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Courses open for VSPNer registration

TECH184-1011: Pain Management-Basics For A Team-Based Approach

INSTRUCTOR(S): Kara Trent, CVT, VTS (Anes, ECC)

COURSE OPEN: October 21-November 29, 2011

REAL TIME SESSIONS (RTS): Saturdays, October 29, November 5, 12, and 19, 2011; 8:30pm-10:00pm ET (USA)
*please note the session times
Course RTS Times in Your Area: World Clock Converter
Practice Sessions: In order to prepare you for a successful experience in your CE course, we request you attend a practice session prior to the first Real Time Session. Times and dates will be listed in your course confirmation email. Expect to spend up to 1 hour at one of the 2-4 practice sessions held prior to the first Real Time Session.

Level and Prerequisites: This basic level course is open to all members of the veterinary team (veterinarians, credentialed veterinary technicians, veterinary assistants, and other staff members) that interact with patients experiencing pain and want a better understanding of general pain management techniques in order to foster the team-based approach to pain management.
VSPN CE Course. This course has been RACE approved for veterinarians and veterinary technicians.

Course Description:
This course is designed to review common pain management topics. The main focus of this course is to have participants develop skills to recognize, evaluate, and have a general understanding of treating painful patients in a team-based environment. This course will cover basic pain recognition, commonly used drugs, considerations for surgical/procedural patients, and rehabilitation. We will begin with the basic physiologic characteristics of pain in small animals and progress to common pain management techniques.

The course will consist of four (4) Real Time Sessions of ninety (90) minutes each, supplemental library materials, interactive message board discussions, a mandatory end-of-course test, and may include online multiple choice quizzes (after each Real Time Session). Successful completion (scoring 80% or better) on the end-of-course test is required to be considered for a course certificate of completion.

Upon completion of this course, the participant should be able to

Course Materials: Course materials will be available in the course library prior to each Real Time Session.
Required Texbook(s): There is no required textbook for this course.

About the Instructor: Kara Trent has a decade of experience in creating team-based protocols and manuals regarding patient anesthesia and pain management.

Course Outline:
Week 1 (Real Time Session October 29): Physiology and the Recognition and Evaluation of Patient Pain
Content: We will begin this week discussing the basics of the physiology of pain. In general the pathways of pain and consequences in pain will be addressed. We will discuss the important roles each team member plays in managing the patients comfort level. We will begin discussing the recognition and evaluation of pain as well as the behavioral and physiologic changes associated with pain. Pain scales will also be reviewed this week.

Week 2 (Real Time Session November 5): Commonly Used Drugs to Treat Pain
Content: During week 2 we will discuss the basics of medications used to treat pain including opioids, NSAIDS, alpha 2- agonists, local anesthetics, and others. We will cover the benefits and potential side effects of these medications. We will reiterate the importance of each team member knowing at least the basics of each of these medications.

Week 3 (Real Time Session November 12): Peri- and Intra-operative Pain Management Considerations
Content: During this week we will discuss the pre- and intra-operative pain management considerations, including the basics of local and regional blocks. We will cover basic drug calculations and constant rate infusions.

Week 4 (Real Time Session November 19): Operative Pain Management Considerations
Content: During the last week we will cover basic post-operative pain management considerations. This includes the immediate post operative thru long term considerations as well as the basics of medications used during this period. We will also discuss the importance of each team member's communication with clients during this time period. We will briefly cover physical therapy and rehabilitation during this week.

CE HOURS: 6

Tuition: $120 ($108 early bird special if enrolled by October 7, 2011).
*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).
** To ensure participants are ready and prepared for classes, enrollment will close when the maximum number of participants is reached or at 5pm ET the day of the first Real Time Session unless otherwise noted. If the first Real Time Session is on a weekend, course will close on the Friday before the first Real Time Session.

**For more on how online CE works see the Participant Resource Center

TO ENROLL:

  1. Enrollment qualifications: VIN CE courses are open to VIN member and non-member veterinarians. Veterinarians enrolling in a VSPN CE course must be a VIN member. Veterinary support staff must be a VSPN member to enroll in a VSPN CE or a VIN CE course open to VSPN member enrollment.
  2. Each enrollee must be able to receive emails from @vspn.org and @vin.com addresses. Email is our major form of communication with participants; personal emails are highly recommended rather than clinic/hospital email addresses.
  3. Each person is individually responsible for his/her own registration. To ensure that all information received is secure and correct, please do not enroll for a course on behalf of another individual.
  4. For further assistance call 1-800-700-INFO (4636) or email (VIN CE) CEonVIN@vin.com or (VSPN CE) VSPNCE@vspn.org). Please include the course title, your full name, and contact information in your correspondence.
Note: "This course has been approved for 6 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).
Course withdrawal and refund policy: A complete refund of the paid course price will be issued when your withdrawal request is received prior to the listed start date of the course. If you wish to withdraw after the start date please contact the VIN/VSPN office 1-800-700-INFO (4636) to discuss eligibility for a pro-rated refund.
**Note: To ensure rapid handling of your request for withdrawal, we recommend that you call the VIN/VSPN office at 1-800-700-INFO (4636).
** For More Information on VSPN's upcoming CE Courses, check out https://www.vin.com/CE/VSPN/VSPN_M02231.htm

Nanette R. Walker Smith, M.Ed., RVT, CVT, LVT
VSPN Content Director & VSPN CE Director

VSPN CE Services: VSPNCE@vspn.org
1-800-846-0028 or 1-530-756-4881 or direct line to VIN/VSPN from the United Kingdom: 01452226154
Charlotte Waack (Charlotte@vspn.org), ext 193
Chris Upchurch (Chris@vspn.org); ext 197
Darci Palmer (Darci@vspn.org); ext 179
Debbie Bess (DBess@vspn.org); ext 178
Jennifer Withrow (Jennifer@vspn.org); ext 159
Nanette Walker Smith (Nanette@vspn.org); ext 187

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