Explore Vet Nursing: Practical Skills

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$389

AUD

35% off

$599 AUD

Quick Facts

Delivery Method Online
Professional Certificate
24hrs Suggested Study Time
3 Months Access
Tutor Support
Study On Any Device
2726 Students

Learn the practical skills you'll need to be a valuable veterinary nurse or educated pet owner.

Learn the practical skills you'll need to be a valuable veterinary nurse or educated pet owner. Taught by a practicing veterinarian, this course is the third installment in this series.

Please join us as we explore all the many duties that a veterinary assistant typically performs. Through instruction and demonstration, you'll learn how to safely restrain an animal for blood tests, urine collection, and injections. Then you'll find out how to obtain blood samples, which needles to use for which patient, where the best anatomical sites for collecting blood are located, and how to catheterise a bladder.

We'll also review the basics of blood and urine interpretation so you'll come to understand how veterinarians diagnose various conditions.

You'll gain a thourough understanding of examination room procedures, including disinfecting, prepping, and taking a patient's TPR (temperature, pulse, and respiration).

Other handy skills we'll cover include expressing anal glands, bathing, cleaning ears, giving medication, establishing the sex of a young kitten, puppy, or bunny, determining age, and trimming nails.

Throughout the course, you'll benefit from videos that demonstrate many of these procedures and techniques, as well as state-of-the-art interactive graphics. It's as close as you can get to actually being right there in the veterinarian's office!

Courses are delivered to you through expertly executed lessons, online instruction and interaction with like-minded students. Our courses are designed to deliver all of the benefits of studying in a classroom whilst giving you the flexibility to study at a time and place to suit your needs. You can access your classroom 24/7 from any device with an internet connection.

This course has a 3 month duration. You'll complete comprehensive lessons, quizzes and assignments before submitting your final exam at the end of the course to achieve your certificate. Courses must be completed within the 3 month access period.

We'll begin this course with a discussion about one of the basic duties of veterinary assistants—how to safely and securely hold animals. Proper restraint techniques are the keys to ensuring that you and the person performing a procedure are safe. In addition to learning those techniques, you'll find out how to assess a patient's body language, how to remove a dog from a cage, and how to use different equipment to control a patient.

We focused on dogs in the last lesson. Today, we'll change the focus to cats. Their body language cues differ from a dog's, so how you handle them will change, too. You'll learn the "stretch," the "scruff," and the "kitty burrito" restraint techniques. Then, we'll examine how to restrain rabbits, birds, and other exotics.

Now it's time to learn how to put your new restraint skills to work. Nearly every day, a veterinary assistant will be asked to help restrain an animal for any number of reasons: blood collection, injections, and routine examinations to name a few. Other times, you'll have to conduct a physical exam, give medication, or trim nails. In this lesson, I'll provide you with videos as well as detailed, step-by-step instructions to help prepare you for these duties.

A blood tests is a vital way for veterinarians to determine what's wrong with a patient. So taking blood samples and having a working knowledge of an animal's circulatory system is key for a veterinary assistant. After a review of the circulatory system, we'll look at the most common sites for taking blood—jugular, cephalic, and saphenous veins. Then, we'll take a look at the equipment you'll be using (needles, syringes, and blood collection tubes).

Now that you have a blood sample, what can you do with it? In this lesson, we'll focus on the tests you might help to perform and explore how veterinarians diagnose diseases. Though there are thousands of diseases, a few important ones are anemia, diabetes, kidney disease, and liver failure. You'll quickly learn the difference between white blood cells and chemistries and how to do a PCV and blood smear.

All fluids tell a story. In this lesson, we'll look at urine and how to take samples. You could just put a bowl under a dog, of course, but there other methods that will help ensure that the sample remains uncontaminated. And just like when we talked about blood, we'll also look at the tests that you might help to perform on urine, and go over what duties you'll be responsible for.

