Course Overview

This ESAVS Certificate Program for veterinary nurses and technicians covers advanced education in veterinary anesthesia, analgesia, and perioperative care as necessary to satisfy the growing expectations of both the veterinary community and animal owners. The course program is directed towards licensed animal health technicians/nurses with focused interest in small animal anesthesia, analgesia, and perioperative care and potentially the desire to pursue in the future a career as veterinary technician specialist (VTS) in anesthesia & analgesia.

The 3-module course combines traditional methods of lecturing and laboratory/workshop teaching with the new technology of in-person online and on-demand e-learning. Furthermore, it offers the opportunity to obtain certification in basic and advanced techniques of cardiopulmonary resuscitation from the International Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care Society (Recover Initiative).

This Certificate Program has already been validated and accredited by:

– AVA (Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists);
– ACVAA (American College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia);
– IVECCS (International Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care Society (Recover Initiative)).

Please note: It is mandatory to pass exams in order to obtain the Certificate.

Topics and excerpt of the course program:

• Introduction into the course and outline of the function of a veterinary anesthesia technician within the clinical veterinary team
• Physiological, pathophysiological & pharmacological concepts of anesthesia and perioperative analgesia in small animals
• Basic principles of safe and efficient anesthesia and perioperative pain management in small animals, ranging from pre-anesthetic patient assessment to post-anesthetic care
• Components, function, and functionality testing of anesthesia equipment and workstations
• Basic concepts of safe anesthesia techniques and methods of perioperative analgesia
• Techniques of perioperative vital function monitoring
• Basic concepts and clinically commonly applied methods for monitoring depth of anesthesia and nociception
• Disease-, age-, and species-specific aspects of anesthesia and perioperative analgesia management
• Maintenance of adequate respiratory and cardiovascular function during anesthesia
• Management of intraoperative respiratory and/or hemodynamic dysfunction
• Basic and advanced techniques of cardiopulmonary resuscitation following the RECOVER consensus guidelines including RECOVER INITIATIVE certification as Rescuer
• Recognition and management of perianesthetic cardiac arrhythmias
• Recognition and management of perianesthetic disturbances in blood, electrolyte, and/or acid-base homeostasis
• Recognition of perioperative pain and assistance in pain therapy