Medical Nursing Podcast | CPD for Veterinary Nurses
This podcast provides continuing professional development for veterinary nurses and technicians. Host Laura Jones demystifies complex diseases and body systems in small animals, breaking them down into easy-to-understand chunks. Each episode, under an hour, covers a different medical condition along with practical nursing skills and considerations. Listeners can use this to plan better care for their patients and improve job satisfaction.
Episodes
123 | Rhinoscopy for veterinary nurses: How our role really makes a difference
Rhinoscopy is a procedure with a lot going on, and that's why I think our role in it is underrated. When I worked in GP, my role assisting with scopes was basically set up, cleaning, and anaesthesia. That was it. And we didn't have the luxury of multiple nurses, so often I was juggling trying to monitor my patient AND helping the vet with holding the head, biopsy collection, scope troubleshooting
122 | Bronchoscopy doesn't need to be scary - here's exactly how to approach it as a vet nurse
Lower airway endoscopy, aka tracheobronchoscopy or just bronchoscopy for short, is - if I'm honest - the procedure I find the scariest in practice. And to me, that's probably the biggest reason why I think our role in it as veterinary nurses and technicians is underrated. My goal with this episode is that you leave it feeling completely confident with bronchoscopy cases - both from an anaesthetic
121 | Here's everything you need to know about GI endoscopy as a veterinary nurse (and no, you won't break the scope)
Second to imaging, this is probably THE most common diagnostic procedure performed in internal medicine. But it's also the one where most of us have been taught wrong - or not taught enough, and I really want to change that over the next few episodes. There's a misconception that looking at the scope the wrong way will break it, and as a result, we end up scared to touch it for fear of it costing
120 | Feline pancreatitis and triaditis: what do we REALLY need to know about it to nurse these patients confidently?
In episode 120 of the Medical Nursing Podcast, we're talking about a commonly misunderstood condition - feline pancreatitis. We're actually talking about a few conditions that overlap in our cats; alongside pancreatitis, many present with concurrent GI and hepatobiliary disease ('triaditis'). Many cats with cholangiohepatitis, pancreatitis, chronic enteropathy and combinations of these disease pre
119 | Here's exactly what you need to know about nursing dogs with pancreatitis in 2026
In episode 119 of the Medical Nursing Podcast we're taking a detailed look at a disease lots of us see very regularly - pancreatitis. I wanted to cover this one because pancreatitis is a condition almost all of us have nursed, and yet it's a condition where a lot of what we were originally taught has changed. And alongside that, we know that nursing care can make or break recovery for these patie
118 | Just a bit of HGE? Here's what you REALLY need to know about acute haemorrhagic diarrhoea syndrome as a vet nurse
For years, we called it HGE - haemorrhagic gastroenteritis. And for years, a lot of what we thought we knew about it turned out to be wrong. In episode 118 of the Medical Nursing Podcast, we're taking a detailed look at what we now know about acute haemorrhagic diarrhoea syndrome - or AHDS - the condition we previously thought of as 'haemorrhagic gastroenteritis'. We know these patients need a LOT
117 | The microbiome and its role in gastrointestinal disease: everything vet nurses need to know about it in 2026
The microbiome is probably THE most talked about area of GI disease this year. And with good reason - because it's fascinating, and we're only learning more and more about it as time goes on. The microbiome is linked to so much more than 'just' dysbiosis - from gastrointestinal disease to cancer, emotional health and much more, this unseen but mighty 'virtual organ' is hugely important in our pati
116 | Have we got IBD wrong for years? Here's what you ACTUALLY need to know about chronic inflammatory enteropathy as a veterinary nurse
In episode 116 of the Medical Nursing Podcast I'm bringing you the updated need-to-know information on one of the most common gastrointestinal diseases we see - chronic inflammatory enteropathy, or what we used to call inflammatory bowel disease. Lots has changed in the management of this challenging condition over the years - and as we've learned more and more about it, the way we care for these
115 | The real difference veterinary nurses make to medical patients (when we get the chance)
Today I want to show you what happens when we GET to do more as veterinary nurses and technicians. I'm very aware that, as primarily a referral RVN, there are differences in what I do in referral vs what I do when I work in GP. However, there's one thing that remains the same regardless of the clinic I'm working in that day - I still get to use my skills with medical patients. Internal medicine so
114 | My honest reflections after 20 years of vet nursing (and what we should aim for next)
We're finishing off Veterinary Nursing Awareness Month 2026 with something a little different. No guests, no guidelines. Just me, twenty years of memories, a few things I wish someone had told me earlier, and some honest thoughts on where I think we go from here. In episode 114 of the Medical Nursing Podcast, I'm reflecting on nearly two decades of vet nursing - the good bits, the hard bits, the m
113 | What vets REALLY think about veterinary nursing (ft Scott Kilpatrick)
In episode 113 of the Medical Nursing Podcast, I'm doing something different - something I've never done in history of the show. I'm bringing a vet on to chat with us. This isn't a clinical episode, though we do chat a little bit of internal medicine (it's impossible not to when you get a medicine RVN and a medic together!). It's a conversation that I think we ALL need to have, about what vets rea
112 | Talking about 'utilising vet nurses' isn't enough - we need to ACTUALLY use our skills. Here's how to do exactly that.
For a long time, we've talked about how 'utilising vet nurses' is important - and how everything gets better when our skills are really used. But how well are we REALLY doing that? In episode 112 of the Medical Nursing Podcast, and the first episode of VNAM 2026, we're talking all about what utilisation really looks like. We'll explore the workforce crisis driving this conversation, what the evide
111 | Not utilising veterinary nursing skills is costing your clinic THOUSANDS. Here's what to do about it (ft Alyssa Mages, CVT, FVTE)
In this episode of the Medical Nursing Podcast, I'm joined by Alyssa Mages, Credentialled Veterinary Technician, panel member on the AAHA Veterinary Technician Utilisation Guidelines, mentor at MentorVet and CVO at Empowering Veterinary Teams. Alyssa and I sat down for a really important conversation - about the global challenges veterinary nurses and technicians face, about utilising our skills (
110 | The REAL difference vet nurses make to quality of life (and why we NEED to talk about it)
In episode 110 of the Medical Nursing Podcast we're sitting down and talking about something we're often afraid to mention - and that's quality of life. Not end of life, not euthanasia, but quality of life. An often misunderstood term, and one we need to normalise. Because the truth is, quality of life is the ultimate goal every single one of us have for every single one of our patients, every da
109 | Here's how to make a REAL difference to your CKD patients as a busy vet nurse
In this episode, we're chatting about something every single one of us deals with, whether you're working in general practice, referral, or out-of-hours - and that's chronic kidney disease. CKD is one of the most commonly-diagnosed conditions in our senior patients - in both cats and dogs. Despite how often we see this disease, our role as nurses in caring for these patients is often quite limited
108 | Is it time to rethink urinary disease? Here's how to manage your blocked cats the RIGHT way
In episode 108 of the medical nursing podcast, we're looking at a set of diseases we see all too often - feline lower urinary tract diseases. Now I say diseases, plural, deliberately - because thinking of FLUTD as a spectrum of diseases, rather than a standalone condition itself, is one of the most important shifts we can make in how we approach it. I'm going to be bringing you the need-to-know i
107 | Here's why your hospitalised cat won't eat (and what to do about it as a vet nurse)
In episode 107 of the Medical Nursing Podcast we're talking about probably the most common and frustrating nursing issue we encounter… but the most rewarding to fix - inappetent cats. You know the ones - the ones who just won't eat despite you having tried almost every flavour, texture and variety of food, in every type of bowl, warmed, not warmed, where you've pretended to eat it first, and pract
106 | How to successfully manage nutrition in your hospitalised patients as a veterinary nurse
In episode 106 of the Medical Nursing Podcast we're diving into the 2021 AAHA Nutrition and Weight Management Guidelines for Dogs and Cats, so you can focus on giving great care to your inappetent patients in practice, confidently, while using more of your skills. Why? Because I promise you, there is so much more we can do to truly champion nutrition for all of our patients - and by the end of thi
105 | How to care for your diabetic cats confidently (and easily!) as a vet nurse
Diabetic patients are some of the most nursing-intensive cases we see… and there are LOTS of ways we can support them. In episode 105 of the podcast we're talking about the 2025 iCatCare consensus guidelines on the diagnosis and management of diabetes mellitus in cats. I'm giving you the need-to-know information from the most up-to-date evidence on feline diabetes that we have, so you can give be
104 | Everything the vet nurse needs to know about caring for seizure patients (ft Zoe Hatfield, VTS-Neurology)
Seizures are probably the most common neurological issue we see in practice, and they can be one of the most daunting conditions to nurse (and be incredibly stressful to witness). Thankfully, though, there's lots we can do to support these patients as veterinary nurses and technicians. To do this, we need to understand a bit more about what seizures are, why they happen, the impact they have on o
103 | Everything the vet nurse REALLY needs to know about intravenous fluid therapy