In this lesson, we'll move into the surgical suite. Although the veterinarian will do the surgery itself, she won't be able to do it alone. You may be asked to clip and scrub a patient for surgery. Other responsibilities could include preparing surgical packs, knowing the names of the surgical instruments, and cleaning and sterilizing those instruments properly. You'll also have a front row seat to a life-saving surgery that I performed on a little dog.

While it's not the most glamorous of tasks, keeping anal sacs clear and anal glands healthy is a big part of basic health care for companion animals. I'll explain how to identify an impacted sac and show you two techniques you can use to remedy this condition. We'll also examine how to clean ears, administer medication, and provide a bath—all common responsibilities that you may be assigned as a veterinary assistant.

Suppose someone brings you a little kitten and wants to know if it's a boy or a girl. Can you do it? In this lesson, we'll look at how to identify the gender of kittens, puppies, and bunnies, as well as how to tell their age. Knowing the age of a patient is important when figuring out how much medication to give. So I've also included a segment on how to calculate doses of medication to help you figure out what and how much to give your patient.

Now we'll move into the exam room. Yes, assistants have to know how to set up the room, but they can also play an important role in preparing the patients before the veterinarian sees them. In this lesson you'll learn about TPR—temperature, pulse, and respiration. We'll also discuss how to take a patient history, what to look for while performing the TPR, and how to identify dehydration.

Do you know metatarsals from metacarpals? How about ventral from dorsal? In this lesson, I'll give you a crash course in medial terminology and how to use it when taking radiographs. We'll also talk about how to read x-rays and go over why bones look white and lungs look dark. You'll discover how to train a dog so you can take a hip x-ray without sedation.

In this last lesson, we'll take a closer look at how to give injections (including vaccines) and how to diagnose one of the most common ailments that afflicts cats and dogs: worms. We'll discuss collection techniques, proper equipment, what to look for in a sample, and how to identify different types of worms. Finally, we'll wrap up with some of the more memorable cases I've dealt with during my years as a veterinarian. Maybe they'll inspire you to become a veterinarian yourself!

Jeff Grognet

Jeff Grognet has been a companion animal veterinarian for 25 years. He was a pioneer in the field of veterinary assistant teaching, developing his first course almost 20 years ago. The overwhelming success of his veterinary receptionist/assistant ... Read more

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Frequently Asked Questions

Once you've made the payment, we'll send you a confirmation email with a link to start your course. Feel free to get started whenever you're ready!

You'll have 3 months access to your course. In that time you are free to study at your own pace. The course duration is 24 hours.

Online learning is a flexible way to study that fits around your schedule, giving you the freedom to learn at your own pace from anywhere in the world. You'll have 3 months to complete the course and can take the multiple-choice questions and final exam whenever it suits you.

If you need help, you can contact us anytime. You can also join the discussion area where you can interact with other students. The discussion area for each lesson is open for the entire duration of the course.

Of course! We offer a 7-day money back guarantee. As long as you haven't completed the course, you can get a full refund within 7 days of enrolling.

We do not offer extensions or transfers for this self-paced course. However, you will have 3 months to complete the course, and if you need to cancel within the first 10 days of enrolment, we offer a money back guarantee.

What people are saying about our courses

Great Course!! I put the information to use with my rescues during the time I was learning. Excellent for pet owners. I have recommended it to several people and will continue to do so.

Verified Student

I especially like that you had photographs along with the content. The video clips were very helpful as a learning aid. The course was well organized and written in a style that was easy to understand. The course content was excellent. It was a convenient, interesting, and fun course. The case histories and examples from your practice gave an insight into a vet’s world. Thanks for a great experience.

Verified Student

This course offered much more information than I expected. This is a great course for pet owners, breeders and for anybody who is working with animals. All the questions on the discussion board were answered quickly and professionally. Thank you Dr. Jeff!

Verified Student

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The Learning Environment

From the moment that you enrol in the Explore Vet Nursing: Practical Skills you will become an integral part of our learning community. You'll find yourself with the freedom to learn at a speed that suits you, on any device, from anywhere in the world. Achieving your career goals no longer has to mean compromising family and work commitments.

