assisting the surgeon in theatre.
Course Modules
Module 1 – Imaging for Different Orthopaedic Surgeries
The kneebone is connected to the thigh bone, but if you’ve spent any time around presurgical radiographs, you’ll know that quality diagnostic images are very specific indeed. This module covers vital skills that help the team collect the best possible images for surgical planning.
- Positioning for fore and hindlimb images
- What orthogonal really means
- Troubleshooting radiographic images through positioning
- Hands-free radiography & radiographic safety
Module 2 – Instrumentation & Orthopaedic Equipment
There’s nothing like the snip of properly sharp suture scissors, and there’s nobody as valuable as the only nurse who can set up the arthroscope! This module is rich with images and videos from clinical practice, to help you identify, assemble, maintain and handle the tools of the veterinary orthopaedic trade.
- Identification of specialised orthopaedic instruments
- Understanding how the instruments are (supposed to be) used
- Instrument handling during surgery
- Assembly of complex equipment
- Reprocessing principles
Module 3 – Theatre Management & Infection Control
This is an absolutely critical area of surgical nursing, and one which sounds dry on paper but which is interesting in practice. The team shares a lot of responsibility for making sure the theatre environment is clean and fit for purpose. Even for experienced nurses, there will be aspects you can improve by attending this session.
- Preparing the room
- Managing theatre during procedures
- Maintaining the theatre environment (daily, weekly & for maintenance)
- PPE & wearables
- Infection control principles
Module 4 – Patient Handling & Preparation
There’s a huge variation in what you’ll need to handle as an orthopaedic nurse. Fractures come in all shapes, sizes, and locations. Patients can be mild mannered, painful or fearful. An open fracture presents a very different challenge to an elective TPLO, but they’re both orthopaedic surgeries. This module describes how you can cope with these situations and get your patient into surgery.
- Patient scrubbing & asepsis
- Foot wrap & hanging limb prep
- Patient positioning for surgery
Module 5 – The Scrubbed Surgical Assistant Role
This is where a lot of nurses and techs aim to be – right on the cutting edge and working in theatre alongside the surgeons. Here, Rhonda will cover the skills you need to move safely and competently around the surgical theatre. It’s all about controlled, deliberate movements, and here’s your guide.
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- Gloving & gowning
- Passing instruments
- Moving around theatre
- Maintaining sterility
- Haemostasis, retraction, handling & cutting suture
A VETPRAC COURSE YIELDS TANGIBLE BENEFITS
INVEST
Five modules of flexible online learning & $297 investment in your professional development
LEARN
Avoid the pitfalls & tailor your clinical care to orthopaedic patients
RETURN
Plan & prepare ortho cases, monitor anaesthesia & provide excellent perioperative care
Your Educator
Rhonda Ponder
CHOOSE YOUR PAYMENT OPTION
ONE-TIME INVESTMENT
$297 AUD
PAYMENT PLAN
x 3 monthly instalments of $115
Your Questions Answered
What is “On Demand”?
How and when do I access learning materials?
We use a one-stop learning platform for our web-based courses. It’s intuitive, simple and easy to navigate, and we’ll email login details to you as soon as your purchase is confirmed. You can access notes, recordings and resources any time of day or night via your personalised course library. You don’t have to watch a whole video in one sitting, and you’re in complete control.
How long is course access open?
24/7 access is available for 6 months via your course library, starting on your purchase date. For example, if you sign up on July 1st, your access will be open until January 1st the following year. We’ve chosen 6 months because veterinary medicine moves fast and our goal is to provide up to date learning materials to the VetPrac community. The education team will assess, review and update the course at the end of the subscription period. This way, we know we’re offering only current and relevant information.
What kind of learning materials are included?
Each course is different but they all include video presentations recorded live during our most popular online courses and webinars. Our educators may provide a variety of other resources, so you can expect images, diagrams, course notes, slide presentations, journal articles, links to further reading, and more.
Is there learning support available?
Of course! We’ll stay in touch with a monthly email to check in with you, and share important information with you. We’ll also remind you when your access is about to finish. If you need a hand (or if you just want to chat) our online learning team is available via email [email protected] or on 0491 943 260.
Are there assessments to complete?
Yes, but they’re not mandatory. At the end of the course there will be multiple-choice questions available through the learning platform. You’ll need to pass these to receive your CPD certificate.
Will I get CPD points and a CPD certificate?
Each registration is worth a specified number of CPD points. Once you complete the quiz questions at the end of the course, a certificate will be generated and emailed to you. The certificate will be issued in the name of the person listed on the registration form.
What happens when time runs out?
At the end of 6 months, your subscription will end. You’ll still be able to log in to your course library, but the On Demand course you’ve completed will disappear from the list of courses available to you. You will receive an email when you are nearing the end of your access period, so you can download any resources you need for future use.