With developments in skills and knowledge level, more and more academic rigour is expected of veterinary nurses. Exams, CPD and repeated testing and study throughout the nurse’s career are now requirements. Aimed at veterinary nurses and technicians, this book will guide the reader through the various research and study disciplines required of them. Research and Study Skills for Veterinary Nurses discusses why these academic skills are now required of the veterinary nurse, different types of source material, how to complete written assignments, how to reference properly, how to approach different test questions, how to respond to oral exams, how to complete OSCEs, CPD training, and work-based practical assessments. Research and Study Skills for Veterinary Nurses provides information and advice for student vet nurses who need a reliable resource to guide them through their course.

This workbook is intended to be a bridge between classroom learning and clinical training; to improve patient care and clinician confidence in practice. Common presentations in small animal practice are presented as real-world case studies while the reader is guided through work-up, critical thinking and problem solving to run the consultation efficiently. Key concepts of anatomy, physiology, radiology, clinical pathology, medicine and surgery are covered and readers are guided through history-taking and diagnostics to perform an effective consultation. Cases discussed include vaccinating the new kitten, castrating the new puppy, the puppy with diarrhoea, the blind cat, the head-shaking dog, the itchy dog. Categories of complaints covered include body weight, urinary problems, the digestive system, respiratory issues, eye problems, skin and soft tissue complaints, cardiovascular, reproductive, aural and neurological complaints. The aim is to present a problem-first approach and to encourage readers to think like clinicians rather than students by instilling a case-based problem solving approach.

Good communication skills provide better clinical outcomes and help avoid minor as well as major mistakes. Approximately 60-80% of negligence claims against vets are related to poor communication, with new graduates especially vulnerable. Communication skills are a growing part of the curriculum in veterinary schools, recognising how fundamental clear communication is to good practice. A Guide to Oral Communication in Veterinary Medicine covers why communication skills are important, the structure of typical communications and suggested approaches, veterinary specific communication pathways, and sample scripts between vet and client. Scenarios covered include everyday communication, dealing with challenging situations, different species, different settings, and communication within the veterinary team. The aim is to instill confidence and competence, build professionalism, and avoid problems. Most current teaching is based on a toolbox approach developed from the human medicine model. However, there is no set standard for teaching methodology, which is why this is primarily a book for students, but also includes a section for educators to provide guidance in this nascent subject.

The management of a pet’s weight and nutritional guidance is often the responsibility of the vet nurse in veterinary practice. The Management of Pet Obesity provides the vet nurse with the information needed on obesity-related topics for small animals, exotic animals and pet birds. The causes and incidence of obesity are covered, along with nutritional requirements of a range of animals, body condition scoring and assessment, co-morbidities such as diabetes, and an independent overview of feeding options, and species-specific guidance.

The Management of Pet Obesity is ideal for veterinary nurses, student veterinary nurses and animal nutritionists who approach the complex topic of pet obesity.

"What should a vet do when a client can't pay for their animal's treatment? Or when asked their opinion on the killing of wildlife for disease control? Or when observing an animal welfare problem whilst off duty? Ethical problems are an every day part of life for veterinarians, but it can be difficult to combine personal values with professional conduct. Veterinary Ethics presents a range of ethical scenarios that veterinarians and other allied animal health professionals may face in practice. The scenarios discussed are not only exceptional cases with potentially significant consequences, but often less dramatic everyday situations. The responses to these ethical problems are from practising veterinarians and acknowledged world experts in animal welfare and ethics. The advice given is thorough and detailed, covering different eventualities, the ethical knots and dilemmas, the personal feelings of those involved, as well as objective recommendations on ethical decision making and, where relevant, guidance from veterinary governing bodies and the law. The advice is framed in the form of veterinary life in the real world, not necessarily an ideal world. As well as practical guidance, the book takes a step back and explores the different philosophical arguments and standpoints and the resultant solutions and problems of each approach, examining the background and relationship between different philosophical schools of thought, ethics and veterinary care. The book strives to present decision making in response to ethical problems as transparently as possible, employing a range of ethical frameworks. The book also challenges the reader about their own decision making in given situations, what factors to consider and how they would achieve certain outcomes"--Publisher's description