Learning basic clinical skills?

[Gurame21]

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Hello all!

I'm excited to say that I will be interviewing for a tech job at a 24 hour emergency vet hospital sometime next week. I managed to get this opportunity by tutoring a girl who, unbeknownst to me, is somewhat of a "lead" technician at this hospital. She put in the good word to the docs and said that I probably have the job in the bag. My problem is that the job usually requires previous clinical experience, of which I've only got a limited amount of. The doctor I talked to said that they will overlook this if I'm really as capable as the girl made me out to be. While they aren't going to expect me to do anything very intense the first couple weeks (in which I will receive training), I think it'd be good to go in there with some basic clinical knowledge and skills. Does any one know of good sites or books for learning some of the basics? Obviously these kinds of things are best learned hands on but doing some reading couldn't hurt. Thanks!

 

[Lupin21]

I used Tasks for the Veterinary Assistant 2nd ed. by Paula Pattengale. Skip over some of the stuff you probably won't be doing like knot tying and reception, but it's good for restraint techniques and all the simpler tasks you will be expected to do. Good Luck! It definitely takes some time to be good at these things, so don't get frustrated when you don't get it right away and just keep at it. 👍

 

[hai1983]

Hello all!

I'm excited to say that I will be interviewing for a tech job at a 24 hour emergency vet hospital sometime next week. I managed to get this opportunity by tutoring a girl who, unbeknownst to me, is somewhat of a "lead" technician at this hospital. She put in the good word to the docs and said that I probably have the job in the bag. My problem is that the job usually requires previous clinical experience, of which I've only got a limited amount of. The doctor I talked to said that they will overlook this if I'm really as capable as the girl made me out to be. While they aren't going to expect me to do anything very intense the first couple weeks (in which I will receive training), I think it'd be good to go in there with some basic clinical knowledge and skills. Does any one know of good sites or books for learning some of the basics? Obviously these kinds of things are best learned hands on but doing some reading couldn't hurt. Thanks!

What skills do you have? Restraint? Venipuncture? Taking radiographs? Running bloodwork?

 

[Gurame21]

Yeah I guess that's probably the extent of things I would need to know

 

[hai1983]

Yeah I guess that's probably the extent of things I would need to know

I'm sorry if I wasn't clear. I was asking what skills you do already have. It'd be helpful to know what you know and don't know so we get a sense for what you need to learn.

Depending on the practice, you may be fine just knowing those skills, or you might need to know a lot more. Your on the job training will be helpful for getting you up to speed with their expectations.

 

[Gurame21]

Oh!
Well I'm pretty familiar with heart/respiratory sounds, simple subcutaneous injections, and restraint. I've never drawn blood before and from what I hear there are times when things get really busy (being an emergency clinic) and techs have to take on more involved tasks. I'd like to learn more about venepuncture and cpr chiefly. Also because I've only assisted docs in primary care settings, I've never really had to restrain an animal that is truly panicking or in shock like one might be in an emergency setting. It'd be interesting to learn about more intricate ways of restraining an animal.
Thanks!

 

[LetItSnow]

Oh!
Well I'm pretty familiar with heart/respiratory sounds, simple subcutaneous injections, and restraint. I've never drawn blood before and from what I hear there are times when things get really busy (being an emergency clinic) and techs have to take on more involved tasks. I'd like to learn more about venepuncture and cpr chiefly. Also because I've only assisted docs in primary care settings, I've never really had to restrain an animal that is truly panicking or in shock like one might be in an emergency setting. It'd be interesting to learn about more intricate ways of restraining an animal.
Thanks!

Skip CPR. For starters, about the only damn time it ever works is in an anesthesia situation - a dog laying around icu that crashes isn't coming back. Second, it's unlikely you'd have to do it.

Learn how to give IM injections, not just SQ (as in, learn which locations are acceptable, and how to find your landmarks). Get comfortable with what gauge needle to use for what, and know which color is which gauge.

Learn how to draw blood. Learn why the lateral saphenous on a dog is sometimes an awesome choice (hint: it's behavior related). Learn how to hold for someone else who's drawing, including a jug draw, a cephalic draw, a medial saphenous on a cat, and a lateral saphenous on a dog.

Learn how to place a catheter, from picking and prep'ing the site, to putting it in, to taking it out.

Other than a few tricks here 'n there (like squashing a dog between a door and a wall) there aren't really that many more ways to restrain an animal than just some variations on the basics. If the animal is that unmanageable, you either need to be a dog/cat-whisperer or you need drugs. Learn the basics of restraint and don't worry about more. Realize that there are far, far fewer dog/cat-whisperers than there are people who THINK they are a dog/cat-whisperer. Learn to tell the difference quickly, so that when someone says "Oh, I have a way with dogs, I can handle this one" you know to be extra careful because almost certainly somebody is about to get bit.