Fluid therapy is one of those things we do every single day in practice. We hang the bag, we set the rate, we check the pump, we monitor the patient. It feels routine - maybe even safe. But the reality is this: fluids are a drug, with complications and contraindications just like any other. They are not 'just supportive care.' They are pharmacologically active solutions that can either help our p
102 | The complete guide to caring for MUO patients as a veterinary nurse (ft Zoe Hatfield, VTS-Neurology)
There's a lot to think about when it comes to stabilising, treating and nursing cats and dogs with inflammatory CNS disease. But luckily, we've got a guest with us today to guide us through it! In episode 102 of the Medical Nursing Podcast I'm delighted to be joined once again by Zoe Hatfield who is bringing us her expertise on nursing neuro patients! Zoe is a neurology RVN and a Veterinary Techni
101 | Everything you need to know about caring for spinal patients as a veterinary nurse (ft Zoe Hatfield, VTS-Neurology)
In episode 101 of the Medical Nursing Podcast, join Zoe Hatfield (RVN, VTS in Neurology) and Laura Jones (RVN, VTS in Internal Medicine) as they discuss one of the most common neurological disorders seen in practice: intervertebral disc disease! There's so much more to the spinal patient than first meets the eye - and Zoe is here to share her expertise and break all of that down for us. Despite th
100 | What medical nursing REALLY looks like as a veterinary nurse: my academy students interview me!
For the 100th episode of the Medical Nursing Podcast, the tables are turned. Instead of leading the conversation, I hand the microphone to Cat, a registered veterinary nurse and Medical Nursing Academy student, who interviews me about career identity, internal medicine nursing, advocacy, and what the future of the profession could look like. This episode is a celebration of far more than hitting 1
99 | The complete guide to caring for patients with myasthenia gravis as a veterinary nurse (ft Zoe Hatfield, RVN, VTS-Neurology)
In episode 99 of the Medical Nursing Podcast, join Zoe Hatfield (RVN, VTS in Neurology) and Laura Jones (RVN, VTS in Internal Medicine) as they discuss one of the most common neurological disorders seen in practice: Myasthenia gravis, or MG. MG is a disorder of the neuromuscular junction causing significant weakness, megaoesophagus, regurgitation, aspiration and recumbency - and these patients nee
98 | A step-by-step introduction to the neurological system for veterinary nurses (ft Zoe Hatfield, RVN, VTS-Neurology)
In episode 98 of the Medical Nursing Podcast, join Zoe Hatfield (RVN, VTS in Neurology) and Laura Jones (RVN, VTS in Internal Medicine) as they chat about the neurological system - how it works, what we need to know as veterinary nurses, and what happens when it goes wrong. Whether you're revising for an exam, brushing up on your skills ahead of seeing a neurological patient, or just want to get n
97 | How to actually do more with your patients as a veterinary nurse in 2026
Episode 97 of the Medical Nursing Podcast gives you the action steps you need to start actually doing more and using more of your skills as a veterinary nurse. Because while it's one thing to talk about what needs to change, it's another to talk about what you can actually do, on shift, with your patients. So today I want to talk about the ways every single veterinary nurse can do more with their
96 | 2025 wrapped! Using our skills as veterinary nurses, being paid for our time, the CMA and veterinary surgeons act, and a big old life update…
Join me for our unofficial 2025 Wrapped! In this episode of the Medical Nursing Podcast we'll take a look back at what's happened across the profession this year, what the evidence about our role and skills is telling us, what it actually means for us as veterinary nurses and technicians, and why I'm ending this year feeling more hopeful about our role and more determined for our future than ever
95 | The essential guide to toxicology part six: how to manage smoke inhalation and fire injury as a veterinary nurse
In episode 95 of the Medical Nursing Podcast we wrap up our toxicology series with a true emergency and one of the most dramatic, challenging and emotional conditions: inhalation of smoke, thermal and chemical airway injury in our feline and canine patients. Managing fire-injury is so much more than 'just' dealing with smoke inhalation, and these patients can be challenging to nurse, since their
