BSAVA Pocketbook for Veterinary Nurses

The BSAVA Pocketbook for Veterinary Nurses offers quick access to key information on a wealth of procedures. In this second edition, editor Emma Gerrard has built on the excellent work of Louise O’Dwyer to reflect the expanding responsibilities of the profession whilst retaining handy features, such as emergency doses and a ruler on the inside covers. Notable additions include: Surgical and anaesthetic checklists, pain scales for dogs, cats and rabbits, dental recording charts, and PROTECT ME information on antimicrobial resistance.

Key points

    Expanded and updated to cover more aspects of modern veterinary nursing.
    Arranged in alphabetical order and cross-referenced for ease of use.
    Provides convenient access to condensed knowledge from a range of BSAVA titles.
    Over 70 full-colour illustrations bring life to radiographic positioning, bandaging and more.
    Retains the practical design of the first edition, with emergency doses and a ruler on the inside covers.

Table of contents

Foreword

Preface

A few notes on using this book

A

Anaesthetic agents

Anaesthetic checklists

Anaesthetic emergencies

Anaesthetic equipment

ASA physical status and classifications scale

B

Bandaging

Biochemistry reference ranges

Blood cell types

Blood collection tubes

Blood pressure measurement

Blood pressure values for dogs and cats

Blood sampling

Blood smear preparation

Blood staining procedures

Blood transfusion

Body condition scoring scheme -- cats

Body condition scoring scheme -- dogs

Body condition scoring scheme -- rabbits

C

Calculating blood loss

Cleaning the operating theatre

Clinical audits

D

Dental recording chart -- cat

Dental recording chart -- dog

E

Ear cytology

Electrocardiography

F

Faecal examination

Feeding tube selection

Feeding tubes -- nursing considerations

Fine needle aspiration of a mass

Fluid therapy

Folding gowns and drapes

G

Gowning and gloving

H

Haematology reference ranges

Hair and skin sampling procedures

Hand hygiene

I

Infection control

Intravenous catheter management

L

Laboratory samples -- packaging for external analysis

M

Mucous membrane colour

Muscle condition scoring scheme -- cats

Muscle condition scoring scheme -- dogs

O

Opioids

P

Packed Cell Volume -- how to perform a PCV

Pain assessment

Pain scoring -- cat

Pain scoring -- dog

Pain scoring -- rabbit

Patient assessment -- daily tasks

Patient assessment -- routine parameters

Physiotherapy

PROTECT ME

R

Radiographic film faults

Radiographic positioning

Radiographic positioning -- advanced

Recumbent patient care

Resting energy requirement (RER) calculation

S

Scrubbing

Sterilization -- packing instruments

Sterilization indicators

Surgical checklist

Sutures

T

Temperature conversion

Theatre -- maintenance of asepsis

Total solids -- using a refractometer

U

Urinalysis

Urinary catheters

Urine specific gravity (USG) normal values

V

Vernier scale

Vital signs -- normal ranges in common species

W

Wound drain management

Wound dressings

Wound recognition and treatment

References

Emergency doses

Emma Gerrard, DipHE(CVN), DipAVN(Small Animal), BSc(Hons), CVN, RVN, qualified as a Veterinary Nurse in 2005 from Myerscough College, Preston. She gained the Diploma of Higher Education Clinical Veterinary Nursing in June 2009, followed by the RCVS Diploma in Advanced Veterinary Nursing in January 2010. In 2011, she graduated from the BSc (Hons) Clinical Veterinary Nursing top-up degree. Emma works at an independent general mixed practice in Powys and locums for Vets Now. Her interests are very varied and include infection control and surgical nursing. Emma began volunteering in 2013 for the BVNA as Regional Representative and for the BSAVA Cymru/Wales Region. Her BSAVA roles have included committee treasurer for the membership development committee. Emma is a companion and farm animal RAMA, a clinical coach, article writer for several veterinary nursing publications, and a tutor for ONCORE ePD.