Following admittance, nurses will ensure that the patient is
comfortable in kennels by offering warm, absorbent, comfortable
bedding along with litter trays for cats and rabbits. Water and
appetising suitable food will also be offered as appropriate. To
help them settle and reduce anxiety familiar objects such as toys
and blankets can also be brought in.
The veterinary nurse is involved in selecting and preparing the
equipment and instruments required for surgery. They might also
obtain blood samples and connect intravenous fluids known
as 'drips' prior to surgery.
Most patients require pre-anaesthetic medication -
a 'pre-med' which reduces anxiety and includes
pain relief. The nurse will either assist the vet in
administering the medication or administer the
drugs selected by the vet. After pre-medication
the nurse will monitor the patient until he or
she is ready for theatre.
When the patient is ready for
theatre, the nurse will assist
the vet during anaesthetic
induction. We ensure that
patients are comfortably
and safely restrained and give
constant reassurance, allowing the process to
be as stress free as possible. The nurse then
prepares the patient for surgery by clipping and
cleaning the surgical site. During the surgery the
anaesthetic is constantly monitored, making
appropriate adjustments according to the readings
and patient’s conditions in conjunction with the vet.
During the recovery period, monitoring continues.
Nurses ensure that the animals are not
left unattended, and are kept warm
and comfortable. Once fully awake
and before going home, patients
might be walked if appropriate, given
a meal and the progress monitored.
Good nutrition, appropriate rest
and exercise are vital in aiding
the recovery.
For many operations the post
operative check may be performed
by the veterinary nursing team who
are well placed to monitor their
patients’ progress after nursing
them through their procedure.
V
eterinary nurses play a primary role in patient care within the veterinary practice. By working alongside
veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses are able to provide the patients with the best possible care during
their time at the surgery. We understand that it can be a stressful time when pets are admitted for surgery
and aim to treat each patient as an individual and as if they were our own pets. Behind the scenes, the registered
veterinary nurse will be involved in many different areas including the kennels and theatre.
Nursing care
of the surgical patient
by
Rebecca Hillman RVN
Belmont Veterinary Centre
Suddenly I was in the shoes of a frightened, concerned,
worried pet owner. My pet was going to require an anaesthetic
to investigate her problem. Many times, I have had to
explain why an anaesthetic may be required, what we use
and how safe it is to a client in the position in which I now
found myself.
The definition of anaesthesia is ‘a reversible process of
depression of the central nervous system with drugs and a
reduced or absent response to noxious (nasty) stimuli, which
the patient does not recall’. It may come in two different
forms, general anaesthesia or local (or regional) anaesthesia.
As the name suggests the latter is the use of drugs to
temporarily block sensation in a small area of the body by
using either topical gels or solutions, or localised injections
to numb an area or part of the body. In small animals we
occasionally use these techniques perhaps by giving an epidural
if performing hind limb surgery for example. However, in most
cases, because we can't ask our patients ‘to sit still and don't
move’ we use a general anaesthetic. A general anaesthetic can
be induced by inhaled gases or by a drug injected into a vein
(intravenously). It is up to the vet in charge of the patient to
decide which regime is most appropriate for that patient. Is it a
fit healthy animal coming in for a routine procedure such as a
castration or is the patient very poorly where other factors
then have to be considered? The vet is also responsible for
assessing whether they have the facilities, skills and experience
to use a particular anaesthetic protocol. Most modern practices
now have monitoring equipment and staff trained to an
extremely high standard, with techniques and drugs being
used in veterinary practice which are also used by our medical
colleagues in human hospitals.
As I tell my own clients, ‘we use the same anaesthetics and
equipment used for 90 year olds having hip replacements!’
Yes, there are risks for any animal undergoing an anaesthetic
but, we try to reduce these risks to a minimum with skill,
excellent monitoring, appropriate drug choice and extreme
care of the patient at all times.
I took comfort in reminding myself this and knew Ochre was in
the ‘best possible hands’.
Once in a while, something happens which makes you reassess your attitude to a situation. It was about three weeks
ago when one of my dogs started falling over and holding her head on one side. As a vet I knew there were a number
of possible clinical conditions which could be causing these distressing clinical signs but, as a worried owner, all rational
thought abandoned me!
Anaesthetic
care...
...
ause
stive
ugh...
Verity J. Griffiths BSc(Hons), MA, VetMB, GPCert(SAS), MRCVS,
Southfield Veterinary Centre