Professional Ethical Working Practices in a Veterinary Clinical Setting Lecture 2024 PDF

NSCI 5705 Animal Clinical Care Sister course to NSCI5710 practical course New Zealand Certificate in Animal Technology – Veterinary Nursing Assistant LESSON OBJECTIVE To understand the practical application of the following tasks; Role in a vet clinic Safe working practices Ethics in Vet Nursing Eut...

NSCI 5705 Animal Clinical Care Sister course to NSCI5710 practical course New Zealand Certificate in Animal Technology – Veterinary Nursing Assistant LESSON OBJECTIVE To understand the practical application of the following tasks; Role in a vet clinic Safe working practices Ethics in Vet Nursing Euthanasia, grief and compassion fatigue Receptions Animal care assistance Roles in a vet clinic The vet nurse Veterinary surgeon Practice manager Receptionist Roles in a veterinary clinic Client relations Accounts Answering phones/answering client questions Schedule management Ordering The veterinary nursing assistant Assistants can be trained to do many tasks around the clinic: Roles in a veterinary clinic Back-up for the veterinary nurse Restraint of animals Answering phones/answering client questions Packing surgical kits Cattery - cleaning and feeding Kennel Hand - walking dogs The veterinary nursing Roles in a veterinary clinic Phlebotomist Anaesthetic technician Cleaner Radiographer Consulting nurse Receptionist Ward nurse ect. The veterinary surgeon Roles in a veterinary clinic Surgeon Phlebotomist Dentist Radiographer Anesthesiologist Cardiologist Neurologist ect. GOOD HEALTH & SAFETY PRACTICES WHILE WORKING WITH ANIMALS IN THE CLINIC/ANIMAL CARE SETTING Take a minute and brainstorm how you could achieve this learning outcome in clinic GOOD HEALTH & SAFETY PRACTICES WHILE WORKING WITH ANIMALS IN THE CLINIC/ANIMAL CARE SETTING 1. Safe and ethical handling of patients 4. Communication skills 2. Good hygiene practices 3. Health & Safety hazards What are some clinic scenarios you can think of for these topics? How could you demonstrate good health & safety practices for these? Hazards around the clinic Animal Hazardous chemicals Radiology Sharps and cutting implements Euthansia Animals If you are unsure how to handle an animal, or you are unsure about the behaviour of an animal, seek assistance from someone more experienced. A good start in your journey is to understand the signs of fear and pain in our patients. Hazardous chemicals Cleaning products Anaesthetic gases Sterilising chemicals Radiography chemicals (for x-ray film processing) Certain medications Datasheets Radiology Veterinary clinics use x-ray equipment as an essential part of the diagnosis of illness and injury in animals. There is the potential for staff working in veterinary clinics to be exposed to x-ray radiation if the appropriate safeguards and operating protocols are not in place (these should be explained to you at your workplace). No person under the age of 16 should participate in assisting with an x-ray procedure X-rays are invisible and painless; exposure causes long-term damage over time (not seen immediately), and exposure to repeated low doses can be as harmful as one larger single dose. Only somebody competent and trained should operate the x-ray machine Avoid being in the room with the animal when the actual radiograph is taken (anaesthetised/sedated animals make this possible to do) If you have to be present, then lead-lined PPE must be worn (gown, gloves, thyroid/neck guard). Also, you must not put any part of your body under/near the x-ray machine's primary beam. eep as far away as possible. Dosimeters are monitoring devices that look like badges worn by staff when performing radiography. They have inserts that detect exposure to x-rays and are ,periodically sent away to be checked by the appropriate authority. Sharps and cutting implements Sharps include: Needles Scalpels Broken glass ampoules/vials Knives Glass bottles Microscope glass slides Manual lifting Lifting a dog onto an examination table The VN's attire Hand washing HYGIENE PROTOCOLS IN THE CLINIC/ANIMAL CARE SETTING DEFINITIONS Sanitizing Sanitizing – lowering the number of germs to a safe level on surfaces and objects Cleaning Cleaning – removal of organic and inorganic matter from surfaces and objects Disinfecting Disinfecting – killing present pathogens on surfaces and objects. Disinfecting does not clean away organic or inorganic material. Efficacy of disinfectant can be diminished by presences of organic material Sterilizing Sterilizing – removes/kills all pathogens and other microorganism (Cent ers for Disease Cont rol and Prevent ion, 2020) Veterinary disinfectant to name but a few! Example of where to find this information Active ingredient Not effective against organic material + leave to air dry Contact time + targeted microorganisms Self-Directed learning (SDL) Research the pictured disinfectants and find out the following about them; 1. What is the contact time for the product? 2. What is the active ingredient? 3. What microorganisms does it target? 4. Can this product become ineffective by organic matter? 