94 | The essential guide to toxicology part five: how to manage ingestion of household hazards as a veterinary nurse
In this episode, we're nearing the end of our toxicology series with a look at the common household hazards our patients ingest, and how to care for those patients confidently. Household hazards are something we see often - especially in my line of work, where things like caustic chemical ingestion or battery ingestion cause severe GI signs (or worse) needing intensive management. From fluid thera
93 | The essential guide to toxicology part four: how to manage rodenticide and pesticide toxicities as a veterinary nurse
In episode 93 of the Medical Nursing Podcast, we're continuing our miniseries on toxicology with some of the common pesticide poisonings we see - specifically anticoagulant rodenticide, metaldehyde and organophosphate toxicity. These common pesticides and biotoxins cause severe, often life-threatening signs in our patients, and as veterinary nurses and technicians, we're often the ones responsible
92 | The essential guide to toxicology part three: how to manage common medication toxicities as a veterinary nurse
Today we're continuing our toxicology mini-series with another group of very common, and often very critical, toxins - human medications. There are a whole host of different medication toxicities we see, and in this episode I'm going to walk you through 4 big ones: paracetamol toxicity in cats, NSAID toxicity in both cats and dogs, inhaler ingestion or overdose, and ingestion of antidepressants an
91 | The essential guide to toxicology part two: how to manage dietary toxins confidently as a veterinary nurse
I'm willing to bet that most people listening have seen a dietary toxin case at some point in their career. Dogs especially have a knack for raiding bins, cupboards, and kitchen counters. Thankfully most cases we see are mild, but they can be life-threatening and need intensive monitoring and nursing care. But what happens when our patients ingest these toxins? What signs do we see, and what nurs
90 | The essential guide to toxicology part one: how to decontaminate poisoned pets as a vet nurse
In episode 90 of the Medical Nursing Podcast, we're starting a brand new mini-series on toxicology. Whether you work in general practice, referral medicine, or out of hours, you'll encounter these patients often - and spoiler alert: our role is so much more than holding a litter tray under a patient whilst the apomorphine kicks in. Our role in managing toxin ingestion cases is vast, whether that i
89 | 5 essential tips to help you care for dogs with tetanus as a veterinary nurse
In this episode, we're looking at another less common, but really challenging disease to care for - tetanus infection in dogs and cats. The first tetanus case I ever saw was as a locum nurse at an out-of-hours hospital. The vet and I are examining this dog, who was starting to become stiff and had the classic tetanus grin, knowing we needed to refer them ASAP before things got a lot worse. And now
88 | Alabama rot in dogs: how to spot it quickly and care for your patients confidently
In this episode, we're chatting about a condition that's been on our radar for a few years now, and is both incredibly challenging and frustrating to manage - and that's cutaneous and renal glomerular vasculopathy, or as it's better known, Alabama rot. CRGV first appeared in the UK in 2012, and we've seen cases pop up every year since. It's difficult to predict, still poorly understood and comes w
87 | Metabolic bone disease in dogs and cats: 4 quick tips to help you care for these patients
In this episode, we're chatting about a disease that - if you're lucky - you won't see often, but unfortunately, one that's on the rise - and that's metabolic bone disease. There are a few causes of metabolic bone disease, and we'll focus mainly on the most common one today, which is nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism. This disease is frustrating, unbelievably sad, and completely preventabl
86 | How to ACTUALLY use your skills when caring for dogs with IMPA
When I worked in general practice, I had no idea IMPA was even a thing. Until I started in referral as a brand new medicine nurse, and suddenly had a very lame, very pyrexic black labrador to care for. I was completely confused why we were seeing a lameness case - until we tapped the joints, found inflammation, and I learned just how much damage the immune system can do. My patient needed a LOT of
85 | Tick-borne disease in dogs: what do vet nurses NEED to know?
