Senior Vice President of VMG, the UK’s leading veterinary leadership and management association, and Executive Director for the World Small Animal Veterinary Association
Clinical Director & Veterinary Surgeon. Paragon Referrals.
Sophie is an RCVS Specialist in Emergency and Critical Care and has worked at the RVC and Langford vets where she was involved in the development of their ICUs. Since 2018 Sophie has been Clinical Director of Paragon Referrals. She loves all things cat, and has a specific interest in transfusion medicine and haematological abnormalities. In her role as clinical director Sophie spends most of her time defining quality and working towards improving all aspects of veterinary care by working with her fantastic team. She is passionate about creating long lasting careers for veterinary nurses and vets through engagement, empowerment and support.
After graduating from University of Glasgow in 2013 Emma completed a rotating internship, where her interest in Emergency and Critical Care developed. Emma went on to complete an ECC Internship at the Vets Now hospital in Glasgow, followed by a three-year residency in Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care. After finishing her residency, Emma worked as an ECC Clinician in Manchester for two years before returning to the Vets Now Glasgow Hospital in 2020 where she is currently based.
Firstly, don’t panic! This presentation will describe a practical surgical approach to some common and not so common causes of uncontrolled haemorrhage in our emergency patients.
Looking at questions such as ‘How can I achieve haemostasis? Which big vessels can I safely tie off? A partial splenectomy, why? The Pringle Manoeuvre, you’re joking?’
We’ll take a look at the management of abdominal, thoracic, and extremity bleeders, with an introduction to the concept of damage control surgery.
Paul Aldridge
RCVS Advanced Practitioner in Small Animal Surgery Referral Clinician. Vets Now.
Paul graduated from the University of Liverpool. After a short spell in mixed practice Paul moved to a surgical role in a small animal hospital. Paul has continued to work in hospitals in the Manchester area since, obtaining his RCVS certificate and RCVS Advanced Practitioner status. Paul joined the Vets Now Manchester hospital on its opening in 2016. Paul is widely involved in providing continuing education to vets and vet nurses; he has lectured at congresses throughout Europe and the USA and works with several education providers in the UK where he particularly enjoys delivering practical surgery courses. Paul has authored and contributed to several textbooks. Paul sees emergency and referral cases in Soft Tissue and Orthopaedic surgery. Paul’s clinical interests include traumatology (especially fracture repair and wound management), acute abdominal surgery, and cruciate disease management.
Ever wonder if the cat that ate Lilies is able to produce urine when it’s not possible to pass a urinary catheter?
Ever wonder if the dog with an acute abdomen has free abdominal air in the abdomen, or if the post-operative patient that is not eating has ileus?
Using a binary approach to ask the right question at the right time makes learning and applying abdominal point of care ultrasound easy!
Veterinary POCUS techniques are rapid, easy-to-learn and practical ultrasound skills that ANY practitioner can apply in every day practice. This lecture will cover the core principles to understand and interpret sonographic findings of abdominal ultrasound including the identification of free fluid (abdominal, pleural, pericardial – all via the abdomen), urine production, GI motility, free abdominal air, renal pelvic dilation and the gall bladder halo sign.
All clinically relevant questions when asked at the right time, in a binary fashion, based on patient assessment! The contextual settings that influence the application of abdominal POCUS will also be introduced (e.g. how does triage POCUS differ from systemic POCUS)?
Søren Boysen
Professor, Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary.
Søren Boysen, DVM, DACVECC, completed his DVM from the University of Saskatchewan, completed a small animal internship at the Atlantic Veterinary College, and a residency at Tufts University, becoming a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care in 2003. He is the former Chief of Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care at the University of Montreal and currently a Full Professor at the University of Calgary. Extensively published (more than 80 papers/chapters), and a recipient of numerous teaching, research, and speaker excellence awards, he has become an internationally recognized speaker. With the help of many great colleagues from Tufts and around the world, he developed the small animal FAST, abdominal POCUS, and PLUS exams, and continues to pioneer novel ultrasound training techniques and workshops for non-specialist practitioners. Along with point of care ultrasound, his research interests include veterinary education/simulation, haemorrhage, coagulation, and perfusion.
This lecture will cover how to deal with emergency cases requiring anaesthesia. This will include patient stabilisation and decision making on when to take the patient to theatre, what drugs to consider and why, troubleshooting of common anaesthesia complications and considerations for recovery.
The aim is to give you more confidence when tackling these cases leading to a successful outcome for all!
Chris Miller
European recognised Specialist in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia.
Chris graduated from the University of Cambridge in 2013 and worked both in first opinion and referral practice in north Wales. In 2016 he started a combined residency and master’s programme in anaesthesia and analgesia at the University of Glasgow. He became a Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia in 2021.
He joined Vets Now Glasgow in 2022 and is enjoying the challenge of helping to set up the anaesthesia service. He is interested in all aspects of small animal anaesthesia, particularly analgesia and perioperative care.
Troubleshooting Problems in the Emergency Anaesthetic Patient
Troubleshooting Problems in the Emergency Anaesthetic Patient
Is your patient hypotensive? Bradycardic? Both?
The aim of this lecture is to discuss what has potentially happened to your patient and what steps can be taken to help resolve this. Including potential treatments, we can give our patients in different scenarios.
Georgina Sharman
Veterinary Nurse. North Downs Specialist Referrals.
Georgina qualified and graduated from Middlesex University in 2016 with a BSc(Hons) in Veterinary Nursing. After working as a deputy head nurse and night nurse in an East London hospital, she then joined North Downs Specialist Referrals (NDSR) in 2017 as a rotating RVN. In 2019, she joined the theatre team as a theatre static RVN, with a heavy emphasis in anaesthesia. She achieved her NCert (E&CC) in 2018 and has finished the second year of her MSc in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia with the University of Edinburgh.
Use of Multiparameter Monitors in Anaesthesia (and what to do when the numbers don't say what you want them to…)
Use of Multiparameter Monitors in Anaesthesia (and what to do when the numbers don't say what you want them to…)
Veterinary specific multiparameter patient monitors are regularly available and, in some circumstances, relatively inexpensive for the information they provide. In an age where safety is paramount alongside efficiency, the use of these monitors can be invaluable to us in the monitoring of our veterinary patients under anaesthesia. They aid in the ability to build “a picture” of the patient’s status to increase the understanding of the metabolic and physiological concerns we may encounter and to allow efficient and accurate troubleshooting when problems do occur. However, the use of multiparameter monitoring is not without difficulty. Understanding the limitations of the monitors, to include patient size, species, weight, age, BCS, temperature to name a few, has to be used to interpret the numbers and traces we are given to ensure accuracy of the information provided.
In this lecture, we will discuss the main monitoring aids we have in practice and what limitations they may have to enable us to make sound decisions on whether our multiparameter monitor is considered accurate. The mantra will always be that the veterinary professional is always the best monitor, and any use of technology should be to support the individual rather than hinder.
Jennifer Busby
Jennifer Busby. BSc VetSci, VTS Anaesthesia and Analgesia RVN, RECOVER BLS & ALS Rescuer.
Graduated from RVC with BSc Vet Sci 2009. Became qualified VN in 2012 and RVN in 2015. Obtained Veterinary Technician Specialist Certificate and status in 2019 in Anaesthesia and Analgesia. Recently obtained RECOVER Rescuer status. She is currently working at Hamilton Specialist Referrals.
Jennifer started as an Anaesthesia Nurse Practitioner in Oct 2021 but moved into the Clinical Training and Nurse Manager role in Feb 2022. As per her speciality, her main passion is Anaesthesia and Analgesia in small animals. In addition, Jennifer has a keen drive to encourage learning, and clinical development in other veterinary professions, including nurses and vets, and she enjoys teaching the subject.
Jennifer also has a strong interest in triaging and stabilising emergent patients, together with the complexities of cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Jennifer is currently studying to obtain the Improve International ECC certificate to further her involvement with emergency and critical care medicine. At home, Jennifer enjoys hobbies such as geocaching, volunteer dog walking and spending time with her little furry cat, “Lady Fluffington Pufftail”, aka “Fluff-Puff”.
Do you know why you do things the way that you do them?
Clinical Standards are important to establish in every practice, but where do you start? In this lecture we’ll help you to determine which standards your hospital needs to create, how to create them, and finish with a discussion on change management to ensure the entire time is on board.
Megan Brashear
Senior Manager of Veterinary Nursing. Purdue University Veterinary Hospital.
Megan Brashear, BS, RVT, VTS (ECC) graduated in 2000 with a BS in Veterinary Technology and obtained her Veterinary Technician Specialty in Emergency/Critical Care in 2004. She has enjoyed working in emergency and critical care since 2000 and is the Senior Manager of Veterinary Nursing at the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital in West Lafayette, Indiana. Here, Megan truly enjoys the opportunity to work with veterinary nursing supervisors as well as teach and train technicians and students on the hospital floor. She loves to travel and lecture sharing her knowledge with veterinary technicians and nurses around the world.
Previous Positions: • Emergency/ICU Veterinary Technician, Technician Manager, Education Manager at DoveLewis Emergency Animal Hospital in Portland, Oregon, USA • Education Manager, Technician Manager, Hospital Administrator at VCA Northwest Veterinary Specialists in Clackamas, Oregon, USA • Senior Manager of Veterinary Nursing at Purdue University Veterinary Hospital in West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
Arlene Connor. Head of Clinical Operations. IVC Evidensia.
Arlene qualified as a veterinary nurse in 2003 and subsequently worked in a small animal practice in central Scotland. She joined Vets Now 24/7 Emergency and Specialty Hospital in Glasgow in 2013 as a surgery nurse, before becoming Clinical Nursing Manager in 2014. In 2017, Arlene took on the role of Head of Clinical Operations for Vets Now’s Referral Hospital sites across the UK, which saw her represent Referrals within VetsNow as a member of the Veterinary and Nursing Standards group and at the company’s Clinical Strategy Board. In 2021 Arlene moved over to IVC Evidensia in the same role, within the newly created Referral Division, taking the lead on the Referral Nurse Strategy for the U.K.. In addition, within her team, Arlene is responsible for the clinical and professional standards within the Hospital’s and is part of the team responsible for opening new IVC Evidensia Referral Hospitals in the U.K. At home, Arlene lives with her husband, two small children, Harris the dog and George the cat.
