Administer emergency and critical nursing care to veterinary patients

This standard is about administering emergency and critical nursing care to veterinary patients.  It also covers administering emergency animal first aid, fluid therapy and monitoring the condition of a critical care veterinary patient at the required intervals.

This standard is suitable for registered veterinary nurse.

1. assess the risks to the health and safety of yourself and colleagues when administering emergency and critical nursing care to veterinary patients

2. select and implement the required veterinary practice infection control procedures for the area of the veterinary practice that you work in

3. carry out a full examination of the veterinary patient to make an assessment of its condition and confirm that the vital systems are functioning
4. administer emergency animal first aid where necessary
5. carry out resuscitation on the veterinary patient, to maintain life if required
6. prioritise emergency actions to stabilise the veterinary patient to prevent further physical and medical complications
7. obtain any necessary information on the veterinary patient where possible (e.g. relevant conditions or, recent history of veterinary care)
8. formulate a critical veterinary nursing care plan in consultation with the veterinary surgeon
9. administer critical nursing care to meet the needs of the veterinary patient, its condition and treatment requirements
10. determine the required fluid therapy, in accordance with the requirements of the critical care veterinary patient
11. calculate the fluid requirements for the critical care veterinary patient including the flow-rate
12. ensure the critical care veterinary patient is positioned and restrained using the required restraining methods and equipment
13. cannulate a vein on the veterinary patient, using aseptic techniques
14. administer the required fluid therapy according to the calculated fluid requirements of the critical care veterinary patient's condition
15. monitor the critical care veterinary patient during and after the administration of the fluid therapy
16. monitor and record the critical care veterinary patient's condition at required intervals following veterinary practice policy and alert the veterinary surgeon of any concerns
17. inform the client of the actions being taken as required
18. evaluate the emergency and critical nursing care provided and review the critical veterinary nursing plan accordingly
19. dispose of surplus and waste materials in accordance with relevant legislation and veterinary practice procedures
20. comply with the relevant animal health and welfare legislation and codes of practice
21. carry out your work in accordance with the relevant environmental and health and safety legislation, risk assessment requirements, codes of practice and business policies

1. how to assess the risks involved in the administration of emergency and
   critical care to veterinary patients
2. the medical principles and veterinary practice
   protocols that apply to animal first aid and critical care
3. the required veterinary
   practice infection control procedures when administering emergency and critical
   nursing care to veterinary patients
4. the clinical signs conditions
   in veterinary patients which required animal first aid
5. how to administer different
   types of first aid to veterinary patients
6. the threat to the veterinary patient’s
   life posed by first aid situations
7. why it is important to
   confirm the condition of the veterinary patient and its requirements for
   treatment and critical nursing care with the veterinary surgeon
8. the types of emergency and
   critical nursing care required by veterinary patients and how to administer
   this
9. how to stabilise veterinary patients with
   different conditions and how to prioritise emergency
   and critical treatment
10. how to formulate a critical nursing care plan for a veterinary
    patient, in consultation with the veterinary surgeon
11. how to determine and calculate the required fluid therapy in
    accordance with the requirements of the veterinary patient and the instructions
    of the veterinary surgeon
12. how to position and restrain different species of veterinary patients
    for different types of critical nursing care
13. how to cannulate a vein in a veterinary patient, using aseptic
    techniques
14. how to administer the required fluid therapy according to the
    calculated fluid requirement for the veterinary patient’s condition
15. why it is important to monitor and record the critical care veterinary
    patient’s condition at required intervals and alert the veterinary surgeon of
    any concerns
16. why it is important to keep the client informed of the actions being
    taken where necessary
17. the indications that the emergency and critical nursing care
    treatment is working
18. how to assess the animal welfare
    needs of the veterinary patient and how they may be addressed or affected while
    in your care
19. the importance of including physical therapy within the veterinary
    patients critical care plan
20. how to dispose of surplus and waste materials in accordance with the
    relevant legislation and veterinary practice procedures
21. your professional responsibilities as a registered veterinary nurse
22. your responsibility under the relevant
    animal health and welfare legislation, environmental and health and safety
    legislations, codes of practice and business policies

Critical veterinary nursing care plan; providing emergency first aid, fluid therapy, monitoring veterinary patients with life threatening conditions, monitoring veterinary patients struggling to breath, monitoring heart rhythm, monitoring veterinary patients in shock.

Animal Welfare Needs:

• for a suitable environment (place to live)
• for a suitable diet.
• to exhibit normal behaviour patterns.
• to be housed with, or apart from, other animals (if applicable)
• to be protected from pain, injury, suffering and disease.