5. Do you need to rinse surfaces and objects after using the disinfectant? Create a table that you can refer to during your clinical placement. If you have seen other disinfectants in the clinic, add these as well! Activity time: 20 mins Maintain sterility in a theatre Blue arrows indicates the surgical field The five freedom Five freedoms from a clinical perspective Freedom from hunger and thirst Freedom from discomfort Water Thermoregulation Food Physical comfort Good hygiene Freedom from pain, injury and disease Freedom to express normal animal behaviour Freedom from fear and distress Housing Enough space Species separate wards Handling Places to hide Avoid unnecessary handling Pain releif Enrichment Medications Infection control Guide to professional conduct Guide of professional conduct The Guide of Professional Conduct for Allied Veterinary Professionals sets out the minimum level of conduct required from all NZVNA members. Read the guide: https://nzvna.org.nz/assets/Uploads/HumanResources/NZVNA-Guide-to-Professional-Conduct-for-AlliedVeterinary-Professionals.pdf o Did you learn anything new? o Did anything surprise you about this code? Ethics Client communication: It's important for vet nurses to communicate effectively with clients and maintain open and honest communication. They should provide clients with clear and accurate information about their pet's health and well-being, and be able to handle difficult conversations with sensitivity and empathy. Activity This infographic represents different aspects of ethics that may be presented to you as a veterinary nurse. In your team discuss how each of them may affect you in your role as a veterinary nurse. Client communication Ethical dilemmas Animal Welfare Client communication example has been provided to get you started. Cultural consideration Ethics Professionalism End of life care Activity time: 10 mins Informed consent Client communication: It's important for vet nurses to communicate effectively with clients and maintain open and honest communication. They should provide clients with clear and accurate information about their pet's health and well-being, and be able to handle difficult conversations with sensitivity and empathy. Client communication Ethical dilemmas: Vet nurses may encounter ethical dilemmas in their work, such as conflicts between animal welfare and client wishes. Cultural considerations: Vet nurses should be aware of cultural differences and how they may impact the provision of veterinary care. They should demonstrate cultural competence, sensitivity, and respect when working with clients from diverse backgrounds. Ethical dilemmas Animal Welfare Ethics Cultural consideration End-of-life care: Understanding the importance of providing compassionate end-of-life care for animals, and be able to support clients in making difficult decisions about euthanasia. Professionalism End of life care Animal welfare: Veterinary professionals have a duty to promote and safeguard animal welfare. Professionalism: Vet nurses should behave in a professional manner at all times, demonstrating respect for their colleagues, clients, and patients. They should maintain confidentiality, avoid conflicts of interest, and adhere to ethical standards and codes of conduct. Informed consent Informed consent: It's important for vet nurses to obtain informed consent from clients before carrying out any procedures or treatments. They should explain the risks and benefits of different options, and ensure that clients are fully informed before making any decisions. Euthanasia Euthanasia Make sure the client understands what is happening and that you and the client both mean the same thing. Euthansia process in small animals Consent and discussion A member of the veterinary team us ually the veterinarian will di s cuss the reason for euthanasia wi th the pet owner and obtain thei r consent. This is a n emotional a nd difficult decision, s o it i s i mportant that the veterinarian ta kes the time to answer a ny questions a nd provide s upport a nd empathy to the pet owner. Euthanasia solution Once the pet is s edated, the veteri narian or the vet nurse under the direction of veteri narian will administer the euthanasia solution. Will i nduce a deep sleep and stop the heart. Owner ma y or ma y not be precent for thi s stage. Aftercare The owner may choose to have the body cremated or buried, and the veterinarian ca n offer guidance on options for a ftercare. Sedation Confirmation of death The veterinarian or vet nurse may a dminister a sedative to the pet to hel p them relax a nd become ca l m. This ca n help make the process more comfortable a nd peaceful for the pet. After s edation the a nimal is return to owners for them to say their final goodbyes. The veterinarian will confirm that the pet has passed a way, usually by checki ng for a l ack of pulse and brea thing Preparing for a euthanasia Euthanasia appointments should be the last appointment of the morning or just before closing. Plenty of time should be scheduled to accommodate anything unexpected. Chose a quiet room inform all staff members there is a euthanasia. Financial dealings should be taken care of prior Clients ideally should be sent a sympathy card the next day. Consult room is made inviting and comfortable Towel/incontinence sheet and a nice blanket Tissues Helping people make the decision Quality of life questionnaire QUESTIONS? References Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). How To Clean and Disinfect Schools To Help Slow the Spread of Flu. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/flu/school/cleaning.htm Lloyd, J. K. (2017). Minimising stress for patients in the veterinary hospital: Why it is important and what can be done about it. Veterinary sciences, 4(2), 22.