Course Open: February 3, 2021-February 27, 2021
Real Time Sessions (RTS): Wednesdays February 10 and 17, 2021: 9-10:30 PM ET
Course RTS Times in Your Area: World Clock Converter Level and Prerequisites: This basic course will be open to veterinary technicians/technologists and support staff actively interested in learning more about hospice care for the veterinary patient.
VSPN CE Course: “This program has been approved for 3 hours of continuing education credit in jurisdictions which recognize RACE approval. (20-759865)“ Course Information:
The veterinary technician’s contribution to the end-of-life space has not yet been well defined. Hospice care has been and will continue to be recognized as an integral part of a client’s experience. A greater effort to recognize a skill set that defines a veterinary technician’s role during this tender and special experience is reviewed in this course. This course will help define a set of skills to illustrate the value, significance, and competency requirements to advocate for clients who travel toward the end-of-life space. This course will describe the meaning of the term “Ministry of Presence.” This course seeks to describe the nuances of human emotion during feelings of loss and grief. A description of how human emotion, as illustrated in storytelling, seeks to engage the participant in empathy role playing. This course will give examples of the importance of a non-judgmental approach while helping the participant to recognize the subjective nature of the human-animal bond. The course has a limited focus and does not delve deeply into client support during times of grief. Part two of this course will focus on a knowledge base of disease processes and the absolute necessity of educating clients about the progression of disease and the process of aging. A brief review of the euthanasia process will be included in this course. Week 1 (Real Time Session February 10): I Hear What You're Saying: Our Influence and Capacity to Listen
Objectives: Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to
- Define the veterinary technician’s role during the end-of-life space.
- Understand the skill set that displays value, competency, and advocacy.
- Understand the meaning of the term “Ministry of Presence”.
- Identify the varied expressions of human emotion in storytelling.
- Know the value of a non-judgmental approach.
- Understand the subjective nature of the human-animal bond.
Objectives: Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to
- Understand the value of client education.
- Feel greater confidence to engage with others on a deeper level.
- Have a broader knowledge base of disease processes.
- Understand how to support patient needs based on the progression of disease.
- Recognize the chronological age of dogs and cats.
- Identify early signs of commonly seen and preventable/manageable complications during the aging process.
- Feel more confident to prepare a family for the euthanasia experience in the clinic setting.
Required Textbook(s): There is no required textbook for this course.
Suggested Reading includes:
- “Small Animal Medical Differential Diagnosis: A Book of Lists,” 3rd Ed., Thompson, Mark S.: Elsevier, St. Louis, MO, 2018
- “Treatment and Care of the Geriatric Patient,” Gardner, Mary & McVety, Dani: Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, NJ, 2017
Lisa Dinolov, BAS, CVT, LVT, BSN began her work experience in 2001 as a veterinary assistant in General Practice in Northwest Florida. She recognized immediately that she had found her calling and began her studies at St. Petersburg College’s Veterinary Technology program the following year, in 2002. She graduated with her AAS in 2005 and became credentialed in the State of Florida that same year. During her years in school, she worked with a Veterinary Neurologist. After graduation, she entered Veterinary Emergency medicine and worked as a Medical Assistant in a Family Practice office. Eventually over the years she became Practice Manager. She continued her commitment to both human and animal medicine during the years she pursued her BAS. In 2011, Ms. Dinolov completed her BAS in veterinary technology from St. Petersburg College. During that time, she rejoined the Veterinary Neurologist she had worked with during her earlier years in school. Her interest in the parallels between animal and human disease processes, motivated her to pursue a degree in Nursing. In 2014, she was accepted into an accelerated nursing program for students seeking a second bachelor’s degree. She completed her BSN in July 2015 from the University of South Alabama. She became a Registered Nurse that same year. Ms. Dinolov’s experience in Veterinary Hospice began in 2012, when she was recruited by a veterinarian who was just beginning her hospice practice. Ms. Dinolov has worked in Veterinary Hospice for more than eight years and continues engaging with families throughout the United States who experience the end-of-life space. She has a tiny home in rural Alabama. She loves the resident owl that visits her trees at dusk and the wildlife experience of rural living. She has a Great Pyrenees and three entertaining Brussel Griffon mixes, all of whom are rescues. Total CE Credit: 3 (1.5 hours medical, 1.5 hours non medical)
Tuition: $63 ($57 early bird special if enrolled by January 20, 2021)
* Students currently enrolled in and taking at least 2 classes or 5 units at an AVMA accredited or CVMA approved Veterinary Technician Program may be eligible to receive a 50% discount off the regular rate for this course (upon verification of student status).
Prices are listed in US dollars. *To ensure participants are ready and prepared for classes, enrollment will close on February 10, 2021 at 5 pm ET (USA) or when the maximum number of participants is reached. *For more information on how online CE works, see the Participant Resource Center. To Enroll:
- Enrollment qualifications: VIN CE courses are open to VIN member and non-member veterinarians. Veterinarians enrolling in a VSPN CE course must be a VIN member. Veterinary support staff must be a VSPN member to enroll in a VSPN CE or a VIN CE course open to VSPN member enrollment.
- Each enrollee must be able to receive emails from @vspn.org and @vin.com addresses. Email is our major form of communication with participants; personal emails are highly recommended rather than clinic/hospital email addresses.
- Each person is individually responsible for his/her own registration. To ensure that all information received is secure and correct, please do not enroll for a course on behalf of another individual.
- For further assistance call 800-846-0028 ext. 792 or email VSPNCE. Please include the course title, your full name, and contact information in your correspondence.
VSPN CE Coordinator VSPN CE Services: VSPNCE
800-846-0028 or 530-756-4881; ext. 792
or direct line to VIN/VSPN from the United Kingdom: 01 45 222 6154
or direct line to VIN/VSPN from Australia: 02 6145 2357