In episode 85 of the Medical Nursing Podcast, we're finishing our infectious disease series with a group of diseases that are increasingly common but often overlooked, and that's tick-borne disease. I had NO idea what these were when I worked in general practice. The first time I ever heard of it was when a dog from a nearby rescue centre we worked with had a bleeding disorder, and the vet mention
84 | Canine brucella infection: what's the REAL risk to vet nurses?
In episode 84 of the Medical Nursing Podcast, we're chatting about a rare but often controversial disease - canine brucellosis. And before you hit pause thinking 'that's great, Laura, but I'll never see that' - let me gently stop you there. Even if you're not seeing brucella cases, there's a good chance you'll be testing for it. It's a disease gaining more and more attention in veterinary medicine
83 | The top 3 things every vet nurse needs to know about caring for kennel cough
In episode 83 of the Medical Nursing Podcast, we're talking all things CIRDC - canine infectious respiratory disease complex - or to use its old name, "kennel cough". We see these patients super commonly - but it's not always a case of 'just' a bit of kennel cough. That name undersells how complex, contagious (and at times serious) this disease can be. In this episode, we're going to look at what
82 | The five most vital considerations when caring for dogs with distemper virus
Today we're talking all about a disease I hope you never see (because it's awful) - but one that's hard to spot and even harder to nurse - canine distemper virus. Thankfully, due to vaccination, it's rare - but we do see it, and when we do, it's a real challenge. To care for these patients confidently, and stop the spread of this incredibly contagious disease, we first need to understand it - and
81 | The top 4 things you need to do to care for patients with leptospirosis
Let's face it - lepto is basically everywhere, and it's often frustrating to manage. These patients aren't straightforward to care for, and the PPE and barrier nursing only makes it more challenging. There's a lot we can do to support these patients, though. So if you've ever found yourself caring for a lepto patient and wondering what you can do to REALLY help them, seen one go south and want a b
80 | Care for parvo and panleukopenia patients confidently with these simple steps
In episode 80 of the medical nursing podcast we're taking a long, hard look at two of the worst infectious diseases we see - parvovirus in dogs, and its not-so-distant cousin, panleukopenia virus in cats. These patients are often critically ill and need a great deal from us as nurses and technicians. In this episode, we'll explore exactly how these diseases impact our patients and the nursing care
79 | The step-by-step guide to managing feline infectious anaemia confidently as a vet nurse
We see anaemia in cats pretty frequently, but it isn't always down to things like IMHA or haemorrhage. There are infectious causes as well, and we need to be aware of them as veterinary nurses and technicians, so we can care for our patients well (and confidently!) and advise our clients accordingly. The main one we think about in cats is feline infectious anaemia, aka haemoplasmosis - and that's
78 | How to REALLY understand, recognise and successfully care for patients with FIP
In episode 78 of the Medical Nursing Podcast, we're discussing a topic that has undergone significant changes in the last few years: feline infectious peritonitis, or FIP. When I started nursing, FIP was my LEAST favourite disease. I hated it - seeing so many young, gorgeous cats suffering so much with nothing we could do about it. I remember being told in practice that every FIP cat needed euth
77 | How FeLV and FIV actually affect your patient - and the exact care they need
Patients with infectious diseases can be challenging to care for, especially when we're juggling critical conditions while not being able to get as close to our patients as we'd like. In episode 77 of the Medical Nursing Podcast, we're demystifying two of the most common feline infections we see - feline leukaemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus, aka FeLV and FIV. If you've ever found your
76 | Three essential things you need to know about chylothorax (to help you give great nursing care)
In episode 76 of the Medical Nursing Podcast, we're chatting all about something that honestly baffled me when I was working in general practice (and in my very early referral nursing days), and that's chylothorax. As far as I was concerned back in 2015, before I lived and breathed medicine, a chylothorax would have been just another patient needing a thoracocentesis. I didn't understand what was
75 | 4 things I wish I'd known earlier about caring for pyothorax patients