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Learn At Your Own Pace

We believe in personalised learning. That's why we provide all the tools and support you need to succeed at your own pace. With flexible learning, you'll stay motivated and retain more information. Plus, you can balance your studies with work and family commitments to make your dreams a reality.

We Won't Break The Bank

Education should be accessible to anyone who wants to learn. That's why we offer some of the most competitive prices in the industry with payments plans for just $25 per week. Investing in your future is a smart choice and doesn’t have to break the bank.

Industry-Led Courses

There's no better way to learn than from experts with years of experience in your field. That's why each of our 200+ industry-led courses are designed to give you a real-life perspective on your industry. With our expert mentors, you'll learn from people who have a wealth of knowledge and experience, and who are passionate about sharing it with you.

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At Vibe Learning, we're real people who are dedicated to providing you with personal support every step of the way. Our industry experts are not only professional and knowledgeable but also incredibly passionate about sharing their expertise with you. With their guidance, you'll gain invaluable insights and practical knowledge to help you succeed.

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Explore Vet Nursing: Practical Skills

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Microsoft PowerPoint 2010 for Teachers

Quick Facts

Delivery Method Online
Professional Certificate
24hrs Suggested Study Time
3 Months Access
Tutor Support
Study On Any Device
443 Students

Learn how to motivate students and enrich your lessons by bringing Microsoft PowerPoint 2010 into your classroom.

What teacher couldn't use help motivating students and keeping their interest? In this course, you'll learn how to create captivating lessons and attention-grabbing classroom presentations using Microsoft PowerPoint 2010.

First, you'll cover the basics of this MS Office program including creating slides, using templates, inserting text, changing background colors, creating WordArt titles, using SmartArt graphics, and adding slide transitions. Then you'll develop advanced skills such as inserting graphics, sound, video, custom animations, timed transitions, and hyperlinks.

You'll get step-by-step instructions for creating several different types of classroom presentations, including lectures and interactive narrations for your students' independent use at computer stations. You'll also see how PowerPoint helps you address different learning styles, making it much easier to reach every student. And you'll discover how to upload your presentation to a Web server, email a slide show, broadcast a presentation in real time, and take your PowerPoint shows on the road.

By the time you're done, you'll be an expert at using PowerPoint to add appeal to any lessonâ€”and you'll even find out how you can help your students develop their own PowerPoint skills!

Do you have students in your classroom with different learning styles? In our first lesson, we'll explore the ways that Microsoft PowerPoint 2010 can help you teach all kinds of students. We'll view two different types of PowerPoint presentations that you can use in a classroom setting, and we'll also look at some helpful PowerPoint templates and slide layouts.

In this lesson, you'll learn about the File Tab, the Ribbon, Tabs, and Task Groups in PowerPoint, and what all of them do. You'll have an opportunity to explore different functions in the Task Groups using a presentation template. We'll also work with the Clipboard, Font, and Drawing groups. You'll create some basic slides and learn about different slide views. In addition, we'll explore objects on slides and how to move, resize, and delete them. This will give you a great foundation for beginning your own presentations.

Today, you'll explore how to add, format, and manipulate text in PowerPoint. You'll insert text boxes; experiment with different colors, fonts, and styles; and add bullets to important information. In addition, we'll try out WordArt, which will help you add colors, patterns, and fill effects to WordArt titles. To polish up our text, we'll take a look at alignments, colors, and placements, and we'll finish with a Spelling and Grammar Check.

Have you heard of JPEGs, GIFs, and BMPs, and wondered what these letters mean? Well, wonder no more! In this lesson, you'll learn the origins and purposes of different graphic formats. You'll look at the Picture Tools and practice applying effects to pictures. Finally, we'll explore sources of clip art, and you'll see how to use options on the Insert tab to add images from scanners and digital devices. By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to add all kinds of images to your presentations!

Do you enjoy drawing shapes and experimenting with fill colors? Can you think of some ways you could use shapes in a PowerPoint presentation to teach concepts in class? Today, we'll continue our exploration of the Drawing group. We'll look at Shapes, Shape Fill, Outline, line and arrow styles, SmartArt, and 3-D effects. You'll have fun rotating, flipping, and distributing objects on your slides.