Georgina Sharman. Veterinary Nurse. North Downs Specialist Referrals.
Georgina qualified and graduated from Middlesex University in 2016 with a BSc(Hons) in Veterinary Nursing. After working as a deputy head nurse and night nurse in an East London hospital, she then joined North Downs Specialist Referrals (NDSR) in 2017 as a rotating RVN. In 2019, she joined the theatre team as a theatre static RVN, with a heavy emphasis in anaesthesia.
Katie Gray PG Cert VetEd DipAVN RVN FHEA
Katie qualified as a Registered Veterinary Nurse in 2012 in Berkshire, and went on to work at the Royal Veterinary College’s Queen Mother Hospital for Animals, initially as a surgery nurse and then into emergency and critical care where she became a senior nurse in 2016 for five and a half years. Katie regularly provides CPD to nurses in the UK and internationally, and in 2020 gained a Post Graduate Certificate in Veterinary Education.
Katie has always had a passion for mental health and started training to become a counsellor in 2019. In 2021 Katie enrolled onto the Advanced Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling (National Counselling Service Accredited) with a view to qualifying in 2023, and works at The Ralph Veterinary Referral Hospital providing support to both the team and the pet carers.
Katie is on the committee for the Veterinary Critical Care Nurses (VCCN, part of a One Health initiative to combine education for Veterinary critical care nurses and those in human critical care within the British Association of Critical Care Nurses -BACCN), and volunteers as a RVN for Streetvet and as a Counsellor for a Trauma Recovery Agency.
Rachael Bacon. Nursing Development Lead (OOH). Vets Now.
Rachael qualified in 2013 having trained in a busy hospital where her passion for emergency and critical care was first founded. In 2016 she joined the Vets Now Gillingham clinic to further cultivate her skills and knowledge within this area. During her time with Vets Now Rachael has worked as an evening and weekend nurse, Senior Support Nurse and acted as the supporting role to the Head of Clinical Nursing. Rachael has completed the BVNA Delving Deeper into Wounds Certificate in 2014 followed by the Certificate for Veterinary Nursing in Emergency and Critical Care in 2021. Today, Rachael works as the Nursing Development Lead within Vets Now (OOH). As part of this role Rachael overseas the development of both ACAs and RVNs. Rachael is passionate about the sharing of knowledge, a whole team approach and enjoys taking part in EBVM initiatives. At home Rachael lives with her husband, two small children and Bertie the dog, all of whom love a good adventure.
An excellent and effective nursing team is the corner stone of each of our sites. Without our nurses we simply could not function! From our student nurses and our new team members learning the ropes in the hospitals, through to our more experienced discipline specific nurses, clinical nurse leaders and nurse trainers, all are essential to the success of our hospitals. Our nurses are important patient advocates but the nurse’s role is further reaching than this and of great importance to the success of the team. This session is designed to celebrate and inspire our nursing colleagues.
Each speaker will each deliver a short presentation on their achievements within nursing, how this has shaped their career, and perhaps taken them in directions they would never have thought possible when starting out. This will be an interactive session, and as such, questions and opinions from the audience will be welcomed.
Arlene Connor. Head of Clinical Operations. IVC Evidensia.
Arlene qualified as a veterinary nurse in 2003 and subsequently worked in a small animal practice in central Scotland. She joined Vets Now 24/7 Emergency and Specialty Hospital in Glasgow in 2013 as a surgery nurse, before becoming Clinical Nursing Manager in 2014. In 2017, Arlene took on the role of Head of Clinical Operations for Vets Now’s Referral Hospital sites across the UK, which saw her represent Referrals within VetsNow as a member of the Veterinary and Nursing Standards group and at the company’s Clinical Strategy Board. In 2021 Arlene moved over to IVC Evidensia in the same role, within the newly created Referral Division, taking the lead on the Referral Nurse Strategy for the U.K.. In addition, within her team, Arlene is responsible for the clinical and professional standards within the Hospital’s and is part of the team responsible for opening new IVC Evidensia Referral Hospitals in the U.K. At home, Arlene lives with her husband, two small children, Harris the dog and George the cat.
Megan Brashear. Senior Manager of Veterinary Nursing. Purdue University Veterinary Hospital.
Megan Brashear, BS, RVT, VTS (ECC) graduated in 2000 with a BS in Veterinary Technology and obtained her Veterinary Technician Specialty in Emergency/Critical Care in 2004. She has enjoyed working in emergency and critical care since 2000 and is the Senior Manager of Veterinary Nursing at the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital in West Lafayette, Indiana. Here, Megan truly enjoys the opportunity to work with veterinary nursing supervisors as well as teach and train technicians and students on the hospital floor. She loves to travel and lecture sharing her knowledge with veterinary technicians and nurses around the world.
Previous Positions: • Emergency/ICU Veterinary Technician, Technician Manager, Education Manager at DoveLewis Emergency Animal Hospital in Portland, Oregon, USA • Education Manager, Technician Manager, Hospital Administrator at VCA Northwest Veterinary Specialists in Clackamas, Oregon, USA • Senior Manager of Veterinary Nursing at Purdue University Veterinary Hospital in West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
Katie Gray PG Cert VetEd DipAVN RVN FHEA
Katie qualified as a Registered Veterinary Nurse in 2012 in Berkshire, and went on to work at the Royal Veterinary College’s Queen Mother Hospital for Animals, initially as a surgery nurse and then into emergency and critical care where she became a senior nurse in 2016 for five and a half years. Katie regularly provides CPD to nurses in the UK and internationally, and in 2020 gained a Post Graduate Certificate in Veterinary Education.
Katie has always had a passion for mental health and started training to become a counsellor in 2019. In 2021 Katie enrolled onto the Advanced Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling (National Counselling Service Accredited) with a view to qualifying in 2023, and works at The Ralph Veterinary Referral Hospital providing support to both the team and the pet carers.
Katie is on the committee for the Veterinary Critical Care Nurses (VCCN, part of a One Health initiative to combine education for Veterinary critical care nurses and those in human critical care within the British Association of Critical Care Nurses -BACCN), and volunteers as a RVN for Streetvet and as a Counsellor for a Trauma Recovery Agency.
Ashley Wemple
Ashley grew up in a small town in rural North Carolina and from there moved to a slightly bigger part of the state to go to university at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC. She studied animal science and obtained a bachelor’s degree in that field in 2003. While studying, she started working nights at an ECC vet to make extra money and gain experience. At the time , having no idea she wanted to specialise in ECC, but the hours suited a student.
It was there AShley developed a passion for ECC nursing and teaching. Moving in 2008 to take a job as an ECC nurse at Vets Now Gateshead she has remained there ever since (now PNM for Gateshead part time and District Clinical Lead Nurse for D1). She earned her certVN in 2010 and continues to tutor for that program, as well as other teaching and mentoring for IVC, VTX, and Vets Now.
Ashley is married and has a young daughter along with a dog, three cats, five fish, two toads, and a giant African land snail.
Professional Development
Cinema of War
Abstracts/Case Reports (all - EMS & Interns)
Start Time
End Time
Aoife Reid. Judges: Mike Wickham, Shannon Thorell, Liz Welsh
Vets Now offer fourth and final year vet students’ placements in emergency practice as part of Extra-Mural Studies(EMS) and for ECC elective placements. In this session, a shortlist of vet students will present cases they found particularly rewarding from either a diagnostic or treatment perspective during their placement with Vets Now.
Vets Now also offer internship opportunities at both referral hospitals (Vets Now Glasgow and Vets Now Manchester). A shortlist of interns will also present cases of their choice during their internship with Vets Now.
The students and interns will present their cases to a panel of judges made up of Liz Welsh (Clinical Lead, Emergency and Specialty Hospital, Vets Now), Shannon Thorell (Principal Veterinary Surgeon, Vets Now) and Mike Wickham (Managing Director at Woodley Equipment Company).
A prize will be awarded to the overall winner for their case report.
Aoife Reid. Judges: Mike Wickham, Shannon Thorell, Liz Welsh
Mandisa graduated University of Edinburgh in 2008. In 2014, she was elected to the council of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. Mandisa served as RCVS President in 2020-2021 and Chaired the Practice Standards Group, the Advancement of the Profession Committee and the Vet GDP subcommittee.
Søren Boysen – Professor Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary.
Søren Boysen, DVM, DACVECC, completed his DVM from the University of Saskatchewan, completed a small animal internship at the Atlantic Veterinary College, and a residency at Tufts University, becoming a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care in 2003. He is the former Chief of Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care at the University of Montreal and currently a Full Professor at the University of Calgary. Extensively published (more than 80 papers/chapters), and a recipient of numerous teaching, research, and speaker excellence awards, he has become an internationally recognized speaker. With the help of many great colleagues from Tufts and around the world, he developed the small animal FAST, abdominal POCUS, and PLUS exams, and continues to pioneer novel ultrasound training techniques and workshops for non-specialist practitioners. Along with point of care ultrasound, his research interests include veterinary education/simulation, haemorrhage, coagulation, and perfusion.
The aims of this session are to discuss what rotating and discipline-specific internships are and then whether further training via a residency to become a specialist is the right next step.
The talk will discuss current and potential future pathways to specialisation. Ultimately these specific career pathways are not for everyone and certainly are not superior to other, very rewarding routes. Developing a veterinary career is like planning a route to a destination – there are often many different ways to get there that suit people differently.
Emma Donnelly, David Owen, Gayle Hallowell
Emma Donnelly. Vets Now.
After graduating from University of Glasgow in 2013 Emma completed a rotating internship, where her interest in Emergency and Critical Care developed. Emma went on to complete an ECC Internship at the Vets Now hospital in Glasgow, followed by a three-year residency in Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care. After finishing her residency, Emma worked as an ECC Clinician in Manchester for two years before returning to the Vets Now Glasgow Hospital in 2020 where she is currently based.