In episode 75 of the Medical Nursing Podcast, we're talking about a messy, sort of gross, but oh-so-satisfying respiratory disease… Yep, today we're chatting all things pyothorax nursing. Pyothorax is probably the second most common pleural space disease we see. These patients often present in respiratory distress, needing a LOT of nursing support. In this episode, we'll discuss what pyothorax is
74 | Caring for pneumothorax patients: how to use your skills as a veterinary nurse
In episode 74, we're diving straight into pneumothorax - what it is, how it presents, and most importantly, how you can help manage it as a veterinary nurse. We see these patients commonly, and they're usually a real nightmare to manage. From big dogs with ruptured pulmonary bullae, to post-RTA patients with continuous air leakage, they're a real test of our nursing skills - but in reality, there
73 | The step-by-step guide to managing pleural space disease as a vet nurse
Pleural space disease is a really common cause of respiratory distress in many of our patients, from traumatic pneumothorax patients to pyothorax cats and everything in between. And it's also a very nursing-heavy disease, with many ways we can use our skills to better care for these challenging patients. In this episode (the first in a mini-series on pleural space disease), we'll look at what the
72 | 6 top tips to help you nurse patients with lung disease confidently
Whether you're managing a patient with aspiration pneumonia, pulmonary oedema or trauma causing haemorrhage and bruising, patients with lung disease can decompensate quickly and need intensive nursing care. Knowing what to look out for and the nursing considerations these patients need is vital - and that's exactly what we're discussing in this episode. We'll be breaking down the different pulmona
71 | The step-by-step guide to managing lower airway disease in dogs as a veterinary nurse
In episode 71 of the Medical Nursing Podcast we're following on from last week's feline focus and taking a look at lower airway diseases in our canine counterparts. We might not see them as often, and they might appear more stable - well, most of the time - but these cases are anything but boring, requiring lots of nursing care, both in the clinic and long-term. Just like our asthmatic cats, it's
70 | The step-by-step guide to managing feline asthma as a veterinary nurse
In episode 70, we're talking about some of the most difficult patients we see - dyspnoeic cats. Yep, there's nothing like that dyspnoeic cat emergency - they arrive SO stressed, and it feels almost counterintuitive that staying AWAY from them is actually the thing that helps them most in those early stages. The majority of dyspnoeic cats we see have feline asthma - a form of lower airway disease.
69 | 4 things you can do to provide better care to dogs with tracheal collapse
If you've ever seen an overweight Yorkie honking like a goose, then there's a good chance you've dealt with tracheal collapse before. It's a progressive and often challenging condition to manage and can make breathing a real struggle for our patients. But by managing these patients well and providing client education and support, we can make a significant difference to these patients. Plus, in sev
68 | The step-by-step guide to fungal rhinitis for veterinary nurses
Ever seen a Husky or a German Shepherd with sneezing, nasal discharge and a TON of fungus up their nose?! If so, then you'll know the gross satisfaction that comes with pulling all of that out, and then packing them full of antifungals. Today, we're rounding off our mini-series on nasal disease by diving into a relatively common condition, especially in our large dogs - fungal rhinitis. We'll get
67 | 5 key considerations to manage chronic rhinitis confidently as a vet nurse
In episode 67 of the Medical Nursing Podcast we're talking all about a very common, very frustrating, and in my opinion a very under-appreciated condition - chronic rhinitis. Chronic rhinitis is one of those conditions that can easily fly under the radar - we often think lots about nursing our cat 'flu cats for example, but there are many patients who suffer with chronic nasal disease that can sig
66 | How to nurse your cat 'flu patients like a pro: the vet nurse's guide to feline respiratory disease complex
In this episode of the Medical Nursing Podcast we're talking about a really common, commonly misunderstood and often frustrating disease - feline respiratory disease complex, aka FRDC or cat 'flu. When I think about those 'flu cases, I think back to sweating in PPE in a makeshift isolation room in my earlier nursing days, spending countless hours cleaning nasal discharge, creating steam baths outs
65 | Understanding nasal diseases in dogs and cats: how to give great care to your patients as a veterinary nurse