Brush up (or start learning) radiography techniques: how to position an animal for the basic lateral and vd, at least. That way, when someone asks you to hold the animal while they shoot, you've at least got a clue about how to start.

Start out by impressing them with your willingness to learn: bring a small notebook and make notes on what you needed to know that you didn't so that you can study it in your off time.

G'luck.

 

[wildcatj]

Oh!
Well I'm pretty familiar with heart/respiratory sounds, simple subcutaneous injections, and restraint. I've never drawn blood before and from what I hear there are times when things get really busy (being an emergency clinic) and techs have to take on more involved tasks. I'd like to learn more about venepuncture and cpr chiefly. Also because I've only assisted docs in primary care settings, I've never really had to restrain an animal that is truly panicking or in shock like one might be in an emergency setting. It'd be interesting to learn about more intricate ways of restraining an animal.
Thanks!

The blood drawing/IV thing is just going to be based on practice. Definitely learn where the veins are (peak around on your animal(s) if you have them). IV's will definitely be easier if you're good at drawing blood. I think the best advice I was given about blood draws was don't try to poke the vein from the top, it's likely to roll. If you're right handed, put your left thumb on the left side of the vein and poke from the right side. This way the vein will be pinned between your thumb and the needle. Made drawing blood SO much easier.

 

[Fly Racing]

I wouldn't worry about it! They know you know "nothing" and will be training you in the way they want you to do things. The clincical skills are NOT hard, but they do take practice. If you want to study for a week, I would focus on learning vocabulary. The skills take actual practice to learn and it is MUCH quicker to learn clinical skills by someone showing you (especially because they will demonstrate how that employer likes it done and how to do things with their specific equipment). Understanding the vocabulary will do two things for you: allow you to understand jargon (not be confused during training) and allow you to sound more educated. The later will lead them to trust and respect you more, as you will easily communicate and pick up skills.

 

[sunshinevet]

Skip CPR. For starters, about the only damn time it ever works is in an anesthesia situation - a dog laying around icu that crashes isn't coming back. Second, it's unlikely you'd have to do it.


.

I agree with most of your stuff LIS but i really disagree with this one! If he's going for a job at an emergency clinic, he really needs to brush up on the theory of CPR and chat to them about staff training in it. I don't know how busy the place he's going for is, but at our emergency clinic we would go through an entire arrest sequence 3-4 times per week - aka chest compressions, drugs, defib (we have more arrests than that - we don't attempt CPR on them all). And unlike most skills, when it comes to CPR you have to know how to initiate it right then and there and how to participate in it. We bring a surprising number of our patients back (especially young animals arresting due MVA's, snail bait etc) and failing to prepare is preparing to fail.

Also one of the first things you should learn is how to use the monitoring equipment there. Knowing how to hook up a patient to the ECG, BP, ETCO2 etc will be essential. As will placing catheters.

I've got to say, I think most emergency centres utilise their techs a lot more than GP's - you might be surprised by what their techs do and what a steep learning curve you might have.

 

[Bracco Pointer]

I agree with most of your stuff LIS but i really disagree with this one! If he's going for a job at an emergency clinic, he really needs to brush up on the theory of CPR and chat to them about staff training in it. I don't know how busy the place he's going for is, but at our emergency clinic we would go through an entire arrest sequence 3-4 times per week - aka chest compressions, drugs, defib (we have more arrests than that - we don't attempt CPR on them all). And unlike most skills, when it comes to CPR you have to know how to initiate it right then and there and how to participate in it. We bring a surprising number of our patients back (especially young animals arresting due MVA's, snail bait etc) and failing to prepare is preparing to fail.

Also one of the first things you should learn is how to use the monitoring equipment there. Knowing how to hook up a patient to the ECG, BP, ETCO2 etc will be essential. As will placing catheters.

I've got to say, I think most emergency centres utilise their techs a lot more than GP's - you might be surprised by what their techs do and what a steep learning curve you might have.

I agree 100% Even if the OP might not be the one doing the actual compressions, he will need to not only recognize when an animal is getting into trouble, but what to do. Even if he won't be in charge of the CPR, he needs to know the procedure so he can assist in every way possible. As a newbie tech, you can get the animal on the table, start hooking up ECG, pull up drugs as they are called for, etc. If nothing else, there is probably a "record keeper" to write down everything that happens, that can be a good place to start. You can be in the middle of things without actually "doing" anything.

 

[485501]

Regarding CPR theory, the AVMA has some pretty detailed guidelines about animal CPR online. I've also found a few online CPR guides for pet owners, which could also be helpful.