David Owen – Lead ECC Vet. Vets Now.
David graduated with honours from the University of Glasgow in 2007 and started working in a small animal general practice in Scotland. Following this, he worked for six years at a small animal hospital in Manchester, where he gained experience in emergency and critical care.
David achieved the RCVS Certificate in emergency and critical care in 2015 and is a registered RCVS Advanced Practitioner in this field.
David joined Vets Now in November 2016 to further his interest in all aspects of emergency and critical care.
Gayle Hallowell – Director of Veterinary Professional Development. IVC Evidensia.
Gayle graduated from the University of Cambridge in 2002 and then completed a large animal rotating internship and joint large animal internal medicine and emergency and critical care residency at the Royal Veterinary College, London. She then moved to the newly opened vet school at Nottingham and completed a PhD in equine cardiology. She then stayed on staff at Nottingham for 15 years and held the position of Professor in Veterinary Internal Medicine and Critical Care. In February 2022, she joined IVC Evidensia as Group Director for Veterinary Professional Development. Her main clinical interests are cardiology, gastroenterology, imaging (particularly ultrasonography) and pain management and her non-clinical interests include undergraduate and postgraduate education.
This session is aimed at veterinary surgeons interested in pursuing or preparing for post-graduate certification in ECC. David Owen and Aoife Reid share their personal experiences and tips in an open Q&A session.
Please bring along questions to submit via live poll during this interactive session.
Aoife Reid, David Owen
David Owen. Lead ECC Vet. Vets Now.
David graduated with honours from the University of Glasgow in 2007 and started working in a small animal general practice in Scotland. Following this, he worked for six years at a small animal hospital in Manchester, where he gained experience in emergency and critical care.
David achieved the RCVS Certificate in emergency and critical care in 2015 and is a registered RCVS Advanced Practitioner in this field. David joined Vets Now in November 2016 to further his interest in all aspects of emergency and critical care.
Wellbeing
Newsroom
Back in the Room - Returning to Face2Face Consultations
Telling clients things they may not want hear is something we unfortunately have to do often, especially when where emergency work is concerned. Be it the cost of treatment, a long wait time, poor prognosis, lack of treatment options, sudden deterioration or an unexpected outcome – giving clients bad news can produce reactions and behaviours from them that can be difficult for us to handle.
Join this session to learn techniques to share difficult news in the most effective way, and how to cope when you are on the receiving end of an upset client.
Elly Russell
Training Consultant. VDS Training.
Elly qualified in 2002 and has worked in a variety of small animal settings. After completing a surgery certificate in 2019, she started a PhD at the University of Lincoln, supported and funded by the VDS, researching communication and patient safety in the veterinary profession. Elly is particularly interested in team and organisational communication and is passionate about helping veterinary teams deliver safe care. Her research focuses on how veterinary teams communicate and how we can make ongoing and meaningful quality improvements in how we deliver care as a team in practice. Elly is part of the VDS training team where she heads up the communication training provision. She is passionate about helping veterinary professionals, teams and practices communicate well, achieve great patient outcomes, and to thrive.
How do you react when the pressures on? Working in a fast paced, high stakes environment can make it hard to communicate clearly and calmly, just when you need to the most.
Join this session to learn how stress and pressure can impact how we communicate and what we can do to keep things on track when we need to work effectively will all those around us (including our clients!) to get the best possible outcomes for our patients.
Elly Russell
Training Consultant. VDS Training.
Elly qualified in 2002 and has worked in a variety of small animal settings. After completing a surgery certificate in 2019, she started a PhD at the University of Lincoln, supported and funded by the VDS, researching communication and patient safety in the veterinary profession. Elly is particularly interested in team and organisational communication and is passionate about helping veterinary teams deliver safe care. Her research focuses on how veterinary teams communicate and how we can make ongoing and meaningful quality improvements in how we deliver care as a team in practice. Elly is part of the VDS training team where she heads up the communication training provision. She is passionate about helping veterinary professionals, teams and practices communicate well, achieve great patient outcomes, and to thrive.
According to the North American Veterinary Medical Education Consortium (NAVMEC), the rapidly changing dynamics of society and environment require that veterinary professionals need to have an open mind and be flexible enough to make the changes required for the profession to remain relevant for both personal satisfaction and for society’s appreciation of our future contributions.
Our profession must demonstrate an understanding of the manner in which culture and belief systems impact delivery of veterinary medical care while recognizing and appropriately addressing biases in themselves, in others, and in the process of veterinary medical care delivery.
Understanding our sector and society is one of the six domains in the Veterinary Management Groups Leadership Standards Framework. This lecture explores how pet ownership has changed recently and how these changes influence the veterinary practice experience for all. Ultimately, if we do not provide this, within reason, our client base will simply vote with their feet.
Richard Casey
VMG.
Prior to joining the veterinary world in 2011 Richards career was focussed on Human Resources for a variety of household names. Today, he is the Senior Vice President of VMG, the UK’s leading veterinary leadership and management association, and Executive Director for the World Small Animal Veterinary Association, who represent over 200,000 veterinarians via their 115 member associations. He holds an Executive MBA, Post Graduate Certificate in Strategic Management and Leadership, as well as being a member of the Chartered Institute of Management, an Associate of the CIPD, and currently researching his Doctorate in Business Administration. He believes anyone can achieve success in their careers regardless of their background, and that the key to this is having courage and kindness.
Prior to joining the veterinary world in 2011 Richards career was focussed on Human Resources for a variety of household names. Today, he is the Senior Vice President of VMG, the UK’s leading veterinary leadership and management association, and Executive Director for the World Small Animal Veterinary Association, who represent over 200,000 veterinarians via their 115 member associations. He holds an Executive MBA, Post Graduate Certificate in Strategic Management and Leadership, as well as being a member of the Chartered Institute of Management, an Associate of the CIPD, and currently researching his Doctorate in Business Administration. He believes anyone can achieve success in their careers regardless of their background, and that the key to this is having courage and kindness.
Lara Brunori – ECVECC Resident in Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care. Vets Now.
Lara graduated in 2009 from Bologna University, Italy. After working for a few years as a mixed (equine and small animal) general practitioner, she completed the Vets Now Cutting Edge Course in April 2018 and started working as an OHH clinician within the Vets Now Southampton clinic. In April 2019, she obtained the CertAVP in ECC and moved to Glasgow, where she completed both the rotating and ECC specific internship at Vets Now 24/7 Pet Emergency Hospital. In January 2021, she started the ECVECC Residency within the same institution.
A practical session on RECOVER recertification for BLS and ALS.
Ashley Wemple, David Owen, Sara Jackson
Ashley Wemple.
Ashley grew up in a small town in rural North Carolina and from there moved to a slightly bigger part of the state to go to university at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC. She studied animal science and obtained a bachelor’s degree in that field in 2003. While studying, she started working nights at an ECC vet to make extra money and gain experience. At the time , having no idea she wanted to specialise in ECC, but the hours suited a student.
It was there AShley developed a passion for ECC nursing and teaching. Moving in 2008 to take a job as an ECC nurse at Vets Now Gateshead she has remained there ever since (now PNM for Gateshead part time and District Clinical Lead Nurse for D1). She earned her certVN in 2010 and continues to tutor for that program, as well as other teaching and mentoring for IVC, VTX, and Vets Now.
Ashley is married and has a young daughter along with a dog, three cats, five fish, two toads, and a giant African land snail.
David Owen – Lead ECC Vet. Vets Now.
David graduated with honours from the University of Glasgow in 2007 and started working in a small animal general practice in Scotland. Following this, he worked for six years at a small animal hospital in Manchester, where he gained experience in emergency and critical care.
David achieved the RCVS Certificate in emergency and critical care in 2015 and is a registered RCVS Advanced Practitioner in this field. David joined Vets Now in November 2016 to further his interest in all aspects of emergency and critical care.
Join for a case-based discussion covering several topics relevant to anaesthesia and ECC. There will be the opportunity to interact and talk through cases and scenarios, examining evidence and best practise. Come with your own questions and dilemmas to share with the group and help improve everyone’s knowledge and confidence.
Liz Welsh, Chris Miller
Clinical Lead, Emergency and Specialty Hospital, Glasgow. Vets Now.
Liz graduated from The University of Glasgow in 1989 and completed a surgical internship and PhD before moving to The University of Edinburgh in 1996. During this time, Liz completed a residency in small animal soft tissue surgery and then continued her time there until 2007, as a lecturer and latterly senior lecturer in soft tissue surgery.
Liz joined the Vets Now 24/7 Emergency and Specialty Hospital, Glasgow in 2010, where she offered a comprehensive service for soft tissue cases. In 2019 Liz became the Clinical Lead at Glasgow and was responsible for working with the management team to deliver a first-class service to practices. More recently she has been providing operational support across the Vets Now 24/7 sites.
Chris Miller. European recognised Specialist in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia.
Chris graduated from the University of Cambridge in 2013 and worked both in first opinion and referral practice in north Wales. In 2016 he started a combined residency and master’s programme in anaesthesia and analgesia at the University of Glasgow. He became a Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia in 2021.
He joined Vets Now Glasgow in 2022 and is enjoying the challenge of helping to set up the anaesthesia service. He is interested in all aspects of small animal anaesthesia, particularly analgesia and perioperative care.
Lara Brunori – ECVECC Resident in Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care. Vets Now.
Lara graduated in 2009 from Bologna University, Italy. After working for a few years as a mixed (equine and small animal) general practitioner, she completed the Vets Now Cutting Edge Course in April 2018 and started working as an OHH clinician within the Vets Now Southampton clinic. In April 2019, she obtained the CertAVP in ECC and moved to Glasgow, where she completed both the rotating and ECC specific internship at Vets Now 24/7 Pet Emergency Hospital. In January 2021, she started the ECVECC Residency within the same institution.
Søren Boysen – Professor Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary.
