Practical Nursing Tips

A hardy way to keep that bandage dry...

Sierra Bravo — Wed, 13 Aug 2014 12:19:00 GMT

Instead of using gloves to keep foot bandages dry try using an old drip bag. Cut the bottom of the drip bag off and cut a few slits around the top of the bag to thread a bit of bandage through and tie it around the animal's leg.

Emergency fluid therapy for birds of prey

natasha holland — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 09:58:00 GMT

Ever had a sparrow hawk in desperate need of some warm fluids but it's stressed out and moving, and restaining would cause more harm to inject SC?

In practice we have found that placing a mug of boiling water (obviously not so close the bird could get to it) works really well, the steam from the water is inhaled and generally is just enough to give the bird the basic fluids it needs so it can function normally and then eat. Doing this two or three times per day for a couple of days is generally all thats needed.

This tip was passed to me years ago by the late Mr M Corner MRCVS.

Tail amputations

GCBatty — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 07:49:00 GMT

To stop patients damaging their tails after an op/amputation, save a few vetwrap cardboard rolls or syringes for smaller patients to put over the end so it can protect the area and still allow it to breathe. Heals much quicker and you don't get the dreaded poc where the tail is not healing due to it getting bashed!

Protecting a bandage from recovery soiling!

Michelle Dyke — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 16:25:00 GMT

When patients are recovering from a GA with a RJ dressing/splint on which you have taken special care to apply under the GA, to prevent the dressing from becoming soiled from urine/diarrhoea, then lightly tape a buster op cover around the dressing, they will protect the dressing from becoming wet and need that time-consuming redress (sometimes under another GA!!!!). it's temporary and can be removed very easily and replaced if necessary.

Preventing post op hypothermia

Deana Schneidau — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 08:06:00 GMT

At our practice, to stop patients from developing mid/post op hypothermia, in addition to covering the patient in a blanket (apart from where the VS wants to operate on), we put baby socks onto their paws to help keep them warm.

The socks are just the cheapest toweling ones from the local supermarket, or few pairs donated from staff members who have had children...............but they work a treat! Our rates of post op hypothermia have dropped considerably since using them, even in dental surgery patients.

Resuscitating neonates

lorna kirk — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 11:35:00 GMT

When resuscitating neonates that are slow to breath, try blowing gently in the direction of their nose & mouth once you have cleared their nasal & oral passages. Carbon dioxide as we all know is a great respiratory stimulant! Tiny puppies or kittens will not need you to connect your mouth to give moutht-to-mouth as their lung capacity is so tiny ( apparently only 2-3 mls in kittens?) - & of course this method should NEVER be used in hypoxic or cyanotic looking neonates - instead ventilate with 100% oxygen! Larger puppies could benefit from gentle mouth-to-mouth.

Warming Intravenous fluids

lorna kirk — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 11:29:00 GMT

If you are nursing hypothermic patients & need to keep intravenous fluids warm, use a piece of tape to tape the giving set to a snugglesafe or electric heatpad - ideally this needs to be as near the patient as possible as any space between the taped giving set area & the patient will allow heat to dissipate much more quickly! A cheap alternative to a inline fluid warmer! It is therefore ideal for hypothermic & recumbent patients

Rabbit GA's - Persistant Pedal Reflex

sophie mcmurrough — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 08:00:00 GMT

Rabbit anaesthetics!

Although the pedal reflex always disappears in animals under anaesthetic, this stays in the rabbit!

This is a very affective way of monitoring the depth of a rabbit's anaesthetic. When a rabbit is in a medium plane of anaesthesia, the pedal reflex will be present! If this reflex is ever not present, the rabbit may be too deep! Even during anaesthetics such as a rabbit spay, this reflex should still be present!

The general charts that are published for rabbit anaesthesic drugs actually show the highest dose date's available (but they do not state this). In our practice we use TDK, we always reduce the domitor what ison the chart to allow the rabbit into a nice plane of anaesthesia and it works very well!

Also, TDK acts just as quickly and effective when given subcutaneously instead of given intramuscular in a rabbit. IM injections can be very stressful for rabbits, all of these little tips work well together to provide a stress free anaesthetic for your rabbit!!

Try it! It helps!

Mask Anaesthetics - prevent leakage

sophie mcmurrough — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 08:00:00 GMT

When animals are breathing in GA gasses via a face mask, gasses may leak out and cause harm to the staff. Place the mask on the animals face + attach it to the circuit. Tie some WOW bandage around the base of the mask, push the knot around so that it is in line with the animals chin. Then tie the WOW bandage up and around the animals head, securing the knot underneath the ears.

When moving the animal (to theatre etc..) the mask stay's on the face, just disconnect the circuit and transport them through. This makes the anaesthetic so much smoother, easier, quicker!!

ET tube measurement

jennifer urquhart — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 22:04:00 GMT

I was told this tip by a South African Vet.. Not sure if it has been scientifically researched, but seems to work!

When judging what size of E.T tube to select for a canine patient, take the tube and measure it's width against the gap between the dog's nostrils. (hold the end that attaches to anaesthetic machine and rest the soft end against dog's nose).

Some dogs are easy to guess the tube size on, but others can be deceiving, this trick strangely works, try it and see! I normally select one size up and one size down to have on hand just in case..

Rabbit GA's

Samantha Bell BSc(Hons) DipHE CVN DipAVN RVN VNA M — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 17:10:00 GMT

We don't do alot of bunny anaesthetics in our practice (as mainly referral), so many of you might already do this... but for people who don't...

Instead of trying to dive under drapes during a spay/castrate and/or your pulse ox is not working its best, place the doppler blood pressure probe onto bunny limb to get a nice pulse. Secure with micropore... and you can either wear headphones or have the volume cranked up!

Works a treat!

Safely opening glass vials

Saskia Quinn — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 07:27:00 GMT

Especially the vetergesic ones, as I have known vets and nurses to open them with their bare hands (ouch!) and the vial shatters in their hand

If you dont have one of those special vial openers, ALWAYS used a piece of tissue, or similar to protect your hands, should the vial shatter. Better safe than sorry!

Create vacuum when attaching drip bags to urinary catheters

lorna kirk — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 22:42:00 GMT

Hi someone sent an earlier mail regarding attaching old used drip bags with new giving sets to urinary catheters - not a well known fact but make sure each drip bag has had suction applied with extracting at least 40mls (may need more in Dgs) of air (use syringe & needle in injection port of drip bag to do this) before leaving bags to collect urine - this will create instant vacuum pressure & will prevent retrograde hydronephritis & allow urine to drain faster & therefore your patient much more comfortable!!! Male cats also benefit from having the giving set taped to their tails to prevent potential drag on their prepuce!!!

Stopping cats from purring (whilst using stethoscope)

Ems — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 21:44:00 GMT

Whilst trying to get a HR from your feline patients, it can be quite difficult to hear when they are purring away! A good tip I got from a vet student was to put a small amount of surgical spirit on a swab and rub it on there nose, works wonders and doesn't cause a huge amount of stress

Dry Doggie Dentals

Anonymous — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 22:47:00 GMT

We all know the state Dogs' head, neck and ears get into during dental work esp with paste, blood and water. A cheap way to keep clean is to use the arm cut off a water proof jacket. Poke the dogs muzzle through the elasticated cuff and pull the rest of the arm over the dogs face, head and neck. It keeps the mess to a minimum by only exposing the mouth and also keeps the head dry and warm yet still allows easy access for monitoring. Saving Ga+nurse time from washing, drying and combing out dental mess!