TECH120-1108: Practical Review for Veterinary Technicians: VTNE Preparation Class (VSPN's Review Course for the Veterinary Technician National Exam)

INSTRUCTORS:
Nanette Walker Smith, M.Ed., RVT, CVT, LVT, Darci Palmer, RVT, VTS (Anes), Barb Burri, MBA, CVT, LVT

DATES:
November 3, 2008-January 21, 2009
Real Time Sessions: Sunday evenings, November 9, 16, 23, 30, December 7, 14, 2008, January 4 and 11, 2009 (no class December 21 and 28, 2008); 8:00pm-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 may include study lists; questions and answers; and/or materials to help direct the student to better identify what aspects of veterinary technology he/she needs to concentrate on for each topic.
• 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 or state board exam.
• Due to the large amount of topics covered in this course, weekly study guides will not always cover what will be covered in the real time session or vice versa. Edited transcripts of the real time sessions will provide materials for focus on real time topics and should be treated as additional handouts as well as information found in the course area message boards.

Upon completion of this class, attendees:

• should be able to easily recall the basics of veterinary technology (those subjects taught in a typical 2-year veterinary technology program).
• should be able to solve multiple-choice questions similar to those given on the VTNE or any state board exam.
• should be able to locate, examine, and interpret information and apply study materials.
• will have built a network of colleagues through interaction with other course participants for sharing ideas and resources.
• will have been exposed to a minimum of 500 questions stimulating review of basic veterinary technology.

TEXTBOOKS: There are no required texts for this course; students and graduates of AVMA/Canadian accredited veterinary technology programs should have the majority of the references and resources listed for this course. Below is our list of highly recommended texts for adjunctive information. A more complete list is available to participants once the course opens. After enrolling, LOGIN to the VIN Store (http://store.vin.com) using your VIN/VSPN secure information if you wish to purchase any of the recommended texts: HIGHLY Recommended:

• Blood, D. C., Studdert, V. P., & Gay, C. C. (Ed.) (2006). Saunders Comprehensive Veterinary Dictionary, 3rd ed. Elsevier Health. Order from the VIN Store at: https://store.vin.com/custom/edit.asp?p=82402
• Veterinary Support Personnel Network. (2006). VSPN Notebook�. Order from the VIN Store at https://store.vin.com/custom/edit.asp?p=99697
• Colville, T. P. (2003). Review Questions & Answers for Veterinary Technicians 3rd ed. Order from the VIN Store at: http://store.vin.com/custom/edit.asp?p=91423
• Tighe, M. M. & Brown, M. (2003). Mosby's Comprehensive Review for Veterinary Technicians, 2nd ed., Order from the VIN Store at: http://store.vin.com/custom/edit.asp?p=82333
• McCurnin, D. M. & Bassert, J. M. (2006). Clinical Textbook for Veterinary Technicians by 6th ed. Elsevier Health. Order from the VIN Store at: http://store.vin.com/custom/edit.asp?p=82142
• Other texts that might be of interest for further resources will be listed in the course area library.

Course Outline:

Week 1: Medical terminology, office practices, client relations, ethics, animal welfare, law, and occupational hazards.
Real time session: laboratory animals, laboratory procedures including sampling, parasitology, hematology, and microbiology

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

Week 3: Mathematical calculations and pharmacology
Guest Lecturer: Barb Burri, MBA, CVT, LVT

Week 4: Technical aspects of nursing of all common species (physical exam, handling, restraint), dentistry, nutrition, reproduction and genetics

Week 5: Fluid therapy, surgery (assisting and instrumentation), radiology, ultrasonography, anesthesia
Guest Lecturer: Darci Palmer, RVT, VTS (Anesthesia)

Week 6: Emergency/critical care, surgery (assisting and instrumentation), radiology, diagnostic imaging, injuries/wound care, bandaging
Real Time Session: Emergency/critical care, surgery (assisting and instrumentation), radiology, diagnostic imaging.
Guest Lecturer: Barb Burri, MBA, CVT, LVT

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.
Real Time Session: MOCK EXAM, rapid fire multiple choice

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/Canadian accredited veterinary technology program. We will approach as many topics as possible in an effort to help the student identify levels of competency and to know better where to focus study efforts. In depth and advanced topics will NOT be covered.

Note: The course area remains open after the scheduled VTNE in January and June for an additional few days to allow participants to return to the course area and submit the course end evaluation. Participants are encouraged to continue reading and posting in the message boards for credit. The last real time session is the Sunday before the VTNE and the final exam is open prior to the VTNE for one last review of multiple choice questions.

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 CEUs

TUITION:
$175 ($88 for enrolled VT program students or those who have graduated within 6 months of the course start date, see below).
**NOTE: There is NO early bird discount date and enrollment WILL CLOSE on Monday, November 3 at 5pm ET (USA) or earlier if the maximum number of registrants is reached.
* 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). 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 director's name and contact information (email/phone) and school name.

NOTE:

• Tuition fees are deeply discounted thanks to a generous grant 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 $88. If this information is missing, the discount will NOT be applied:
  • Program director's name &email address
  • School name
  • Program phone number
  • Student's complete HOME or MAILING address

TO REGISTER:

1. Each enrollee must individually be a registered member of VSPN or VIN (www.vspn.org). Membership in VSPN is free; VIN membership includes VSPN membership.
2. To enroll in any VSPN CE course click on the ENROLL NOW link below the course title on the right side of the page at www.vspn.org/CE
3. Each enrollee 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/school email addresses.
4. 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.

*Minimal computer requirements for participating in VSPN and VPSNCE: http://www.vspn.org/CE/MinReqs.htm
*For More Information on how our online CE courses work please read the following:
How to's of online CE
Policies & Procedures

Note: "This course has been submitted for approval for 12 continuing education credits in jurisdictions which recognize AAVSB 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 VSPN CE at 1-800-700-4636 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 Walker Smith, M.Ed., RVT, CVT, LVT (VSPNCE@vspn.org)
BS, AS, AS
VSPN CE & Content Director (www.vspn.org)

Charlotte Waack (Charlotte@vspn.org); ext 193
Chris Upchurch (Chris@vspn.org), ext. 197
VSPN CE Services
1-800-846-0028 or 1-530-756-4881

1-800-700-4636 or 530-756-4881 ext 187 or 183

[ CE MAIN | COURSE CATALOG | RACE/GETTING CREDITS | ONLINE CE HOW TO | SUGGEST A COURSE | VIN MAIN ]

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800.700.4636  |  CEonVIN@vin.com  |  530.756.4881  |  Fax: 530.756.6035 777 West Covell Blvd, Davis, CA 95616 Copyright 2000, Veterinary Information Network, Inc.