TECH120-1105: VSPN's Review Course for the Veterinary Technician National Exam

INSTRUCTOR:
Nanette Walker Smith, RVT, CVT, BS, AS, AS; VSPN CE & Content Director

DATES:
November 9, 2005-January 25, 2006
Real Time Sessions: Sunday evenings, November 13, 20, 27, December 4, 11, 18, January 8 & 15 (no class December 25 or January 1); 8-9:30pm ET (USA)

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This course is designed to help veterinary technician students review the basics of veterinary technology. It is also a very good review for veterinary technicians who wish to revisit the basics.

• Real-time sessions will include discussion of systems to help the thinking process and use of methods to study and remember data.
• Handouts will include study lists, questions and answers, and materials to help direct the student to better identify what aspects of veterinary technology he/she needs to concentrate on.
• Message boards will be open for questions and guidance to studying and should be used often to discuss homework, questions, and ideas for studying/remembering issues.
• Weekly homework quizzes will be used to cover both handout topics and real time session topics and enable the student to become more familiar with reading and answering the various styles of questions seen on the VTNE.

Course Outline:

Week 1 - Medical terminology, office practices, client relations, ethics, animal welfare, law, and occupational hazards.

Week 2 -Anatomy, physiology, pathology, zoonoses, and disease prevention

Week 3 -Mathematical calculations and pharmacology, laboratory animals, laboratory procedures including sampling, parasitology, hematology, and microbiology

Week 4 -Technical aspects of nursing (physical exam, handling, restraint), nutrition, reproduction and genetics

Week 5 -Fluid therapy, surgery (assisting and instrumentation), radiology, ultrasonography, Anesthesia

Week 6 -Emergency/critical care, dentistry, injuries/wound care, bandaging

Week 7 -Nursing care of dogs, cats, horses, food animals, camelids, ratites, cage birds, poultry, small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, aquatic fish, and wild animals

Week 8 - Review. MOCK EXAM, rapid fire multiple choice during the real time session

Upon completion of this course, attendees:

• should be able to easily recall the basics of veterinary technology.
• should be well versed in taking multiple-choice questions similar to those given on the VTNE or any state board exam.
• should have knowledge of how to locate information and utilize study materials
• will have built a network of colleagues through interaction with other course participants for sharing ideas and resources.

Recommended reading (more references may be posted during classes; books available for purchase from the VIN bookstore http://store.vin.com will have a link for access):

• Saunders Comprehensive Veterinary Dictionary, 2nd Ed. by Blood and Studdert, Saunders 1999. http://store.vin.com/custom/edit.asp?p=82401
• Review Questions & Answers for Veterinary Technicians 3rd Ed. by Thomas P. Colville, Mosby Press. 2003. http://store.vin.com/custom/edit.asp?p=91423
• Mosby's Comprehensive Review for Veterinary Technicians, 2nd Ed., edited by Tigh and Brown. Mosby Press. 2003. http://store.vin.com/custom/edit.asp?p=82333
• Clinical Textbook for Veterinary Technicians by McCurnin & Bassert, 5th edition. Saunders. 2002. http://store.vin.com/custom/edit.asp?p=82142
• Medical Mathematics and Dosage Calculations for Veterinary Professionals by Robert Bill, Iowa State Publishers. 2001. http://store.vin.com/custom/edit.asp?p=82327
• Applied Pharmacology for the Veterinary Technician, 3rd Ed., by Wanamaker & Massey. Saunders. 2004. http://store.vin.com/custom/edit.asp?p=82071
• Learning Veterinary Terminology by Douglas F. McBride, 2nd Ed. Mosby. 2002. http://store.vin.com/custom/edit.asp?p=82288
• Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents Second Ed. By Quesenberry & Carpenter; Saunders. 2004. http://store.vin.com/custom/edit.asp?p=82224
• Clincial Laboratory Animal Medicine by Hrapkiewicz, Medina, and Holmes; Iowa State Press. 1998. http://store.vin.com/custom/edit.asp?p=82138
• ALAT (Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician) Training Manual by P. Timothy Lawson. American Association for Laboratory Animal Science. 2002. Contact AALAS at 901-754-8620 or http://www.aalas.org
• LAT (Laboratory Animal Technician) Training Manual by P. Timothy Lawson. American Association for Laboratory Animal Science. 2002. Contact AALAS at 901-754-8620 or http://www.aalas.org
• " Practical Diagnostic Imaging for the Veterinary Technician Third Edition by Han & Hurd. Mosby/Elsevier. 2005. http://store.vin.com/custom/edit.asp?p=99180