Nasal disorders are common in practice, and the nursing care these patients need is vast. From those snuffly cat 'flu patients who are really miserable, dehydrated and anorexic, to lifelong diseases like rhinitis, there's a lot to think about when managing these patients. In episode 65 of the Medical Nursing Podcast, we'll introduce the common nasal disorders seen, the problems they cause, and the
64 | How to confidently manage laryngeal paralysis as a vet nurse
If you've ever seen an older Labrador struggling to breathe, a Retriever making that distinctive "roaring" noise, or an older dog with noisy breathing and vocal changes, there's a good chance you've encountered laryngeal paralysis. This disease - as the name suggests - affects the larynx, preventing it from opening properly and restricting airflow. In mild cases, it causes noisy breathing and exer
63 | BOAS patients: How to manage them successfully as a vet nurse
In episode 63 of the Medical Nursing Podcast, we're tackling a big topic and increasingly common problem in practice: Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS). If you've ever worked with a snorty Frenchie, a struggling Pug, or a Bulldog that just can't seem to catch their breath, you'll know first-hand the issues that BOAS can cause. This condition has become increasingly common with the
62 | How to understand the respiratory system quickly and easily as a vet nurse
We know that respiratory patients are often very challenging. They tend to be really stressed, and teetering on a knife-edge, balancing their increased demand for oxygen with a disease impacting their oxygenation. And this means that careful handling, supportive care and approaching these patients confidently, the right way, are absolutely essential to give them the best care and avoid complicatio
61 | 6 key considerations when caring for GI neoplasia patients (featuring OncologyRVN)
Gastrointestinal neoplasia is something we see very commonly in practice - but what tumours do our patients get, how do we diagnose them, and how can we support these patients as veterinary nurses? And, of course - what skills can we use in the process? In episode 61 of the medical nursing podcast, I'm joined by Inge Breathnach, a PGCert and VTS holder in Oncology. Together, Inge and I are breakin
60 | The hard facts on constipation: how to give great care to your backed-up patients
Does every constipated patient just need a bit more lactulose?! Not really. There are a TON of different causes of constipation - and actually, it can lead to pretty significant consequences for our patients, like obstipation, megacolon, abdominal pain, vomiting, dehydration, electrolyte abnormalities and much more. Giving great care to these patients includes providing appropriate nutritional sup
59 | Help, we've chopped out too much intestine! The VN's guide to short bowel syndrome
Ever seen a patient need HUGE amounts of their intestine removed because of an awful foreign body? Or an intusussception? If so, you may well have come across short bowel syndrome before (and if you haven't, bank this info, because you'll likely need it in the future). Short bowel syndrome is a severe disorder that occurs due to massive intestinal resection. These patients can't absorb water, elec
58 | What happens when the pancreas doesn't work properly? Let's take a look…
What happens when our patient's pancreas doesn't work properly?! Well - they get exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, aka EPI. This is a disease where the pancreas can't make and release digestive enzymes normally, meaning our patients don't properly digest and absorb nutrients from their food. The result? Polyphagia, weight loss, VERY poor body condition, awful faeces and many vitamin deficiencies
57 | 3 things you can do to give better care to your pancreatitis patients right now
In the first of a 2-parter on pancreatic disease, we're talking all about managing pancreatitis patients. Pancreatitis is the most common pancreatic disease we see in practice. These patients are often severely unwell and risk developing complications like SIRS and MODS, and need intensive nursing care. In episode 57 of the Medical Nursing Podcast, we'll look at what pancreatitis is, how it affec
56 | Help, my patient is losing protein! How to care for patients with protein-losing enteropathy
In episode 56 of the Medical Nursing Podcast we're talking all about protein-losing enteropathy - quite possibly the worst chronic GI disease we see. Though these patients are often severely unwell, they need a LOT of intensive nursing care and that means there are lots of skills we can use in the process. But what is PLE, and how does it affect our patients? Let's take a look. --- 📲 Grab the sho
55 | Chronic diarrhoea in dogs and cats: is it always IBD?