You might think of PowerPoint as a great way to make visual presentations in your classroom, but you can do a lot with audio, too! Today, you'll discover how to locate, save, and insert sound files from the Internet. And wouldn't it be great to customize a presentation with your own voice? You'll also learn how to record and add your own sounds and narration to a PowerPoint presentation.

Would you like to know how to play a video in a PowerPoint presentation? In this lesson, we'll explore different video formats, as well as sources of videos and motion clips. You'll learn how to insert videos using embed codes, links, and saved video files. We'll explore a variety of play and formatting options you can apply to videos in a slide show. You'll be surprised at how easy it is to add educational clips to your presentations!

When you've watched television or listened to the radio, you've probably noticed all the transitions broadcasters use. Transitions help us move seamlessly from one idea to the next. In today's lesson, you'll learn how to make your slide show more interesting and exciting by using the many visual and auditory transitions available in PowerPoint.

Putting objects in motion is one sure way to get your students' attention! Today, you'll discover how animating text and graphics in your PowerPoint shows can help you bring any show to life. You can animate objects in a PowerPoint presentation with a wide variety of motions and sounds. We'll practice animating objects and see which effects work best in your show.

Have you ever wanted to create a self-paced presentation to show students at a computer station? In today's lesson, you'll create an interactive slide show that allows your students to explore information at their own pace. You'll also learn how to design a home slide with hyperlinks to as many individual slides as you need.

If you've ever given a speech, you know how helpful speaking notes are. Did you know that you can add notes to a PowerPoint presentation to help you give a talk that goes with it? You'll learn how to do that today, and you'll also create handouts to go with your slide show. In addition, we'll practice using the Rehearse Timings and Record Slide Show options to set up a show to automatically advance. You'll see how all these tools can make presenting your shows a snap!

In our final lesson, you'll see how PowerPoint's Package Presentation for CD feature allows you to take your slide show wherever you want! You'll also learn how to email a presentation, create a video of your slide show, discover<a name="_GoBack"></a> how to upload a slide show to a Web server, and broadcast a slide show in real time. Get ready to share your presentations just about anywhere!

Tracy Loffer

Tracy Loffer holds a Master's degree in Education in Curriculum and Instruction. She has been involved in education for twenty years, as a music educator and technology trainer of students and teachers. She has also worked in the private sector as... Read more

Read Tracy Loffer's Profile

Frequently Asked Questions

Once you've made the payment, we'll send you a confirmation email with a link to start your course. Feel free to get started whenever you're ready!

You'll have 3 months access to your course. In that time you are free to study at your own pace. The course duration is 24 hours.

Of course! We offer a 7-day money back guarantee. As long as you haven't completed the course, you can get a full refund within 7 days of enrolling.

What people are saying about our courses

I felt this class was very organized and helpful. I learned so much and can hardly wait to share some of my newest powerpoints with my classes and colleagues. What a great resource! Thank you!

Verified Student

This was a very helpful class, especially now days when teachers are pressed to incorporate technology in our lessons.

Verified Student

I enjoyed this course. It was well written and easy to follow. The instructor was very good and the lessons were well-paced, well-ordered and contained excellent material. I learned a lot of new techniques and tips to improve my PowerPoint presentations. Although it was weighted towards traditional classroom teaching in terms of examples, assignments and general descriptions and I am creating training PowerPoints for use in a business setting, most of the techniques and ideas were applicable to my use and I will create better training because of taking the course. I would recommend it to anyone interested in improving their PowerPoint skills. Thank you!

Verified Student

See More Reviews

The Learning Environment

From the moment that you enrol in the Microsoft PowerPoint 2010 for Teachers you will become an integral part of our learning community. You'll find yourself with the freedom to learn at a speed that suits you, on any device, from anywhere in the world. Achieving your career goals no longer has to mean compromising family and work commitments.