VNUR20360 Veterinary Medical Nursing

Academic Year 2024/2025

The purpose of this module is to prepare students for their involvement in the medical nursing care of equine and small animal patients (including selected exotic species). This includes information gathering, diagnostics, in-patient care and home care. Topics such as infectious disease prevention and control, fluid therapy and nutrition will be emphasised. The teaching approach will involve a combination of lectures, tutorials, practical classes and self-directed learning. Assessment will involve multiple choice question (MCQ) exams, a fluid calculations test, and peer assessment of practical skills.

***Please check and be aware if this module is a prerequisite (Academic Regulation 3.27(a)) for any future modules.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

1. Identify and distinguish normal and abnormal clinical parameters in dogs, cats, horses, and exotic pets.
2. Identify and distinguish the mechanisms of disease.
3. Identify/recommend appropriate infectious disease prevention and control protocols (including vaccination, the pet travel scheme/passport regulations, and isolation/barrier nursing) and any associated risks or limitations.
4. Recognise/describe the clinical signs of common medical diseases and identify/explain their significance.
5. Identify the diagnostic tests required by medical patients and the sample types, equipment, and/or testing protocols required.
6. Identify/discuss the inpatient nursing care required by medical patients (e.g. fluids, nutrition/feeding, medications, monitoring, comfort/physical care).
7. Identify/discuss the home care required by medical patients (e.g. dietary changes, medication considerations, environmental/lifestyle modifications, monitoring).
8. Accurately calculate fluid requirements and infusion rates.
9. Develop your procedural knowledge and competency in veterinary medical nursing practical/clinical skills. Including physical examination, injections & blood sampling (horses and exotics), IV cannula placement (small animals & horses), fluids set up/administration (small animals), ECG and Doppler set up & Glucometer use (small animals) and dermatology sampling (small animals).




Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Autonomous Student Learning

150
Lectures

45
Tutorial

3
Practical

9
Total

207
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Lectures
Active/task based learning
Tutorials
Practical classes
Peer learning
Independent study 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations
Learning Requirements:

Prior learning requirements include general veterinary nursing principles, domestic animal husbandry and nutrition, and animal anatomy and physiology.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Equivalents:
Small Animal Nursing (VNUR20310)


 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Practical Skills Assessment: Grade is based on completion not quality of performance. Week 11 Pass/Fail Grade Scale No

10

 No
Quizzes/Short Exercises: In person, paper-based MCQ exam. Week 7 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No

25

 No
Quizzes/Short Exercises: Short exam-one question on fluid calculations. Week 12 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No

5

 No
Exam (In-person): In person, paper-based MCQ (multiple choice question) exam. End of trimester
Duration:
2 hr(s)
 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No

60

 No

Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment
• Self-assessment activities

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Peer assessment will be performed during practical classes and will be guided by practical reference resources and competency rubric. Group/class general feedback will be provided on the multiple choice question exams and the fluid calculations exam with individual feedback provided to those with lower grades (or upon request).

• Ackerman, N. and Aspinall, V. (2016) Aspinall’s complete textbook of veterinary nursing. 3rd Ed. Elsevier: Edinburgh
• Aspinall, V. (2014) Clinical Procedures in Veterinary Nursing. 3rd Ed. Butterworth- Heinemann: Edinburgh
• Bassert, J.M., Beal, A.D., Samples, O.M. & McCurnin, D.M. (2018) McCurnin's clinical textbook for veterinary technicians. 9th Ed. Elsevier: St. Louis, Missouri.
• Bowden, C. and Masters, J. (2003) Textbook of Veterinary Medical Nursing. Butterworth-Heinemann: Edinburgh
• Coumbe, K. & British Equine Veterinary Association (2001) The equine veterinary nursing manual. Blackwell Science: Oxford.
• Girling, S.J. (2003) Veterinary nursing of exotic pets. Blackwell: Oxford
• Holtgrew-Bohling, K. 2016, Large animal clinical procedures for veterinary technicians. 3rd Ed. Elsevier: St. Louis, Missouri.
• Merrill, L. (ed.) (2012) Small Animal Internal Medicine for Veterinary Technicians and Nurses. John Wiley and Sons, Inc.: Iowa
• Turner, L., Cooper, B. and Mullineaux, E. and British Small Animal Veterinary Association (2011) BSAVA Textbook of Veterinary Nursing. 5th Ed. British Small Animal Veterinary Association: Quedgeley, Gloucester
Name Role
Dr Sandra Aungier Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Assoc Professor Marijke Beltman Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Professor Deirdre Campion Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Sinead Devine Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Assoc Professor Vivienne Duggan Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Robin Farrell Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Rodney Gale Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Terence Dudley Grimes Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Anna Juan de Pedro Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Mr Mark Mc Corry Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Ms Bairbre O'Malley Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Ms Nicola Walshe Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Assoc Professor Annetta Zintl Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Ms Ann Marie Byrne Tutor
Ms Hannah Callaghan Tutor
Mrs Georgina Murphy Tutor
Ms Andrea Regan Tutor