In episode 55 of the Medical Nursing Podcast, we're continuing our gastrointestinal series and diving into chronic enteropathies. These are some of the most common gastrointestinal diseases we see in practice and some of the most misunderstood. Today, though, we're changing that - looking at the types of chronic enteropathies we see, how they affect our patients, and how we diagnose, treat and nu
54 | My top 4 considerations for nursing GI foreign bodies
Would we be talking about GI disease if we weren't talking about intestinal foreign bodies?! From strings to balls to bones to toys and pretty much everything in between, we've seen it all - and whilst most of these patients are pretty well on presentation, we know that foreign body patients aren't always smooth sailing. In episode 54 of the Medical Nursing Podcast, we'll get stuck in to the commo
53 | How to take the panic out of caring for your parvovirus patients
Today, we're talking about quite possibly the worst GI disease of them all - parvovirus. Yep, these patients are often a winning combination of tiny, horrifically behind on fluids, poorly tolerant of nutrition and dealing with severe gastrointestinal signs. There's a lot we need to do to support these patients, and we're diving into all of it in this episode. --- 📲 Grab the show notes and referenc
52 | Four things every vet nurse needs to know about GI ulcers in dogs and cats
In episode 52 of the Medical Nursing Podcast we're talking all about managing GI ulcers. From simple NSAID overdoses to patients with nasty ulcerative chronic GI diseases, we see this disease more often than you might think - and in severe cases these patients can present with marked anaemia from GI blood loss, (even requiring transfusions) or gastrointestinal perforation and sepsis! Today, we're
51 | How to give great care to your GDV patients without the fear!
Gastric dilation-volvulus (GDV) patients are often a real challenge to nurse. They're often severely unwell on presentation and there is a high risk of postoperative complications. But there are also lots of skills we get to use when caring for these patients! Giving them great care starts with understanding how GDVs occur and their impact on our patients, which is exactly what we'll be diving int
50 | How to successfully manage oesophageal foreign bodies in cats and dogs
In episode 50 of the Medical Nursing Podcast, we're talking about one of the most challenging oesophageal disorders to manage - oesophageal foreign bodies. Patients with oesophageal foreign bodies can vary from being well at the time of presentation to ones with significant, chronic obstructions where patients are significantly unwell at the time of presentation. Removal is risky, and complicatio
49 | How to easily care for patients with megaoesophagus as a vet nurse
Ever seen a megaoesophagus patient before? These patients can be really tough to nurse - they've often got severe regurgitation and aspiration pneumonia, and alongside assisting with diagnosis and providing nutritional support, need intensive respiratory support too. Giving great care to these patients starts with understanding what megaoesophagus is, the types we see, and how we treat and nurse t
48 | How to understand the gastrointestinal system in 4 easy steps
We know that gastrointestinal diseases are amongst the most common diseases we see in practice. And giving great care to these patients starts with understanding how the GI tract works, which is precisely what we're exploring in the first episode of our brand-new series on GI disease. --- 📲 Grab the show notes and references from today's episode: http://www.veterinaryinternalmedicinenursing.com/po
47 | How to give even better care to your haematology patients as a vet nurse
Today is a first for the podcast - we're using a case study to discuss how we can provide even better care to our haematology patients! From performing initial diagnostic tests to running a blood donation and transfusion and everything in between, we'll break it all down in this episode - so you can walk away and give confident care to your own haematology patients. --- 🎉 ENROL ON THE FOUNDATION A
46 | Help, my patient needs blood! The ultimate guide to transfusion medicine for vet nurses
Let me ask you this. Who does the blood transfusions in your practice? The vets? Or the nurses? Yes, it will be us monitoring the patient and collecting the vitals, but who… Calculates the blood? Prepares it? Performs the donations? Cares for the donors? If it's not the nurses, I'm going to suggest it should be - because there's no reason for us not to do all of these things (as long as
45 | Help, my patient has eaten rat poison! The vet nurse's guide to anticoagulant rodenticide toxicity
Anticoagulant rodenticide toxicity is one of the most common toxicities reported in dogs and can cause severe bleeding if not identified and managed quickly. These patients often present as emergencies and can require intensive treatment and nursing care - and how to deliver that care is exactly what we'll be diving into in this episode of the Medical Nursing Podcast. --- 📲 Join the academy from O
44 | Help, my patient won't stop bleeding! How to care for common coagulopathies
Got a young patient who just won't stop bleeding from their microchip site, vaccine site, or gingiva after deciduous tooth loss? There's a good chance they have a coagulopathy. We see two types of coagulopathy in practice - congenital and acquired - and it's those congenital ones we're discussing today. It's important we pick up on these as soon as possible in the patient's life, to prevent severe
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