VETTECH U 2024 / HOUSTON, TX
TRICKS OF THE TRADE AMANDA M. SHELBY, RVTg, VTS (ANESTHESIA & ANALGESIA) SENIOR CE SPECIALIST, VETGIRL
Sponsored by
SATURDAY AM • SEPTEMBER 21 9:15 – 10:15 AM
Have you ever witnessed someone doing something a little differently or truly thought, “How have I not thought of that before?” This presentation provides a career collection of helpful suggestions for common clinical situations many of which have presented veterinary staff challenges leaving us to think, “Surely there is an easier way.” The ‘smartest’ person is often the one not scared to help someone, to share their knowledge, to ask questions, or to ask for help when they are unsure. This collection of clinical practice tricks from many colleagues is shared with the hope that you find this presentation full of helpful suggestions to avoid struggling in the trenches! Vascular access can be challenging. When working in veterinary teaching hospitals with students, part of the job as a veterinary technician is guiding the next generation of veterinary professionals while balancing the patients’ interests. Often people use a two ‘stick’ rule but sometimes learning takes more tries to become proficient. Sometimes patients are so sick that vascular access is near impossible, and pursuit wastes precious time when one could be providing life-saving therapies. Consider intraosseous catheter placement! It is not challenging, just intimidating and the great news is that you can practice on deceased patients (with permission of course) to hone the skill for when you need to make it count to save a patient’s life. Delivering intraosseous life-saving medications and fluids can be done within a short period following diagnosis and a veterinarian’s prescription, making it easier to obtain vascular access for continued care. Catheterization in conscious patients is often necessary but can be stressful. Consider applying eutectic mixture of local anesthetic (EMLA) cream to the skin following removal of organic debris and fur. The author finds covering the prepared area with an examination glove (plastic) dressing helps expedite the onset of effect to 20-30 minutes. EMLA creams have been shown to increase the success of
jugular cannulation in conscious, non-sedated cats. Preventing pain and reducing stress on the patient during restraint and cannulation is good patient care—the foundation of a veterinary technician’s oath. Intubation can be challenging or intimidating for many, especially in extremely small or exotic species. In small kittens or puppies requiring intubation place a flashlight on the ventral aspect of the larynx from the outside! This will help illuminate the airway as you attempt intubation. Don’t forget these tissues are delicate. If intubation is not successful, consider forced mask ventilation with a tight-fitted mask. This is an essential skill for neonatal resuscitation following delivery from cesarean section and is especially helpful for those challenging species—rabbits and small kittens! Being a distinguished anesthetist is a combination of being knowledgeable about how disease processes impact anesthesia, understanding drug pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, and finally, a thorough understanding of patient monitoring. Attention to detail, ability to recognize minor changes in trends or waveforms, and understanding when to rapidly alert the veterinarian and respond with appropriate treatment are traits that hail the title of expert. Furthermore, understanding advantages and limitations of monitoring devices is fundamental to becoming an expert patient monitor and dedicated anesthetist. Pulse Oximetry…do you commonly get values below 97%? Are you guilty of saying “that’s just the pulse ox…”— learn to maximize “reliable” readings. Explore the potential use of the reflectance probe, a flat pulse oximeter probe that is placed along a bony structure to provide you with reliable oxygen saturation values. Understand the limitations of the pulse oximetry technology and how to maximize reliable readings. Furthermore, learn why the plethysmograph waveform exists and what valuable information the pulse oximeter could indicate regarding fluid assessment.
16
SEPTEMBER 20-22, 2024 | PROCEEDINGS | VETGIRLONTHERUN.COM
VETTECH U
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker