Hospital Patient Care for Nurses & Techs
Online Course
Stronger Nursing Skills. Stronger Teams. Better Patient Outcomes.
February 4th - March 4th, 2026
Live & Online
Wednesday Nights 7:30pm (QLD Time)
10 CPD/AVNAT Points
Hear From Educator Kimberley Weir
Is This Course for You?
We welcome veterinary nurses and technicians walking all paths of small animal practice where patients may be hospitalised. Every experience level is appropriate, from grassroots up. We all know, this is a profession where development never grinds to a halt.
We’ll cover the fundamentals of hospital patient care (including recumbent patients) and evidence based interventions for effective and timely pain management. Weekly modules will cover nutrition, feeding tubes and urinary catheter management as well as isolation and infection control. And importantly, how to work as part of a cohesive, cooperative and efficient veterinary team.
You’ll be guided through how to:
- Apply structured approaches to patient care planning, monitoring and when to revisit your strategy or change tactics altogether.
- Discuss handling techniques and repositioning for your recumbent inpatients.
- Assess nutrition, including calculation of resting energy requirements (RER) – scary in name only, we promise!
- Confidently manage feeding tubes and urinary catheters… because what’s going into and coming out of your patients really matters!
- Explore infection control procedures, and determine how to run a safe and effective isolation unit – sometimes it’s worth being bossy!
- Accurately assess pain and provide the best nursing tactic to maximise patient comfort.
You’ll enjoy a welcoming, relaxed judgement-free online learning environment, where your mic is on and your questions will be invited and answered. Now’s the time to sign up and join your peers online for CPD that promises to be more than just a box ticked.
Why This Course is Different
For Fresh Eyes & Experienced, Eager Minds
This course newcomers to team leaders, meeting you at your level. If you want to keep your knowledge current, this is your opportunity.
Relevant & Real
You’ll notice each weekly module is highly applicable to common cases and patients. If it’s not patient-ready and useful, it doesn’t make the cut.
Live & Interactive
It’s not a slumber-inducing sit and watch online course. Your brain stays active with RER calculations or interpreting feline pain. You’ll be encouraged to ask questions and learn from peers.
Good Habits from the Get Go
We understand it’s easy to pick up outdated or unhelpful practices while working and learning. Let’s help you break the patterns & learn correct techniques from the start.
As Smooth as it Gets
Many of us are swept away by busy-ness, making CPD, lunch breaks, or me-time difficult to fit in. This simple option is taught via Zoom at 7:30pm AEST every Wednesday. It’s concise, effective, and allows real-time Q&A. If you miss it, all sessions are recorded.
Course Outline
Module 1: Hospitalised patients & your team
In this module, you’ll recognise the fundamental needs of hospitalised patients, understand how effective communication and teamwork improve outcomes, and apply structured approaches to patient monitoring and care planning.
Module 2: Nursing recumbent patients
This module focuses on evidence-based nursing interventions for recumbent patients. You’ll identify early complications, implement preventive strategies, and discuss appropriate handling and repositioning techniques.
Module 3: Hospital nutrition, feeding tubes & elimination (urinary catheters)
Here, you’ll learn to perform nutritional assessments for hospitalised patients, including calculating resting energy requirements (RER). You’ll confidently manage and maintain feeding tubes and urinary catheters, develop feeding strategies for cats and dogs, and clinical situations, and recognise and manage common complications associated with tubes.
Module 4: Isolation & infection control
This module covers infection control in hospital settings. You’ll implement effective procedures, practise safe handling and hygiene, and understand the nursing role in maintaining patient and team safety within isolation areas.
Module 5: Pain management & comfort care
In the final module, you’ll learn to identify pain behaviours and assess pain accurately using tools like the Feline Grimace and Glasgow Pain scales. You’ll explore the principles and timing of multimodal analgesia and provide optimal nursing support to maximise patient comfort and recovery.
What On Offer
By the end of week five, you can look forward to…
Broad, Relevant Improvements in Hospital Patient Care
An improved ability to recognise and meet the individual needs of your inpatients, communicate effectively with clients about their pet’s care and work as part of a cohesive clinical care team.
Poised When Facing Puzzles & Pitfalls
Greater confidence with “the tricky bits”. We’re talking calculating RER, using pain scoring systems logically and consistently, managing an isolation unit safely, and application of evidence-based strategies in your day-to-day.
