Animal Care and Nursing
Animal care and nursing items test routine husbandry, restraint, vital signs, fluid therapy, bandaging, and catheter care. The exam wants practical nursing judgment that keeps the patient safe and the record accurate.
Core rules
- Know normal canine and feline temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, and CRT ranges; trends matter more than one reading.
- Body condition score (1–9 or 1–5, depending on scale used) guides nutrition; weigh the patient in kilograms and record it.
- Calculate fluid rate: mL/day = mL/kg/day × kg; mL/h = mL/day ÷ 24. Use a pump or buretrol for small patients.
- Bandages need three layers: primary contact, secondary absorbent/padding, tertiary protective. Check toes for swelling, odor, and discharge.
- Catheter sites: place, secure, flush per protocol, and monitor for phlebitis; label the site and date.
Worked example
A 10 kg dog needs 60 mL/kg/day. 60 × 10 = 600 mL/day. 600 ÷ 24 = 25 mL/h. Reasoning: the order is a daily rate, not a bolus. If the patient also receives a bolus, subtract it from the daily total and document it.
Traps
- Using pounds in a fluid calculation; 10 lb is 4.5 kg, not 10 kg.
- Bandaging too tightly and cutting off distal perfusion.
- Leaving a catheter unlabeled or unflushed.
- Restraining a fearful cat by the scruff without assessing respiratory status.