Søren Boysen, DVM, DACVECC, completed his DVM from the University of Saskatchewan, completed a small animal internship at the Atlantic Veterinary College, and a residency at Tufts University, becoming a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care in 2003. He is the former Chief of Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care at the University of Montreal and currently a Full Professor at the University of Calgary. Extensively published (more than 80 papers/chapters), and a recipient of numerous teaching, research, and speaker excellence awards, he has become an internationally recognized speaker. With the help of many great colleagues from Tufts and around the world, he developed the small animal FAST, abdominal POCUS, and PLUS exams, and continues to pioneer novel ultrasound training techniques and workshops for non-specialist practitioners. Along with point of care ultrasound, his research interests include veterinary education/simulation, haemorrhage, coagulation, and perfusion.
HIIBT – High Intensity Interval Brain Training: this year’s Congress sees a return of this format with 3 specialists presenting 3 different aspects of an area of advanced ECC clinical practice, before coming together for an audience-driven discussion.
These sessions will be fast, hard-hitting and not for the faint-hearted – bring your sweat towel!
Emma Donnelly, Simon Hagley, Daniel Lewis
Emma Donnelly – Vets Now.
After graduating from University of Glasgow in 2013 Emma completed a rotating internship, where her interest in Emergency and Critical Care developed. Emma went on to complete an ECC Internship at the Vets Now hospital in Glasgow, followed by a three-year residency in Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care. After finishing her residency, Emma worked as an ECC Clinician in Manchester for two years before returning to the Vets Now Glasgow Hospital in 2020 where she is currently based.
Simon Hagley –
North American/European Specialist in Emergency & Critical Care Clinical Lead for Vets-Now Manchester Hospital. Vets Now.
Simon obtained his veterinary degree from the University of Bristol in 2011, after which he moved to Australia to complete a rotating internship. He returned to the UK for 2 years, where he worked in a busy emergency hospital before completing an internship and residency in Emergency and Critical Care at the University of California Davis in 2019. After settling back in the UK, Simon joined the team at Vets Now Referrals in Manchester and is currently clinical lead for the hospital.
Simon has written several book chapters for core veterinary critical care textbooks and is a lecturer and examiner for post-graduate ECC certificate qualifications in the UK. His interests include all areas of acute medicine with a specific focus on fluid therapy, electrolyte and glucose derangements and shock. He is committed to enhancing the level of veterinary training with the ultimate goal of improving patient care and promoting staff wellbeing.
Arguably the faster any causes contributing the an arrest can be identified and reversed, the better the chances of successful CPR. However, the ability to assess patients in the CPR setting is limited to physical exam findings and simple point of care diagnostics. With the rapidly growing availability of mobile and hand held ultrasound units, the use of POCUS in the CPR setting is also rapidly expanding. It can help identify contributing causes of an arrest, and evidence suggests it can determine the presence of cardiac activity and detect arrythmias without interrupting or having to stop CPR efforts! This lecture will cover the application of POCUS in the arrest setting, what we can rapidly rule in/rule out, and how to assess the heart for cardiac activity.
Søren Boysen
Professor, Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary.
Søren Boysen, DVM, DACVECC, completed his DVM from the University of Saskatchewan, completed a small animal internship at the Atlantic Veterinary College, and a residency at Tufts University, becoming a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care in 2003. He is the former Chief of Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care at the University of Montreal and currently a Full Professor at the University of Calgary. Extensively published (more than 80 papers/chapters), and a recipient of numerous teaching, research, and speaker excellence awards, he has become an internationally recognized speaker. With the help of many great colleagues from Tufts and around the world, he developed the small animal FAST, abdominal POCUS, and PLUS exams, and continues to pioneer novel ultrasound training techniques and workshops for non-specialist practitioners. Along with point of care ultrasound, his research interests include veterinary education/simulation, haemorrhage, coagulation, and perfusion.
This session will provide an update and critical evaluation of the top literature relevant to the field of veterinary emergency and critical care that has been published in the last 12 months.
Steve Epstein
Professor of Clinical Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care Small Animal Infectious Disease Control Officer Director of Blood Bank and Transfusion Medicine Assistant Director. Small Animal Hospital.
Dr. Steven Epstein attended University of California at Davis for his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine. He then went on to complete an internship in anesthesiology at Kansas State University and then completed a three-year residency in veterinary emergency and critical care at UC Davis. Dr. Epstein is now Professor of Clinical Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care. His research interests include CPR, diagnostic testing in the emergency room, and antimicrobial resistance patterns.
Followership in Leaders
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Daniel Lewis
Controversies - Guidelines and Rules - Clinical Commodity or Just Tools for Fools?
Sophie Adamantos – Clinical Director & Veterinary Surgeon. Paragon Referrals
Sophie is an RCVS Specialist in Emergency and Critical Care and has worked at the RVC and Langford vets where she was involved in the development of their ICUs. Since 2018 Sophie has been Clinical Director of Paragon Referrals. She loves all things cat, and has a specific interest in transfusion medicine and haematological abnormalities. In her role as clinical director Sophie spends most of her time defining quality and working towards improving all aspects of veterinary care by working with her fantastic team. She is passionate about creating long lasting careers for veterinary nurses and vets through engagement, empowerment and support.
Amanda Boag MA VetMB DipACVIM DipACVECC DipECVECC FHEA MRCVS
Amanda graduated as a veterinary surgeon from Cambridge University in 1998. She undertook further clinical training at the Royal Veterinary College and the University of Pennsylvania and is board certified in both Internal Medicine and Emergency and Critical Care. She was a lecturer in Emergency and Critical Care at the RVC from 2003-2008. In September 2008, she took up the post of clinical director at Vets Now. In that role she led the development of a range of post graduate training programmes as well as pioneering innovative methods of auditing clinical and professional standards. In Jan 2020 she took up the role of group referral director with IVCEvidensia where she developed the referral strategy. In August 2021, she was appointed Chief Medical Officer for IVCEvidensia and she now leads the learning and development and clinical leadership teams across the group.
She was an elected member of RCVS Council from 2012-2020 and was President 2018-2019. She was Founding President of the European College of Emergency and Critical Care (2014-2018) and is a Treasurer of the EBVS board. She is currently chair of Trustees for RCVSKnowledge.
Diagnosing sepsis in patient out of normal hours can be challenging. The goal of this lecture is to provide a framework for when sepsis should be considered in the emergency as well as reviewing the different methods to diagnose this condition as well as the pitfalls of the different testing options.
Steven Epstein
Professor of Clinical Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care Small Animal Infectious Disease Control Officer Director of Blood Bank and Transfusion Medicine Assistant Director. Small Animal Hospital.
Dr. Steven Epstein attended University of California at Davis for his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine. He then went on to complete an internship in anesthesiology at Kansas State University and then completed a three-year residency in veterinary emergency and critical care at UC Davis. Dr. Epstein is now Professor of Clinical Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care. His research interests include CPR, diagnostic testing in the emergency room, and antimicrobial resistance patterns.
Fluid therapy in sepsis is a balance of ensuring optimal perfusion while avoiding overhydration. The goals of this lecture are to review evidence-based information to create the ideal fluid plan in patient with sepsis.
Steven Epstein
Professor of Clinical Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care Small Animal Infectious Disease Control Officer Director of Blood Bank and Transfusion Medicine Assistant Director. Small Animal Hospital.
Dr. Steven Epstein attended University of California at Davis for his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine. He then went on to complete an internship in anesthesiology at Kansas State University and then completed a three-year residency in veterinary emergency and critical care at UC Davis. Dr. Epstein is now Professor of Clinical Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care. His research interests include CPR, diagnostic testing in the emergency room, and antimicrobial resistance patterns.
Professional Dilemmas Discussion
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Mandisa Greene (Chair) Arlene Connor, Chris Miller, Sophie Gilbert
Professional Dilemmas Discussion: panel member – 1.5hr panel discussion with three panel members sharing professional dilemmas encountered throughout their careers and how these situations were impacted by the professional codes. The audience will be encouraged to participate in the discussion with live Q&A.
The session is usually coordinated & steered by an experienced Chair & we will put you all in touch before the event. Previously the scenarios were written by the Chair, although they do occasionally ask for ideas from the panel members.
Mandisa Greene (Chair) Arlene Connor, Chris Miller, Sophie Gilbert
Mandisa Green, Veterinary Medical Director. Vets Now.
Mandisa graduated University of Edinburgh in 2008. In 2014, she was elected to the council of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. Mandisa served as RCVS President in 2020-2021 and Chaired the Practice Standards Group, the Advancement of the Profession Committee and the Vet GDP subcommittee.
Arlene Connor, Head of Clinical Operations. IVC Evidensia.
Arlene qualified as a veterinary nurse in 2003 and subsequently worked in a small animal practice in central Scotland. She joined Vets Now 24/7 Emergency and Specialty Hospital in Glasgow in 2013 as a surgery nurse, before becoming Clinical Nursing Manager in 2014. In 2017, Arlene took on the role of Head of Clinical Operations for Vets Now’s Referral Hospital sites across the UK, which saw her represent Referrals within VetsNow as a member of the Veterinary and Nursing Standards group and at the company’s Clinical Strategy Board. In 2021 Arlene moved over to IVC Evidensia in the same role, within the newly created Referral Division, taking the lead on the Referral Nurse Strategy for the U.K.. In addition, within her team, Arlene is responsible for the clinical and professional standards within the Hospital’s and is part of the team responsible for opening new IVC Evidensia Referral Hospitals in the U.K. At home, Arlene lives with her husband, two small children, Harris the dog and George the cat.
Chris Miller. European recognised Specialist in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia.
Chris graduated from the University of Cambridge in 2013 and worked both in first opinion and referral practice in north Wales. In 2016 he started a combined residency and master’s programme in anaesthesia and analgesia at the University of Glasgow. He became a Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia in 2021.
He joined Vets Now Glasgow in 2022 and is enjoying the challenge of helping to set up the anaesthesia service. He is interested in all aspects of small animal anaesthesia, particularly analgesia and perioperative care.
Sophie Gilbert, RCVS Advanced Practitioner in Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care. Vets Now.
