Short Courses & CPD

Your initial ePortfolio/VTEC NPL training for CAW clinical coach supervisors

The growth of technology, the internet and our continued reliance on them has opened up many opportunities to take advantage of. The internet offers a wealth of resources and information, however, along with these opportunities comes risks, and cyber security is about protecting against these potential dangers.

In this course we will look at:

• The importance of cyber security
• Password management
• How to detect phishing and other scams
• Protection of sensitive information
• Securing portable media devices
• Privacy settings and social media

Are you thinking of taking the next steps to train for the Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing? Are you concerned you may not meet entry requirements and are looking for ways to achieve these? Then this free video lecturer is your next step in this journey!

We have a variety of VN CPD courses available for you, ranging from 1 hour videos to 12 hour CPD courses.

Standardisation events are essential for all  CAW affiliated clinical coaches that are supporting our veterinary nursing students. All clinical coaches must attend at least one standardisation event per year.

An online NPL training course for clinical coaches

Behaviour, wound management, lameness and more...

Rabbits, Ferrets, Guinea Pigs, Rodents and more...

This CPD category has courses in:

• Leadership
• Managing Change
• Emotional Intelligence
• Transitioning to a Head VN
• Handling conflict
• Challenges of clinical practice
• and more...

When monitoring a patient’s anaesthesia, each physiological parameter is like a piece of a puzzle and it is vital to understand how they all fit together, to form the bigger picture.

In this presentation, we will look at all these physiological parameters whilst discussing what they actually mean and how to defunk the terminology.

Topics to be discussed will include:

• The Palpebral Reflex
• Eye Position
• Jaw Tone
• Pedal Reflex
• Pulse Oximetry
• Blood Pressure
• Capnography
• Electrocardiogram (ECG)

Neutering, Stress/Fear/Anxiety, Toileting, Rescues and more

First Aid, Flystrike and more

Exotics, Cardiac Nutrition, Raw Food, Weight, Seniors and more

Massage Therapy, Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy, Canine Osteoarthritis, Acupuncture, Physiotherapy and more

This course aims to improve your understanding of the common problem of fleas in companion animals and the options that can be used to manage this zoonotic disease.

This course aims to provide you with information on recognising and preventing ticks and tick-related diseases in companion animals.

This course aims to provide you with information on appropriate worming protocols for puppies and kittens.

This course aims to improve your understanding of the prescribing process and of considerations relating to compliance.

This course aims to provide you with information on maintaining rabbit health, with a particular focus on preventing flystrike.

This course aims to provide you with information on effective communication methods and ways to ensure good client care.

This course aims to provide you with information about the online retail of veterinary medicines in relation to the companion animal SQP.

This course aims to provide you with information about the side effects of veterinary medicines in relation to the Companion Animal Suitably Qualified Person (C-SQP).

This course aims to provide you with information about adverse reactions relating to veterinary medicines and the reporting scheme provided by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD).

3 training courses...

This course aims to provide you with information on the basics of maintaining skin and coat care in the companion animal, in relation to the Companion Animal Suitably Qualified Person (C-SQP) role.

This video presentation will cover the following key points:

• The VCA role in telephone triage - top ten emergencies and what questions to ask to get the most information for the veterinary surgeon
• How to keep calm in these situations
• The legalities of providing first aid and who has the ability to perform first aid
• How to be prepared
• Some scenario based discussions, to put the information into practice

Veterinary teams work hard and look after others, to do that sustainably we need to look after ourselves. There are times when we do our best, and it still doesn’t feel enough. Some of our work means we encounter trauma and suffering that affects us in ways we might not expect. Research on moral injury and compassion fatigue offers some explanation for psychological aspects of the work we do and points to strategies for prevention and support. This session looks at what helps.

The role of the VCA in clinical practice entails far more than animal care. Understanding the client journey and the role you play within it is essential for success in clinical practice. Learning tools and techniques for effective communication will support with each client interaction and help you to successfully navigate the challenging situations as they may arise.

This presentation will cover the following key learning objectives:

• The importance of the client journey in clinical practice
• The role of the VCA in the client journey
• Communication skills for ideal client interactions
• Tools and techniques for challenging situation

This session aims to provide you with an introduction to the skills needed for effective delegation.

This session aims to provide you with an introduction to the skills needed for effective time management.

This session aims to provide you with an introduction to the considerations of owning a cat.

This session aims to provide you with an introduction to the considerations of owning a dog.

In this presentation we will go through the veterinary care assistant’s role in ultrasound examinations from preparing a suitable environment for scans to take place to patient preparation to ensure high quality diagnostic images can be obtained by the operator, also restraint techniques and a basic overview of why ultrasound is used and what we are looking at on the screen in order to be proactive when preparing the ultrasound area and machine.

Getting animals to eat can be one of the most difficult things to do. The role of VCAs in ensuring that adequate nutrition is achieved is really important. This presentation aims to give delegates the guidance to be able to:

1. Identify inappetence, anorexia and dysrexia in animals
2. The methods in place to increase nutrition intake of animals
3. How to monitor nutritional intake in animals

Pet loss and bereavement support is arguably one of the most important services we offer as veterinary professionals. Being present for one of the most difficult times that pet ownership brings is a vital part of our roles, and understanding how we can best support and console clients in a professional manner is essential.

