Catalog Course Search Details

 Department:    VETA

 Course #:    121

 Credits:    9

 Variable:     No

 IUs:    11

 CIP:    510808

 EPC:    115

 REV:    2024

 Course Description  

Learn about the history of veterinary technology, career opportunities, education requirements and the role and responsibilities of the veterinary assistant as part of the veterinary health team. Learn how to safely and effectively obtain patient data that will allow accurate evaluation of the patient with minimum stress and maximum safety. Introduction to animal restraint, record charting, interviewing a client, pharmacology, and physical examination. Topics include the necessary concepts involved in mathematics used in veterinary medicine including dosage calculations, metric conversions, percentages, ratios, medical terminology, medication categories and medical abbreviations. Students will complete a Healthcare Provider CPR certification.

 Prerequisite  

Prerequisite: None.

Contact Hours (based on 11 week quarter)

Lecture: 55

Lab: 88

Other: 0

Systems: 0

Clinical: 0

Intent: Distribution Requirement(s) Status:  

Vocational Preparatory Required for certificate  

Equivalencies At Other Institutions

Learning Outcomes

After completing this course, the student will be able to:

1. Start developing a basic knowledge of veterinary medical terminology with a brief overview of physical requirements and risks involved in restraint and handling animals.
2. Explore the role of the Veterinary Assistant as a member of the veterinary health team and identify and differentiate between levels of responsibility and tasks performed by the veterinary team.
3. Understand the level of supervision required to perform various tasks and explore animal welfare and rights groups, and wildlife rehab and welfare.
4. Discuss the assistant�s responsibility to animals, veterinarians, clients, staff, and colleagues and identify tasks legally performed by assistants, technicians, and veterinarians.
5. Explore education requirements for licensure, specializations, employment opportunities, salary and benefits, and employability skills.
6. Gain an understanding of veterinary medical ethics, and apply principles of professional attitude and image in the veterinary climate.
7. Identify selected veterinary species and breeds and learn and use the techniques for giving a basic physical exam and prepare a medical record.
8. Understand and use behavior and restraint techniques for various types of animals and demonstrate safe lifting techniques for both dogs and equipment.
9. Perform patient care, dental care, and examination techniques, and document and take medical history and breed identification (dogs and cats).
10. Understand and communicate the definitions of preventative health, nutrition, routine care, and the necessity of euthanasia in the care and treatment of animals.
11. Use and understand the need for clothing and eye protection safety and properly handle, store & dispose of chemicals/materials.
12. Comply with personal & environmental safety practices associated with tools and equipment, proper ventilation, animal related injury, disease transmission and laboratory hazards.
13. Receive certification for obtaining a current Healthcare Provider CPR card and locate and understand local, state & federal safety and environmental regulations.
14. Identify the relative value of decimals, and correctly add and subtract, multiply, and divide with 100% accuracy.
15. List commonly used units of measure in the metric system, distinguish official abbreviations, express and convert metric weights and volumes, and apply them to apothecary measurements with greater than 81% accuracy.
16. Use actual drug labels and dosing problems to read and identify proper dosing strengths and calculate simple dosing calculations with 100% accuracy.
17. Use standard syringe usage to identify dosage strengths, read solution labels, measure correct dosages and preparations with accuracy; and identify ratio and proportion, solve and assess dosage problems with 100% accuracy.
18. Use a practical formula method to solve dosage problems using metric and international dosages with at least 81% accuracy and apply the commonly used system of drug administration, to accurately read and identify drugs, dosage, times, and routes of administration with at least 81% accuracy.
19. Correctly convert weight, calculate dosages, and determine normal range dosages with at least 81% accuracy.
20. Have a general understanding of IV therapy, to differentiate and identify calibrations; calculate flow rates, volume and time rates; and explain functions and protocol of IV administration with at least 81% accuracy.
21. Perform a physical exam, using correct technique to take a temperature, identify heart and lung sounds and correctly restrain an animal demonstrating various techniques for related animal positioning.
22. Participate in all classroom clinic/laboratory practice procedures as assigned by the instructor and provide nursing care for hospitalized patients.

General Education Learning Values & Outcomes

Revised August 2008 and affects outlines for 2008 year 1 and later.

Course Contents

1. Veterinary medical terminology, ethics, and principles of professional attitude and image in the veterinary climate.
2. Role of the Veterinary Assistant and levels of responsibility and tasks legally performed by assistants, technicians, and veterinarians.
3. Requirements for licensure, specializations, employment opportunities, salary and benefits, and employability skills.
4. Selected veterinary species and breeds and the techniques for giving a basic physical exam and medical records.
5. Restraint techniques for various types of animals and safe lifting techniques for both dogs and equipment.
6. Preventative health, nutrition, routine care, and the necessity of euthanasia in the care and treatment of animals.
7. Need for clothing and eye protection safety and properly handle, store & dispose of chemicals/materials; personal & environmental safety practices associated with tools and equipment, proper ventilation, animal related injury, disease transmission and laboratory hazards.
8. Healthcare Provider CPR card and local, state & federal safety and environmental regulations.
9. Veterinary math; add and subtract, multiply, and divide with 100% accuracy.
10. Commonly used units of measure in the metric system, distinguish official abbreviations, express and convert metric weights and volumes, and apply them to apothecary measurements with greater than 81% accuracy.
11. Standard syringe usage to identify dosage strengths, read solution labels, measure correct dosages and preparations with accuracy; ratio and proportion, solve and assess dosage problems with 100% accuracy.
12. Weight, calculate dosages, and determine normal range dosages with at least 81% accuracy; IV therapy, flow rates, volume and time rates; and protocol of IV administration with at least 81% accuracy.
13. Physical exam, using correct technique to take a temperature, heart and lung sounds and restrain an animal demonstrating various techniques for related animal positioning.
14. Nursing care for hospitalized patients.