Sophie graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 2011, starting out in mixed practice in Essex and then Cornwall. By 2014, Sophie’s interest in small animal emergency medicine was growing, and she started working night shifts in a small animal hospital in Plymouth. 2016 saw a move to Vets Now, where Sophie completed the Refresh Your Edge course, followed by a Post-graduate Certificate in Emergency Medicine and Surgery, achieving Advanced Practitioner status in 2020. Sophie is now part of the Veterinary and Nursing Standards Team, who have responsibility for upholding clinical and professional standards across the Vets Now out of hours clinics. Sophie is passionate about the role of quality improvement in veterinary medicine, and embedding practice based research into daily clinical life to continually improve patient welfare and clinical standards.
The World Economic Forum in 2013 stated that “Arguably the greatest risk to health comes in the form of antibiotic-resistant bacteria” (Howell L, ed. Global Risks 2013 Eighth edition: An Initiative of the Risk Response Network. World Economic Forum, 2013). Because of the increasing risk of multidrug resistance in all species it is essential to develop an Antimicrobial Stewardship Protocol; this is to ensure that we all use antimicrobials prudently and that we us the right antibiotic at the right dose for the right duration. This is an evolving programme that undergoes annual review and modification based on new evidence.
The goal of the policy is to provide guidance on the rational use of antimicrobial agents to ensure that proper consideration is given to appropriate antibiotic prescription, the management and treatment of patients under our care presenting with or deemed to be at high risk of bacterial infections, and by limiting our use, to reduce the risk of on-going development of antimicrobial resistance. In veterinary medicine in the UK, choice of antimicrobial agent must always be in line with the cascade. However, to allow us to prioritise antimicrobials that are available, the antimicrobial tier system based on the WHO system should be used.
This lecture will review the use of antimicrobials in sepsis occurring in dogs and cats focusing on the use in the emergency room and intensive care units. The surviving sepsis guidelines pertaining to the topic will also be reviewed.
Steve Epstein
Professor of Clinical Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care Small Animal Infectious Disease Control Officer Director of Blood Bank and Transfusion Medicine Assistant Director. Small Animal Hospital.
Dr. Steven Epstein attended University of California at Davis for his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine. He then went on to complete an internship in anesthesiology at Kansas State University and then completed a three-year residency in veterinary emergency and critical care at UC Davis. Dr. Epstein is now Professor of Clinical Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care. His research interests include CPR, diagnostic testing in the emergency room, and antimicrobial resistance patterns.
Wash N' Go - Best Practice in Decontaminating the Poisoned Pet
North American/European Specialist in Emergency & Critical Care Clinical Lead for Vets-Now Manchester Hospital. Vets Now.
Simon obtained his veterinary degree from the University of Bristol in 2011, after which he moved to Australia to complete a rotating internship. He returned to the UK for 2 years, where he worked in a busy emergency hospital before completing an internship and residency in Emergency and Critical Care at the University of California Davis in 2019. After settling back in the UK, Simon joined the team at Vets Now Referrals in Manchester and is currently clinical lead for the hospital.
Simon has written several book chapters for core veterinary critical care textbooks and is a lecturer and examiner for post-graduate ECC certificate qualifications in the UK. His interests include all areas of acute medicine with a specific focus on fluid therapy, electrolyte and glucose derangements and shock. He is committed to enhancing the level of veterinary training with the ultimate goal of improving patient care and promoting staff wellbeing.
North American/European Specialist in Emergency & Critical Care Clinical Lead for Vets-Now Manchester Hospital. Vets Now.
Simon obtained his veterinary degree from the University of Bristol in 2011, after which he moved to Australia to complete a rotating internship. He returned to the UK for 2 years, where he worked in a busy emergency hospital before completing an internship and residency in Emergency and Critical Care at the University of California Davis in 2019. After settling back in the UK, Simon joined the team at Vets Now Referrals in Manchester and is currently clinical lead for the hospital.
Simon has written several book chapters for core veterinary critical care textbooks and is a lecturer and examiner for post-graduate ECC certificate qualifications in the UK. His interests include all areas of acute medicine with a specific focus on fluid therapy, electrolyte and glucose derangements and shock. He is committed to enhancing the level of veterinary training with the ultimate goal of improving patient care and promoting staff wellbeing.
"Good Words Are Worth Much, and Cost Little" - Using Nurse Handovers to Improve Patient Care
We invest our time learning the correct anatomy and physiology, honing our knowledge on complicated medical conditions and mastering techniques for instrumenting our patients, but how much time do we spend thinking about our patient handover? Handovers may be classified as a ‘soft skill’ and the last of our priorities when we are studying for our exams, yet I’m sure we can all agree a patient handover can make or break our day (or night)!
This lecture will go through what makes a good handover, how you might audit yours and implement improved versions to your practice.
Katie Gray
Katie Gray PG Cert VetEd DipAVN RVN FHEA
Katie qualified as a Registered Veterinary Nurse in 2012 in Berkshire, and went on to work at the Royal Veterinary College’s Queen Mother Hospital for Animals, initially as a surgery nurse and then into emergency and critical care where she became a senior nurse in 2016 for five and a half years. Katie regularly provides CPD to nurses in the UK and internationally, and in 2020 gained a Post Graduate Certificate in Veterinary Education.
Katie has always had a passion for mental health and started training to become a counsellor in 2019. In 2021 Katie enrolled onto the Advanced Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling (National Counselling Service Accredited) with a view to qualifying in 2023, and works at The Ralph Veterinary Referral Hospital providing support to both the team and the pet carers.
Katie is on the committee for the Veterinary Critical Care Nurses (VCCN, part of a One Health initiative to combine education for Veterinary critical care nurses and those in human critical care within the British Association of Critical Care Nurses -BACCN), and volunteers as a RVN for Streetvet and as a Counsellor for a Trauma Recovery Agency.
Most veterinary leaders end up in their position by chance and not because they have years of managerial and people experience. This often leads to communication breakdown, mismatched expectations, and team dissatisfaction. But you can help! By communicating with your leaders, you can bring about positive changes for your team, and by being solutions minded you will offer the best support to your leaders.
This talk will help you see how your support will make all the difference to everyone in the practice, even the patients!
Megan Brashear
Senior Manager of Veterinary Nursing. Purdue University Veterinary Hospital.
Megan Brashear, BS, RVT, VTS (ECC) graduated in 2000 with a BS in Veterinary Technology and obtained her Veterinary Technician Specialty in Emergency/Critical Care in 2004. She has enjoyed working in emergency and critical care since 2000 and is the Senior Manager of Veterinary Nursing at the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital in West Lafayette, Indiana. Here, Megan truly enjoys the opportunity to work with veterinary nursing supervisors as well as teach and train technicians and students on the hospital floor. She loves to travel and lecture sharing her knowledge with veterinary technicians and nurses around the world.
Previous Positions: • Emergency/ICU Veterinary Technician, Technician Manager, Education Manager at DoveLewis Emergency Animal Hospital in Portland, Oregon, USA • Education Manager, Technician Manager, Hospital Administrator at VCA Northwest Veterinary Specialists in Clackamas, Oregon, USA • Senior Manager of Veterinary Nursing at Purdue University Veterinary Hospital in West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
Significant Event Reporting – What Is It and What’s Your Role
Significant Event Reporting – What Is It and What’s Your Role
The reporting and investigation of significant events and the ‘big data’ power of a centralised reporting systems can help capture, analyse and reflect on mistakes in practice, facilitating reflective learning and helping to prevent future errors. Mistakes will always happen, but practices with positive cultures will be characterised by mutual trust, effective information gathering and a collective belief in learning from errors rather than burying them.
Come to this session to find out what you can do to promote patient safety and quality improvement in your organisations through the reporting and discussion of mistakes and poor patient outcomes.
Catherine Oxtoby
Head of Underwriting and Pricing. VDS.
Catherine qualified as a vet in 2000 and worked in practice for 13 years. She completed a PhD in 2017 investigating the causes and types of errors in veterinary practice and the effect of organisational culture. She now works for the VDS as Head of Underwriting and Pricing. Her current role includes the assessment and mitigation of current and emerging veterinary risks and the ongoing development of VetSafe – the company’s bespoke online significant event reporting system.
Managing the Critical Surgical Patient Pre and Post Op
Managing the Critical Surgical Patient Pre and Post Op
Has a critical patient has come into your practice needing surgery? Or has one come back after having surgery?
This talk will discuss the care of these patients. We will talk about the stabilisation of these patients pre-operatively and how we can prepare them for surgery. Post-operatively, we will discuss the continued care of these patients, including monitoring.
Georgina Sharman
Veterinary Nurse. North Downs Specialist Referrals.
Georgina qualified and graduated from Middlesex University in 2016 with a BSc(Hons) in Veterinary Nursing. After working as a deputy head nurse and night nurse in an East London hospital, she then joined North Downs Specialist Referrals (NDSR) in 2017 as a rotating RVN. In 2019, she joined the theatre team as a theatre static RVN, with a heavy emphasis in anaesthesia. She achieved her NCert (E&CC) in 2018 and has finished the second year of her MSc in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia with the University of Edinburgh.
The average critical patient in ICU has up to 8 different lines, tubes, or drains at any one time. Ranging from those we can place with our eyes closed (we wouldn’t!) to those that take years of experience to be able to master; tubes, lines and drains are a part of the critical care nurse’s every day. Each new line increases the chance of acquired infection, in turn increasing the length of hospital stay, the rate of morbidity and mortality, and inevitably the cost to the client.
This lecture will cover placement, management and removal of tubes, lines and drains.
Katie Gray
Katie Gray PG Cert VetEd DipAVN RVN FHEA
Katie qualified as a Registered Veterinary Nurse in 2012 in Berkshire, and went on to work at the Royal Veterinary College’s Queen Mother Hospital for Animals, initially as a surgery nurse and then into emergency and critical care where she became a senior nurse in 2016 for five and a half years. Katie regularly provides CPD to nurses in the UK and internationally, and in 2020 gained a Post Graduate Certificate in Veterinary Education.
