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Courses for Veterinary Nurses

VN02 ADVANCED CERTIFICATE
An Advanced Certificate in Canine Friendly Nursing
Suggested level: Qualified VN

Written and tutored by COAPE Behaviour, Veterinary and Nutrition Experts.

OCN Accreditation - Advanced Award 18 credits. Click Here for details of accreditation.

Note that successful students automatically fulfil the qualification requirements for the CDP COAPE Diploma Course.

Essential Dogma, Understanding the Canine Client and Compliance: Dogs are unique among companion animals, and indeed among the 5000+ species of mammal on earth because of the huge level of diversity in the species. Understanding the amazing processes that have occurred in domestication of the dog and its subsequent socialisation with us enables us to accommodate the huge variation in behavioural characteristics of different breeds in the day-to-day clinical treatment and handling of dogs in veterinary care. Studying the history and nature of man's relationship with dogs also helps us understand how a pet dog's original behavioural type influences our clients' relationships with their pets and their lifestyle together. Understanding canine communication and its variation across all those breeds and crossbreeds enables us to read dog behaviour better and respond more appropriately to their needs in all aspects of the modern dog-friendly veterinary practice.And finally, appreciating the different levels of commitment and intensity of the relationship between clients and their dogs can help to improve communication and compliance in practice.

Well Dog Principles: By looking at how the dog develops both physically and emotionally, and therefore behaviourally, we can understand the foundations of the different characteristics among breeds. The modern dog friendly veterinary practice can then incorporate this knowledge into a comprehensive and systematic yet necessarily flexible approach to preventive physiological and behavioural healthcare.

Canine Behaviour Problems in the Dog Friendly Practice: An understanding of common canine behaviour problems and the role of the veterinary nurse in the dog-friendly practice is essential. In this Unit we examine the nuts and bolts of establishing a successful behaviour clinic for dogs in a veterinary practice. We then explore the essential skills required in obtaining an accurate and comprehensive behavioural history of a problem, how to evaluate the causes of the problem, and then, working with the owner, how to construct a practical plan to help them approach, manage and resolve the problem.

Canine Nutrition: An understanding of what a dog needs and how this changes throughout life can help to promote health and avoid problems such as obesity. Additionally, how nutrition can be used as a tool in treating disease is an important part of veterinary care. Understanding that nutrition is essential to recovery. An insight into how diet and the way dogs are fed can affect behaviour. It is now well established that appropriate nutrition promotes good health and long life for dogs in addition to the prevention of disease. Good nutrition is therefore a corner stone of modern veterinary care, not only in fit and healthy dogs, but also in the recovery and convalescing of the acutely ill dog and in the ongoing management and support of chronic diseases. However, we now also know that diet can have a dramatic effect on dogs' behaviour, and it is only recently that more interest has been placed on the impact of diet on canine emotionality.For those working in the field of animal behaviour and training, an understanding of how diet can contribute to certain behaviour problems in dogs is an important addition to behavioural healthcare in the dog-friendly veterinary practice.

Dog Friendly Practice Principles: The modern veterinary practice can be an intimidating place for many dogs. How each dog feels is determined by how he perceives and evaluates all the different experiences involved in his visit, from arriving at the practice with the owner through to discharge at the end of a consultation or procedure, along with all the clinical evaluations and handling that may have taken place along the way. There are many things that the dog-friendly practice can do to help ensure that the canine patient's experiences are as pleasant as possible, and thereby help to increase the dog's confidence and comfort during subsequent visits. In this Unit we look at different aspects of design and layout of key areas in the practice and examine the practical skills required, using video examples, for the safe handling of potentially nervous dogs.We also consider the key points of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and the legislative and ethical implications for dog owners and veterinary staff engaged in the handing and treatment of all canine patients.

Effective Treatment Strategies in the Dog-friendly Practice: In this final Unit we explore the clinical aspects of canine wellbeing in the dog-friendly practice, including pain management and how poorly managed pain can adversely affect the wellbeing and the recovery process in the canine patient. We also learn how to develop best practice principles for the short- and longer-term hospitalised patient and examine the application of human psychology in veterinary practice and its effective use in communicating with clients. Finally we explore the roles and responsibilities of the veterinary nurse in the day-to-day ethical decision-making processes within veterinary practice.

Correspondence.

Each Unit of the course notes is e-mailed out to students as a separate e-Book. Students also have access to the COAPE Student Resource Centre where additional support and course material are available online. The Resource Centre gives you access to a range of rich media content to complement the formal course notes, including video, sound, graphics and pictures, web links, and additional written content.

We supply you with a specially designed ‘template’ on-line to assist you in writing your coursework using your own computer and preferred word processing software. Your coursework is submitted to your tutor via the internet, marked and returned back to you the same way.

Nine months with two runs per year:
1: February 1st to October 31st.
2: September 1st to May 31st the following year.

OCN registration deposit £65 + Course fee £445.

Please click on the 'Enrol' button below for details.
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