Improved Patient Wellbeing
As nurses and techs, animal comfort and preventing pain are always at the forefront of our minds. You’ll improve your decision making, confidently advocate for interventions such as changes to analgesia plans, and demonstrate your ability to manage patients who are recumbent, catheterised or who need nutritional support.
Plus, you’ll be able to explain to your colleagues how to calculate RER for recumbent patients, and why it matters. It’s sure to spark a conversation (and maybe even a debate) around the clinic.
Your Instructor
Kimberley Weir
Qualifications: BAppSc (Vet Tech) RVT VTS (SAIM)
Kimberley Weir is an Australian Veterinary Technician Specialist (VTS) in Small Animal Internal Medicine. She graduated from the University of Queensland in 2012 with a Bachelor of Applied Science, extended major in Veterinary Technology, and soon after joined Veterinary Specialist Services (VSS) on the Gold Coast, where she began her career in specialist nursing. Kim gained experience across all departments before focusing on internal medicine, an area where she has built considerable expertise. In 2023, Kim achieved her VTS qualification in Small Animal Internal Medicine, becoming one of only two technicians in Australia to hold this credential. The following year, she was recognised as the VNCA Veterinary Nurse/Technician of the Year for her contributions to the profession and her commitment to advancing standards of care. Her clinical interests include transfusion medicine, oncology, and the nursing and management of critical cases.
Every educator we work with is selected for their depth of knowledge & their ability to teach it clearly. They’re passionate about turning tricky concepts into hands-on skills that make a real difference.
Payment Options
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What Our Community Is Saying:
Real Feedback From Across Our VetPrac Workshops & Courses
- Rebecca O'Hara
- Brent
Don’t Miss Out!
Addressing Common Questions
"Is the Hospital Patient Care Online Course worth the investment?”
It’s a resounding yes! By joining Hospital Patient Care for Nurses & Techs, you’ll compile additions to your real-work toolkit (calculations, interventions and the like) that reduce patient stress, improve comfort and save you and your clinical team time and pressure. If you want to feel more confident in your abilities and progress practically, this is for you.
I’m always super busy. Is Hospital Patient Care for Nurses and Techs really worth taking the time?
For sure! Hospital Patient Care for Nurses and Techs is designed to keep your time commitment to a minimum and focused on quality over quantity – the best way to learn without becoming bored, run-down by repetitiveness or just plain exhausted. Five hours now will save you countless hours in the clinic, and you can expect knowledge and skills you can pass on to the rest of your team, too.
"Will I actually be able to apply these skills?"
Without a doubt. Every weekly module in Hospital Patient Care for Nurses & Techs is designed specifically to be applied and you can practice your new strategies and wisdom right from the morning after the night before. This is stripped-down, to the point learning that really makes a difference.
Your Questions Answered
Are group discounts available for the Hospital Patient Care for Nurses & Techs online course?
Yes! If three or more participants from the same clinic enrol together under one booking, you’ll receive a 5% group discount. It’s a great way for your team to learn together and strengthen your clinic’s approach to hospital patient care.
Will I get CPD/AVNAT points and a certificate?
Absolutely. This online veterinary nurse/tech course is fully recognised for CPD/AVNAT points. You’ll receive your digital CPD certificate via email within 7 days of completing the course quiz.
What kind of learning materials are included?
All sessions in Hospital Patient Care for Nurses and Techs include live and recorded video presentations. Our educators provide a variety of supporting resources, may include images, diagrams, journal articles, and links to further reading. These materials are designed to help you apply your new skills directly in practice, whether it’s assessing recumbent patients, managing feeding tubes and catheters, implementing infection control, or optimising pain management and patient comfort.
Do I need to attend specific session times?
Not at all. Of course, you can only ask questions and participate in the discussion if you attend live, but it’s not a requirement. Each live session is recorded and uploaded within 48 hours of the live timeslot. Participants have access to recordings during the course and for 3 months after the completion.
How long is course access open?
24/7 access is available for the duration of Hospital Patient Care for Nurses and Techs, plus an additional three months from the date of the last live session. You can access recordings, references, and course materials through your course library at any time during this period. We’ll also send reminders to ensure you download and review the materials before your access expires, so you can continue applying your new skills in practice.
What happens if the course is cancelled?
If we cancel a course, we will refund your course fees. It’s a simple as that.