Katie has always had a passion for mental health and started training to become a counsellor in 2019. In 2021 Katie enrolled onto the Advanced Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling (National Counselling Service Accredited) with a view to qualifying in 2023, and works at The Ralph Veterinary Referral Hospital providing support to both the team and the pet carers.
Katie is on the committee for the Veterinary Critical Care Nurses (VCCN, part of a One Health initiative to combine education for Veterinary critical care nurses and those in human critical care within the British Association of Critical Care Nurses -BACCN), and volunteers as a RVN for Streetvet and as a Counsellor for a Trauma Recovery Agency.
Understanding and assessing pain in non-verbal veterinary patients can be challenging. RVNs play a crucial role in the assessment of pain and behaviour in the acute post-operative patient and should be the biggest advocate for multi-modal analgesic approaches. Development of multi-dimensional pain scoring systems have enabled the progression of identification of pain alongside providing quick, comparative, and validated information on the progression of pain in our patients. Identification and rapid, effective treatment of pain will result in better post-operative morbidity and mortality as well as shortened hospital times.
Furthermore, understanding how to implement the use of pain scores within the veterinary team and the use of adjunct analgesic medications to create a multi-modal and comprehensive analgesic treatment protocol will allow our patients to have a better quality of life. In this lecture, we discuss the different pain scoring models available to us, how to successfully implement them, development of interventional protocols and engagement of a team approach to patient analgesia in the practice including the RVNs pivotal role.
Jennifer Busby
Jennifer Busby. BSc VetSci, VTS Anaesthesia and Analgesia RVN, RECOVER BLS & ALS Rescuer
Graduated from RVC with BSc Vet Sci 2009. Became qualified VN in 2012 and RVN in 2015. Obtained Veterinary Technician Specialist Certificate and status in 2019 in Anaesthesia and Analgesia. Recently obtained RECOVER Rescuer status. She is currently working at Hamilton Specialist Referrals.
Jennifer started as an Anaesthesia Nurse Practitioner in Oct 2021 but moved into the Clinical Training and Nurse Manager role in Feb 2022. As per her speciality, her main passion is Anaesthesia and Analgesia in small animals. In addition, Jennifer has a keen drive to encourage learning, and clinical development in other veterinary professions, including nurses and vets, and she enjoys teaching the subject.
Jennifer also has a strong interest in triaging and stabilising emergent patients, together with the complexities of cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Jennifer is currently studying to obtain the Improve International ECC certificate to further her involvement with emergency and critical care medicine. At home, Jennifer enjoys hobbies such as geocaching, volunteer dog walking and spending time with her little furry cat, “Lady Fluffington Pufftail”, aka “Fluff-Puff”.
Case Based Clinical Nursing Discussion Forum
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Heather Kirkness (Chair) Arlene Connor, Katie Gray, Jennifer Busby, Donna Crosbie
Emergency and critical patients often present with a complex collection of needs; navigating through providing treatment, facilitating investigative procedures and most important of all, ensuring excellent nursing care, can be difficult at times. In an attempt to show how the many and various needs of these patients can be balanced with the stresses and strains of a busy shift, the speakers will present a series of real-life case examples and share how their approaches can minimise problems and maximise patient outcome.
This will be an interactive session and questions and opinions from the audience will be actively sought!
Heather Kirkness (Chair) Arlene Connor, Katie Gray, Jennifer Busby, Donna Crosbie
Heather Kirkness – Head of Clinical Nursing
Heather qualified as a Veterinary Nurse in 2013 whilst working at Stone Lion Veterinary Hospital in Wimbledon. She joined North Downs Specialist Referrals in 2013 where she achieved her Vets Now certificate in Emergency and Critical Care and BVNA certificate in Wound Management. Heather became a static surgical ward nurse in 2017, overseeing surgical patient interventions and care outside of theatre.
In 2021 Heather joined Vets Now as an emergency and critical care nurse and is now acting Head of Clinical Nursing; responsible for driving improvements in clinical and professional standards. She continues to have a keen interest in intensive care, surgical patient care and wound management.
Arlene Crosbie – Head of Clinical Operations. IVC Evidensia.
Arlene qualified as a veterinary nurse in 2003 and subsequently worked in a small animal practice in central Scotland. She joined Vets Now 24/7 Emergency and Specialty Hospital in Glasgow in 2013 as a surgery nurse, before becoming Clinical Nursing Manager in 2014. In 2017, Arlene took on the role of Head of Clinical Operations for Vets Now’s Referral Hospital sites across the UK, which saw her represent Referrals within VetsNow as a member of the Veterinary and Nursing Standards group and at the company’s Clinical Strategy Board. In 2021 Arlene moved over to IVC Evidensia in the same role, within the newly created Referral Division, taking the lead on the Referral Nurse Strategy for the U.K.. In addition, within her team, Arlene is responsible for the clinical and professional standards within the Hospital’s and is part of the team responsible for opening new IVC Evidensia Referral Hospitals in the U.K. At home, Arlene lives with her husband, two small children, Harris the dog and George the cat.
Katie Gray PG Cert VetEd DipAVN RVN FHEA
Katie qualified as a Registered Veterinary Nurse in 2012 in Berkshire, and went on to work at the Royal Veterinary College’s Queen Mother Hospital for Animals, initially as a surgery nurse and then into emergency and critical care where she became a senior nurse in 2016 for five and a half years. Katie regularly provides CPD to nurses in the UK and internationally, and in 2020 gained a Post Graduate Certificate in Veterinary Education.
Katie has always had a passion for mental health and started training to become a counsellor in 2019. In 2021 Katie enrolled onto the Advanced Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling (National Counselling Service Accredited) with a view to qualifying in 2023, and works at The Ralph Veterinary Referral Hospital providing support to both the team and the pet carers.
Katie is on the committee for the Veterinary Critical Care Nurses (VCCN, part of a One Health initiative to combine education for Veterinary critical care nurses and those in human critical care within the British Association of Critical Care Nurses -BACCN), and volunteers as a RVN for Streetvet and as a Counsellor for a Trauma Recovery Agency.
Donna Crosbie RVN
Donna started her career in veterinary nursing in a small animal emergency hospital in 2004, where she gained the RVN qualification. After 6 years in emergency practice, Donna moved into referral practice as a surgery nurse, where she gained experience in anaesthesia and surgical nursing.
Prior to joining Vets-Now, Donna worked in multiple 1st opinion practices as a Head nurse. She then joined the Vets-now team in 2018 as a surgical nurse, shortly followed by becoming the Clinical nurse manager. Donna is responsible for the day-to-day running of the referral and OOH services.
Donna has a keen interest in surgical nursing and enjoys all aspects of emergency and critical care.
Jennifer Busby – Clinical Training and Nurse Manager Anaesthesia Nurse Practitioner. Hamilton Specialist Referrals.
So You're Not a Vet or a Nurse?
Cinema of War
A Whole Team Approach, Celebrating Lay Staff in Practice
A Whole Team Approach, Celebrating Lay Staff in Practice
Let’s talk about lay staff. When we consider what a strong team looks like, we must consider all members of that team. The role they have in creating successful outcomes for both our clients and our patients. As the veterinary sector grows, so do our emergency teams.
This lecture will focus on a whole team approach, why and how we must recognise and celebrate the nonclinical members of staff within our teams.
Rachael Bacon
Nursing Development Lead (OOH). Vets Now.
Rachael qualified in 2013 having trained in a busy hospital where her passion for emergency and critical care was first founded. In 2016 she joined the Vets Now Gillingham clinic to further cultivate her skills and knowledge within this area. During her time with Vets Now Rachael has worked as an evening and weekend nurse, Senior Support Nurse and acted as the supporting role to the Head of Clinical Nursing. Rachael has completed the BVNA Delving Deeper into Wounds Certificate in 2014 followed by the Certificate for Veterinary Nursing in Emergency and Critical Care in 2021. Today, Rachael works as the Nursing Development Lead within Vets Now (OOH). As part of this role Rachael overseas the development of both ACAs and RVNs. Rachael is passionate about the sharing of knowledge, a whole team approach and enjoys taking part in EBVM initiatives. At home Rachael lives with her husband, two small children and Bertie the dog, all of whom love a good adventure.
What can an Animal Care Assistant (ACA) do? ACA’s play an integral role within our teams, yet what they can and can’t do within practice is very much a topic of discussion.
This session aims to highlight the importance of the ACA’s role and bring awareness to the impact they can make to our patients, clients and teams when supported and directed in the right way.
Rachael Bacon
Nursing Development Lead (OOH). Vets Now.
Rachael qualified in 2013 having trained in a busy hospital where her passion for emergency and critical care was first founded. In 2016 she joined the Vets Now Gillingham clinic to further cultivate her skills and knowledge within this area. During her time with Vets Now Rachael has worked as an evening and weekend nurse, Senior Support Nurse and acted as the supporting role to the Head of Clinical Nursing. Rachael has completed the BVNA Delving Deeper into Wounds Certificate in 2014 followed by the Certificate for Veterinary Nursing in Emergency and Critical Care in 2021. Today, Rachael works as the Nursing Development Lead within Vets Now (OOH). As part of this role Rachael overseas the development of both ACAs and RVNs. Rachael is passionate about the sharing of knowledge, a whole team approach and enjoys taking part in EBVM initiatives. At home Rachael lives with her husband, two small children and Bertie the dog, all of whom love a good adventure.
Dealing With Difficult Clients - Front of House Staff
Elly qualified in 2002 and has worked in a variety of small animal settings. After completing a surgery certificate in 2019, she started a PhD at the University of Lincoln, supported and funded by the VDS, researching communication and patient safety in the veterinary profession. Elly is particularly interested in team and organisational communication and is passionate about helping veterinary teams deliver safe care. Her research focuses on how veterinary teams communicate and how we can make ongoing and meaningful quality improvements in how we deliver care as a team in practice. Elly is part of the VDS training team where she heads up the communication training provision. She is passionate about helping veterinary professionals, teams and practices communicate well, achieve great patient outcomes, and to thrive.
