Beyond the basics… Mastering advanced veterinary nursing skills

12 weeksVeterinary Nursing17 CPD hours

Our vtx nursing members wanted an advanced nursing course that will motivate and inspire them to learn from other experienced and inspirational speakers across a variety of topics. This course aims to be the UK leader in providing a completely holistic approach to CPD for registered veterinary nurses and vet techs.

This course will be delivered by a variety of speakers, including EBVS and RCVS recognised Specialists as well as nurses who hold advanced qualifications (e.g. Advanced certificates/qualifications) or who are recognised experts in their field. The course runs over an 12 week period and is equivalent to 17 hours of CPD/CE. It is delivered via pre-recorded video webinars and supplemented with a real-time discussion forum where delegates can ask questions about specific topic content or about cases that they are experiencing in practice – where they maybe just need a bit of support.

Speakers on this Advanced Skills course include Scott Kilpatrick (internal Medicine Specialist), Liz Bode (Cardiology Specialist), Ashley Wemple (RVN CertVNECC), Laura Jones (RVN, Dip AVN, VTS Internal Medicine), Lacey Pitcher (EVN), Jack Pye (RVN), Inge Breatnach (RVN), Harry Swales (Internal Medicine Specialist), Janette Bailey-Woods (RVN) and Matteo Rossanese (Surgery Specialist).

Access to this course is for 12 months from the start of the course going live on our website.  The course is delivered via video webinars and supplemented with a real-time discussion forum, giving you the opportunity to ask questions or discuss cases you may be facing in your practice. The discussion forum will be monitored for the course duration only.

Course Content

Lesson 1: Bloodwork interpretation… It’s all about the base, about the base, ‘Base Excess!’ Available on 16/06/2025 8:00 am 16/06/2025
learning outcomes
  • You know how to run the tests; Let’s look in more detail at what the results mean for your patients.
  • Electrolytes and blood gas analysis can be confusing. In this lesson we will crack the code of acid base!
  • We will review some more unusual tests… from coagulation to Coombs.
Lesson 2: Fluid therapy in practice… When Hartmanns is the wrong choice! Available on 23/06/2025 8:00 am 23/06/2025
learning outcomes
  • When is fluid therapy indicated and what are maintenance fluids/rates
  • Be confident in fluid calculations, even the complicated ones
  • Understand the difference between fluid types and the indications
  • Case based examples
Lesson 3: The infamous blood smear… How do you make yours? Available on 30/06/2025 8:00 am 30/06/2025
learning outcomes
  • Comfortably assess a blood smear from a healthy patient (canine / feline)
  • Identify changes consistent with RBC regeneration & non-regenerative anaemia
  • Identify abnormal RBC distribution and explain when a saline agglutination might be warranted
  • Perform a platelet count
  • Identify types of white blood cells & toxic changes in neutrophils
  • Practically apply the information from blood smears to specific cases such as IMHA, IMTP, parvovirus, chronic renal failure, and more.
Lesson 4: Getting the most from your cytology… Is everything clear? Available on 07/07/2025 8:00 am 07/07/2025
learning outcomes
  • Be confident looking under the microscope.
  • Understand the common conditions that can be diagnosed with the help of fine needle aspiration and cytology.
  • Review what other fluids look like under the microscope. Taking the confusion out of effusions.
Lesson 5: The chemotherapy journey Available on 14/07/2025 8:00 am 14/07/2025
learning outcomes
  • Understand the end to end process of chemotherapy in practice.
  • Review health and safety of chemotherapy drugs and how to use them safely in practice.
  • Understand how to support pet carers during chemotherapy treatment.
  • Strategies to make the process positive for our patients.
Lesson 6: Tubes, drains & catheters… Understanding the what, how and why? Available on 21/07/2025 8:00 am 21/07/2025
learning outcomes
  • The indications for, placement techniques of and nursing care of different feeding tubes
  • Considerations for placing, using and caring for central venous catheters.
  • How to care for and manage patients with chest drains
  • How to place and care for urinary catheters in both male and female patients
  • How to place and maintain arterial catheters
Lesson 7: Advanced nutrition… When to reach for the TPN (Total Parenteral Nutrition) Available on 28/07/2025 8:00 am 28/07/2025
learning outcomes
  • Review what feeding tube options we have and when to use them.
  • Understand what to feed and when.
  • Review the role of appetite stimulation and when is this appropriate.
  • Is there a need for prokinetic and gastroprotectant medication in our anorexic patients?
  • What is total parenteral nutrition and when do we use it.
Lesson 8: Common ECG abnormalities.. How to identify arrhythmias Available on 04/08/2025 8:00 am 04/08/2025
learning outcomes
  • Describe how the ECG is generated.
  • Review the approach to the ECG
  • Be confident in identifying common ECG abnormalities
Lesson 9: Utilising ultrasound in practice for veterinary nurses Available on 11/08/2025 8:00 am 11/08/2025
learning outcomes
  • Understand and the controls on the ultrasound machines
  • Be able to identify key anatomical landmarks
  • Understand the benefits of nurses carrying out ultrasound in practice
Lesson 10: Advanced Anaesthesia… What the ‘fentanyl’ is happening? Available on 18/08/2025 8:00 am 18/08/2025
learning outcomes
  • Understand how to take your anaesthesia skills to the next level.
  • Learn how to maximise your anaesthesia equipment to optimise patient care
  • When anaesthesia goes wrong… Stay calm and carry on!
  • Case based scenarios… Examples to get you thinking?
Lesson 11: Advanced Surgical Skills for RVNs Available on 25/08/2025 8:00 am 25/08/2025
learning outcomes
  • Vascular access: how to place a central line and an arterial line
  • Hot to correctly use the different surgical instruments
  • How to perform common suture patterns
  • How to perform basic surgical procedures
Lesson 12: Evidence Based Veterinary Medicine… Your contribution matters Sample Lesson Available on 01/09/2025 8:00 am 01/09/2025
learning outcomes
  • Understand what EBVM is and why it matters to the veterinary profession.
  • Optimising the nurse’s contribution to EBVM in practice.
  • Have you always thought about writing a veterinary article? Let us talk you through the process and give hints and tips.

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