Note: This class does not guarantee passage of the exam, but is designed to aid in studying for the exam by reviewing the information that a VT student should know upon graduation from an AVMA accredited veterinary technology program.

LIBRARY MATERIALS:
Library materials will be made available prior to the topic week so participants will have plenty of time to prepare for the real time sessions and discussion. Due to the amount of material to be covered, it is highly recommended the student comes to class having reviewed the handouts for that week, reviewed the previous week's homework and study guide, utilized the message boards for the course, and is prepared to interact during the real time session.

MESSAGE BOARD DISCUSSIONS:
Message board discussions regarding the topic presented will begin on the day the course opens and continue for one week following the last real time session. These discussions will be held in the VSPN CE course area.

CE HOURS: 12 CE credits (RACE applied for)

TUITION:
$150 for veterinary support staff or students ineligible for discount below.
$75 for currently enrolled AVMA accredited or Canadian accredited Veterinary Technician Program students
Students currently enrolled in and taking at least 2 classes or 5 units at an AVMA accredited or CAAHT approved Veterinary Technician Program may be eligible to receive a 50% discount off the regular rate for this course (upon verification of student status)
*VT students: You must include the following information in the comments section of the CE enrollment form in order to be eligible for this discount: your program directors name and contact information (email/phone) and school name.

NOTE:

• There is NO early bird rate
• Registration WILL CLOSE on or before Wednesday, November 9, 2005 at 5pm ET (USA) as soon as the course capacity is reached.
• This course is offered at a 20% discount through a generous contribution from the VIN Foundation.
• VT students must include the following information in the 'comments' section of the course enrollment form for verification of your VT program student status in order to receive the reduced student rate of $75. If this information is missing, the discount will NOT be applied:
  • Program directors name & email address
  • School name
  • Program phone number
  • Student's complete HOME or MAILING address

TO REGISTER:

1. Each person must individually be a registered member of VSPN (www.vspn.org). Membership in VSPN is free.
2. Each person must be able to receive emails from @vspn.org and @vin.com addresses. This is our major form of communication with participants. It is highly recommended that course participants use their own, personal emails rather than clinic/hospital email addresses.
3. VIN Member veterinarians SHOULD NOT register for their staff. Please have the staff member register through VSPN. Please email VSPNCE@vspn.org if you have questions.

*** For More Information on VSPN's upcoming CE Courses, check out www.vspn.org/CE

Note: "This course has been approved for 12 hours of continuing education credits in jurisdictions which recognize AAVSB's RACE approval; however participants should be aware that some boards have limitations on the number of hours accepted in certain categories and/or restrictions on certain methods of delivery of continuing education. Call VIN/VSPN for further information." (Attendees are encouraged to check with their licensing jurisdiction(s) for information regarding recognition by their board.)

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COURSE WITHDRAWAL AND REFUND POLICY: Withdrawal prior to the listed start date of a course entitles the registrant to a complete refund or a credit toward a future VIN CE course, whichever is preferred. Withdrawal within 1 week after the listed start date (i.e. including no more than one real-time session) entitles the registrant to a credit toward any future VIN CE course. (Does not apply to courses with only one real-time session.) After the first real-time session, a registrant may withdraw due to special circumstances and receive prorated credit towards a future VIN course. These requests will be handled on an individual basis. The amount of the prorated credit will be determined based on 65% of the time remaining in the course at the time of withdrawal. It is not possible to withdrawal retroactively. Note: To ensure rapid handling of your request for withdrawal, we recommend that you call the VIN office at 1-800-700-INFO.

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Nanette R. Walker Smith, RVT, CVT
VSPN Content Director
Nanette@vspn.org or VSPNCE@vspn.org

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