Every member of the team has a big impact on the safety and quality of care delivered in our clinics. Whatever your role in the clinic, your voice matters and is needed to ensure your clinic continually grows, learns, and thrives.
In this session we will look at how important teamwork is, how psychological safety is fundamental to maximising the whole teams knowledge and skills and how we need to dich the idea that there is one right way to do things or one person who knows best if we really want to achieve as a team.
Elly Russell
Training Consultant. VDS Training.
Elly qualified in 2002 and has worked in a variety of small animal settings. After completing a surgery certificate in 2019, she started a PhD at the University of Lincoln, supported and funded by the VDS, researching communication and patient safety in the veterinary profession. Elly is particularly interested in team and organisational communication and is passionate about helping veterinary teams deliver safe care. Her research focuses on how veterinary teams communicate and how we can make ongoing and meaningful quality improvements in how we deliver care as a team in practice. Elly is part of the VDS training team where she heads up the communication training provision. She is passionate about helping veterinary professionals, teams and practices communicate well, achieve great patient outcomes, and to thrive.
Planning a career is like planning a car journey – there are many different ways to get there and as long as you reach your desired destination and the route suited you, then you have achieved your goal.
The aims of this talk are to discuss current and future career routes for everyone working in a veterinary clinical team. Lets get some discussion going too about what people want!!
Gayle Hallowell
Director of Veterinary Professional Development. IVC Evidensia.
Gayle graduated from the University of Cambridge in 2002 and then completed a large animal rotating internship and joint large animal internal medicine and emergency and critical care residency at the Royal Veterinary College, London. She then moved to the newly opened vet school at Nottingham and completed a PhD in equine cardiology. She then stayed on staff at Nottingham for 15 years and held the position of Professor in Veterinary Internal Medicine and Critical Care. In February 2022, she joined IVC Evidensia as Group Director for Veterinary Professional Development. Her main clinical interests are cardiology, gastroenterology, imaging (particularly ultrasonography) and pain management and her non-clinical interests include undergraduate and postgraduate education.
Taking the 'Pet' out of 'Petrified' - How to Make Your Clinic Fear Free
Taking the 'Pet' out of 'Petrified' - How to Make Your Clinic Fear Free
This session will introduce the concepts and theory of patient-friendly practice. We will consider what patient-friendly practice is, and why it matters – across all aspects of veterinary care, & taking a team-wide approach. We will look at some of the practicalities of social & environmental set up, considering techniques to prevent and reduce distress in the care of patients.
We will cover the patient’s perspective & the importance of meeting emotional needs; as well as what caregivers can do to prepare pets for low stress veterinary care & to promote positive vet visits. And we’ll discuss the power of a team in achieving success for pets & their people.
Linda Ryan
Linda is a Veterinary Technician Specialist in Behaviour, and in Oncology, and an ASAB-accredited Certified Clinical Animal Behaviourist (for cats and dogs). Linda has been nursing for 22 years, and – through working with her feline, oncology and critical care patients – she developed a keen interest in behavioural health. Linda now specialises in cat and dog clinical behaviour work and training, and in integrating behavioural considerations into veterinary care.
She runs Inspiring Pet Teaching, seeing feline and canine clinical behaviour cases, working alongside veterinary colleagues, supporting caregivers, and providing continuing education for veterinary and training/behaviour professionals.
Infection control must be considered as more than just a menial cleaning task and instead viewed as a vital aspect of ongoing patient care.
In this session we will discuss what effective infection control looks like, as well as the impact it has on both our patients and our teams.
Rachael Bacon
Nursing Development Lead (OOH). Vets Now.
Rachael qualified in 2013 having trained in a busy hospital where her passion for emergency and critical care was first founded. In 2016 she joined the Vets Now Gillingham clinic to further cultivate her skills and knowledge within this area. During her time with Vets Now Rachael has worked as an evening and weekend nurse, Senior Support Nurse and acted as the supporting role to the Head of Clinical Nursing. Rachael has completed the BVNA Delving Deeper into Wounds Certificate in 2014 followed by the Certificate for Veterinary Nursing in Emergency and Critical Care in 2021. Today, Rachael works as the Nursing Development Lead within Vets Now (OOH). As part of this role Rachael overseas the development of both ACAs and RVNs. Rachael is passionate about the sharing of knowledge, a whole team approach and enjoys taking part in EBVM initiatives. At home Rachael lives with her husband, two small children and Bertie the dog, all of whom love a good adventure.
We have all felt the ups and downs and of veterinary medicine; some days are more down than up. Instead of feeling the negative effects of the day, how amazing would it be if you were the person who can rally the team to get through the tough times?
This talk will give everyone tips on staying positive and keeping the team going without be an annoying “Polly Positive”.
Megan Brashear
Senior Manager of Veterinary Nursing. Purdue University Veterinary Hospital.
Megan Brashear, BS, RVT, VTS (ECC) graduated in 2000 with a BS in Veterinary Technology and obtained her Veterinary Technician Specialty in Emergency/Critical Care in 2004. She has enjoyed working in emergency and critical care since 2000 and is the Senior Manager of Veterinary Nursing at the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital in West Lafayette, Indiana. Here, Megan truly enjoys the opportunity to work with veterinary nursing supervisors as well as teach and train technicians and students on the hospital floor. She loves to travel and lecture sharing her knowledge with veterinary technicians and nurses around the world.
Previous Positions: • Emergency/ICU Veterinary Technician, Technician Manager, Education Manager at DoveLewis Emergency Animal Hospital in Portland, Oregon, USA • Education Manager, Technician Manager, Hospital Administrator at VCA Northwest Veterinary Specialists in Clackamas, Oregon, USA • Senior Manager of Veterinary Nursing at Purdue University Veterinary Hospital in West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
Many of us will have heard of the philosophic phrase, the only constant is change. It still makes perfect sense, especially today. If you were to describe the workplace and world in general over recent years, what words would you use? Perhaps delicate, nervous, knotted, and perplexing?
In a world of constant change, it helps to describe the current state of things. When we do this, we may be able to use it as a starting point to build on and come up with proactive solutions and roadmaps to this overwhelming new world.
In this lecture we’ll attempt to:
• Validate common themes for how we’re living and working today. • Acknowledge the impact this way of working may have on all participants within veterinary practice • Design a new narrative for veterinary leadership which describes the role we all play in succeeding in ‘the new world’. • Introduce simple tools to help strengthen your own courage and be an advocate for kindness.
Richard Casey
VMG.
Prior to joining the veterinary world in 2011 Richards career was focussed on Human Resources for a variety of household names. Today, he is the Senior Vice President of VMG, the UK’s leading veterinary leadership and management association, and Executive Director for the World Small Animal Veterinary Association, who represent over 200,000 veterinarians via their 115 member associations. He holds an Executive MBA, Post Graduate Certificate in Strategic Management and Leadership, as well as being a member of the Chartered Institute of Management, an Associate of the CIPD, and currently researching his Doctorate in Business Administration. He believes anyone can achieve success in their careers regardless of their background, and that the key to this is having courage and kindness.
For goodness sake John… with the scope and severity of the significantly increased caseload and pressures we’re facing in health care, isn’t civility a bit of a soft issue to focus on? I don’t think so. If you think so, ask a colleague who’s been on the wrong side of incivility whether this felt like a soft issue to them. A lack of civility exacerbates the stress and demands of already stressful and demanding professions. Incivility is contributing to burnout and driving talented and caring people out of the professions. We certainly cannot achieve the kinds of improvements in care and health that we need if we continue to lose talented people.
Modified after Derek Feeley : Civility is everyone’s responsibility 2016 Institute of Healthcare Improvement www.ihi.org/communities/blogs/civility-is-everyone-s-responsibility
John Williams
National Surgical Lead. IVC Evidensia.
After John graduated from Cambridge Veterinary School he worked for six years in small animal practice before returning to Cambridge University as University Assistant Surgeon for four years. He then moved to Liverpool University as Lecturer in Small Animal Surgery and became Head of the Division of Small Animal Studies. John became a Fellow of the RCVS in 1993 and Diplomate of the ECVS in 1997. Since1999 he has worked in private referral practice. He is active on the CPD lecture circuit and regularly speaks in the UK, Europe and the USA. In 2000 he was awarded the BSAVA Simon award for contributions to small animal surgery. John has authored chapters and edited manuals for BSAVA and most recently contributed to the second edition of Tobias and Johnston’s Textbook of Veterinary Surgery: Small Animals. John became an Honorary Professor at the University of Liverpool in 2012 and is currently National Surgical Lead for the referral division of IVC Evidensia.
Commonly cited barriers to disclosing errors in human medicine include professional repercussions, legal liability, blame, lack of confidentiality, negative patient/family reaction, humiliation, perfectionism, guilt, lack of anonymity and absence of supportive forum for disclosure (Kaldjian et al. 2006). However, blame culture and a fear of admitting liability in veterinary practice can stifle apology and communication with clients and can lead to professional stonewalling, poor handling and escalation of complaints (Clark 2017).
Come to this session learn how to say sorry, with empathy, compassion and transparency, without admitting liability.
Liz graduated from The University of Glasgow in 1989 and completed a surgical internship and PhD before moving to The University of Edinburgh in 1996. During this time, Liz completed a residency in small animal soft tissue surgery and then continued her time there until 2007, as a lecturer and latterly senior lecturer in soft tissue surgery.
Liz joined the Vets Now 24/7 Emergency and Specialty Hospital, Glasgow in 2010, where she offered a comprehensive service for soft tissue cases. In 2019 Liz became the Clinical Lead at Glasgow and was responsible for working with the management team to deliver a first-class service to practices. More recently she has been providing operational support across the Vets Now 24/7 sites.
Catherine Oxtoby- Head of Underwriting and Pricing. VDS.
Catherine qualified as a vet in 2000 and worked in practice for 13 years. She completed a PhD in 2017 investigating the causes and types of errors in veterinary practice and the effect of organisational culture. She now works for the VDS as Head of Underwriting and Pricing. Her current role includes the assessment and mitigation of current and emerging veterinary risks and the ongoing development of VetSafe – the company’s bespoke online significant event reporting system.