This presentation will run through communication styles, how to help set up a supportive euthanasia appointment, post-euthanasia care for the client and how to look after yourself following difficult cases.

It aims to leave you feeling much more confident and better equipped to deal with one of the most emotional aspects of the job.

Time is the most valuable thing that we have and once it’s gone, we can’t get it back! So how can we make sure that we are using our time and energy wisely when there are constant distractions and drains on our time and energy levels?
This session will share some tools to help you identify those distractions and to understand how effective you are at managing your own time. It will help you to decide what’s important and urgent or when you can give yourself permission to ditch or delegate something. We’ll discuss to-do-lists, how (in)effective they are, and how to use them alongside other tools and strategies to make sure those items actually get done.

Do you ever feel inadequate or a fake? If you do you are not alone! These are thoughts associated with so called ‘Imposter Syndrome’. Recent research suggests that up to 80+% of us feel this way at some point in our life. Awareness and understanding of how our brains constantly lie and play tricks on us, can help you to challenge and overcome your own imposter thinking. In turn, this can improve your self-assurance, confidence and enjoyment in who you are, your life and what you have to offer your teams and those who you care for.

The foundation of all really good communication is what is known as Emotional Intelligence Skills. These are skills that are rarely taught, yet make all the difference, not just in how we come across to others, but to our own internal peace and happiness.

We will look at the components of these skills and how to get started on the journey. The focus will be the inevitable situation where we have to deal with a difficult client.

As a receptionist, you are the first and last person the client sees and speaks to; whether that’s in person, or on the phone. You are dealing with everything from the excitement of the arrival of new fur babies in the family, to end of life care with empathy and compassion, which requires many vital skills.

This presentation will share 10 top communication tips, covering topics such as: Body language (both face to face and the phone), developing rapport and using empathy, excellent questioning and listening, relaying accurate messages, dos and don’ts of tone & words and also start to understand your own communication style.

Karen is a former veterinary nurse, who has spent time working on the reception desk. Learn some new ideas and refresh some old ones - you will be sure to leave with practical tips to engage “purrfectly” with your clients.

Having conversations about money can be one of the most challenging areas of working a veterinary front desk. Situations can be emotional, you’re busy, there’s 100 demands on your time and the phone keeps ringing. How do you ensure that payment protocols are followed? How do you distinguish between can’t pay and won’t pay? How do you ensure that everyone can do their best for the animals under your care – while generating enough income to keep the business afloat?

In this session we will explore a range of practical techniques you can use to help those client conversations run smoothly and positively, ensuring that your clients are happy – and your bills get paid.

An introduction for front-of-house and customer-facing members of staff who have contact with bereaved owners.

Pet loss is tough at any time but during these added times of hardship, it can be even tougher for owners to cope. Lives are transformed by the love and companionship pets bring so saying goodbye, whether due to death or separation, is always sad, difficult, and often traumatic. It affects people in many ways so providing the best practice support techniques and tools can really make a difference to bereaved owners.

During this session, we will cover the different types of loss, how to offer emotional support, empathy vs sympathy, and how to support yourself and the importance of self-care.

This course is designed for people without a veterinary qualification who care for animals in a public environment, for example, those working in a kennel/cattery/rescue centre, pet sitters, dog walkers and dog/cat owners. You will gain the skills and knowledge to provide safe and effective emergency first aid to animals until veterinary assistance is available. This course provides seven hours of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and, on successful completion of all online activities and assessments, a certificate of course completion can be downloaded from the site.

This online learning course is aimed at registered and student veterinary nurses who are tasked with implanting microchips into dogs, cats, rabbits or ferrets under the direction of a veterinary surgeon. You will look at current legislation, recognised implantation sites both in the UK and Europe and the process for non-functioning microchips; in addition to refreshing your knowledge on the range of equipment available and the process and aftercare of the microchipped animal. As part of this refresher course you will have the option to confirm your practical competence by microchipping two animals from the permitted species (as stated by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons) and have a veterinary surgeon complete a witness testimony form. This form should then be kept with your CPD records and uploaded to your Professional Development Record (PDR).

In collaboration with Veterinary Prescriber we are pleased to offer a range of online CPD courses; providing independent and comparative information to help rational decision making in the use of veterinary medicines. As the majority of information available on veterinary medicines is supplied by pharmaceutical companies which can have a tendency to lack impartiality, it can be difficult to get the full facts about benefits, harms and how treatment options compare. These online courses can be taken on parasiticides, drug interactions, lipid infusions, stem cell therapy and more.

Nutrition Congress is a one day virtual event that focuses on animal nutrition, taking a close look at different diets, strategies and nutritional requirements.

Veterinary nurses are regularly involved with animal nutrition in veterinary practice, from advising pet owners on what to feed their pets and delivering weight loss clinics, to providing nutritional support to hospitalised animals.

This congress offers 7 hours of evidenced CPD and aims to increase your knowledge and confidence in a variety of nutritional topics.

Early Bird pricing is available until Friday 11th October 2024.

This webinar will look at managing the financial aspects of a business, analysis of finances, budgeting and forecasting, and making informed financial decisions.

Enhance the effectiveness, productivity and efficiency of meetings in professional settings. Facilitate and participate in meetings that achieve their objectives and drive organisational success.

This webinar will equip you with the mindset, skills and techniques necessary to approach problems systematically, creatively and collaboratively; developing effective solutions that drive positive outcomes and innovation.