No one likes making a mistake, but the reality is we are all human and it will happen. Mistakes are rarely down to one individual’s actions but it can still feel as if the big finger of blame is pointing right at us when something goes wrong, and never more so than when we see complaints and bad reviews in the media. This can leave us worried, upset, angry and fearing for our and our practices reputation.
In this session we discuss practical tips for managing such comments in the media and important considerations for how we manage our own internal conversations and mindset to help us navigate these tricky situations more confidently and comfortably.
Elly Russell
Training Consultant. VDS Training.
Elly qualified in 2002 and has worked in a variety of small animal settings. After completing a surgery certificate in 2019, she started a PhD at the University of Lincoln, supported and funded by the VDS, researching communication and patient safety in the veterinary profession. Elly is particularly interested in team and organisational communication and is passionate about helping veterinary teams deliver safe care. Her research focuses on how veterinary teams communicate and how we can make ongoing and meaningful quality improvements in how we deliver care as a team in practice. Elly is part of the VDS training team where she heads up the communication training provision. She is passionate about helping veterinary professionals, teams and practices communicate well, achieve great patient outcomes, and to thrive.
Practical Approach to Enhancing Team’s Wellbeing - Master What You Already Have: Social Connection, Emotional Intelligence and Dignity
Practical Approach to Enhancing Team’s Wellbeing - Master What You Already Have: Social Connection, Emotional Intelligence and Dignity
Embracing team wellbeing has recently become a hot topic and a focus of attention of many veterinary leaders who want to take a good care of their colleagues and create a thriving workplace culture. Due to its complexity, the topic can seem overwhelming and the attempts to nurture team’s mental and physical wellbeing – daunting and time-consuming. However, the combination of clinical experience and the modern science of social, organisational, and positive psychology offer multiple tools and methods that are readily applicable in the veterinary workplace and can enhance team’s welfare, without putting financial strain on the organisation.
Olivia Ogińska
Vet Gone Real.
Liv graduated in 2016 from the university Poland and shortly after graduation moved to the United Kingdom to undergo surgical training. During her career development, Liv was exposed to various workplace environments and worked with veterinary professionals of diverse backgrounds, cultures and nationalities. Along the years of her professional training, Liv has been mentoring and providing mental health support to her colleagues. The passion for veterinary wellbeing led her to undertaking the Masters degree programme in Applied Positive Psychology at Anglia Ruskin University, UK, where Liv received the emotional intelligence and appreciative inquiry coaching credentials. Based on several years of veterinary and peer-support experience, combined with Positive Psychology and EQ training, Liv created the Vet Gone Real platform, through which multiple individuals and veterinary teams receive coaching and mental support. Liv specialises in the veterinary wellbeing, emotional intelligence, psychological safety and building thriving workplace cultures. Liv presented her innovative approach to building human-friendly veterinary practices on the international congresses and she puts her teachings into practice through serving veterinary teams as their Clinical Wellbeing Coach. She is also a certified workplace conflict mediator.
Lara Brunori – ECVECC Resident in Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care. Vets Now.
Lara graduated in 2009 from Bologna University, Italy. After working for a few years as a mixed (equine and small animal) general practitioner, she completed the Vets Now Cutting Edge Course in April 2018 and started working as an OHH clinician within the Vets Now Southampton clinic. In April 2019, she obtained the CertAVP in ECC and moved to Glasgow, where she completed both the rotating and ECC specific internship at Vets Now 24/7 Pet Emergency Hospital. In January 2021, she started the ECVECC Residency within the same institution.
Professor Søren Boysen – Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary.
Søren Boysen, DVM, DACVECC, completed his DVM from the University of Saskatchewan, completed a small animal internship at the Atlantic Veterinary College, and a residency at Tufts University, becoming a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care in 2003. He is the former Chief of Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care at the University of Montreal and currently a Full Professor at the University of Calgary. Extensively published (more than 80 papers/chapters), and a recipient of numerous teaching, research, and speaker excellence awards, he has become an internationally recognized speaker. With the help of many great colleagues from Tufts and around the world, he developed the small animal FAST, abdominal POCUS, and PLUS exams, and continues to pioneer novel ultrasound training techniques and workshops for non-specialist practitioners. Along with point of care ultrasound, his research interests include veterinary education/simulation, haemorrhage, coagulation, and perfusion.
Sophie Adamantos – Clinical Director & Veterinary Surgeon. Paragon Referrals.
Sophie is an RCVS Specialist in Emergency and Critical Care and has worked at the RVC and Langford vets where she was involved in the development of their ICUs. Since 2018 Sophie has been Clinical Director of Paragon Referrals. She loves all things cat, and has a specific interest in transfusion medicine and haematological abnormalities. In her role as clinical director Sophie spends most of her time defining quality and working towards improving all aspects of veterinary care by working with her fantastic team. She is passionate about creating long lasting careers for veterinary nurses and vets through engagement, empowerment and support.
Paul Aldridge – RCVS Advanced Practitioner in Small Animal Surgery Referral Clinician. Vets Now.
Paul graduated from the University of Liverpool. After a short spell in mixed practice Paul moved to a surgical role in a small animal hospital. Paul has continued to work in hospitals in the Manchester area since, obtaining his RCVS certificate and RCVS Advanced Practitioner status. Paul joined the Vets Now Manchester hospital on its opening in 2016. Paul is widely involved in providing continuing education to vets and vet nurses; he has lectured at congresses throughout Europe and the USA and works with several education providers in the UK where he particularly enjoys delivering practical surgery courses. Paul has authored and contributed to several textbooks. Paul sees emergency and referral cases in Soft Tissue and Orthopaedic surgery. Paul’s clinical interests include traumatology (especially fracture repair and wound management), acute abdominal surgery, and cruciate disease management.
Donna Crosbie RVN
Donna started her career in veterinary nursing in a small animal emergency hospital in 2004, where she gained the RVN qualification. After 6 years in emergency practice, Donna moved into referral practice as a surgery nurse, where she gained experience in anaesthesia and surgical nursing.
Prior to joining Vets-Now, Donna worked in multiple 1st opinion practices as a Head nurse. She then joined the Vets-now team in 2018 as a surgical nurse, shortly followed by becoming the Clinical nurse manager. Donna is responsible for the day-to-day running of the referral and OOH services.
Donna has a keen interest in surgical nursing and enjoys all aspects of emergency and critical care.
Simon Hagley – North American/European Specialist in Emergency & Critical Care Clinical Lead for Vets-Now Manchester Hospital. Vets Now.
Simon obtained his veterinary degree from the University of Bristol in 2011, after which he moved to Australia to complete a rotating internship. He returned to the UK for 2 years, where he worked in a busy emergency hospital before completing an internship and residency in Emergency and Critical Care at the University of California Davis in 2019. After settling back in the UK, Simon joined the team at Vets Now Referrals in Manchester and is currently clinical lead for the hospital.
Simon has written several book chapters for core veterinary critical care textbooks and is a lecturer and examiner for post-graduate ECC certificate qualifications in the UK. His interests include all areas of acute medicine with a specific focus on fluid therapy, electrolyte and glucose derangements and shock. He is committed to enhancing the level of veterinary training with the ultimate goal of improving patient care and promoting staff wellbeing.
Ashley grew up in a small town in rural North Carolina and from there moved to a slightly bigger part of the state to go to university at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC. She studied animal science and obtained a bachelor’s degree in that field in 2003. While studying, she started working nights at an ECC vet to make extra money and gain experience. At the time , having no idea she wanted to specialise in ECC, but the hours suited a student.
It was there AShley developed a passion for ECC nursing and teaching. Moving in 2008 to take a job as an ECC nurse at Vets Now Gateshead she has remained there ever since (now PNM for Gateshead part time and District Clinical Lead Nurse for D1). She earned her certVN in 2010 and continues to tutor for that program, as well as other teaching and mentoring for IVC, VTX, and Vets Now.
Ashley is married and has a young daughter along with a dog, three cats, five fish, two toads, and a giant African land snail.
David Owen – Lead ECC Vet. Vets Now
David graduated with honours from the University of Glasgow in 2007 and started working in a small animal general practice in Scotland. Following this, he worked for six years at a small animal hospital in Manchester, where he gained experience in emergency and critical care.
David achieved the RCVS Certificate in emergency and critical care in 2015 and is a registered RCVS Advanced Practitioner in this field. David joined Vets Now in November 2016 to further his interest in all aspects of emergency and critical care.
After graduating from University of Glasgow in 2013 Emma completed a rotating internship, where her interest in Emergency and Critical Care developed. Emma went on to complete an ECC Internship at the Vets Now hospital in Glasgow, followed by a three-year residency in Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care. After finishing her residency, Emma worked as an ECC Clinician in Manchester for two years before returning to the Vets Now Glasgow Hospital in 2020 where she is currently based.
Sophie Adamantos- Clinical Director & Veterinary Surgeon. Paragon Referrals.
Sophie is an RCVS Specialist in Emergency and Critical Care and has worked at the RVC and Langford vets where she was involved in the development of their ICUs. Since 2018 Sophie has been Clinical Director of Paragon Referrals. She loves all things cat, and has a specific interest in transfusion medicine and haematological abnormalities. In her role as clinical director Sophie spends most of her time defining quality and working towards improving all aspects of veterinary care by working with her fantastic team. She is passionate about creating long lasting careers for veterinary nurses and vets through engagement, empowerment and support.
Anaesthesia and the Septic Patient - Traps and Tricks
Anaesthesia and the Septic Patient - Traps and Tricks
This lecture will dive deeper into the pathophysiology of sepsis and specific considerations for anaesthetising these patients. More advanced monitoring techniques will be discussed, decision-making on fluid therapy and choices will be explored, and the use of vasopressors will be considered.
Leave this lecture armed with a greater knowledge of how to keep these patients more stable under anaesthesia.
Chris Miller
Chris Miller. European recognised Specialist in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia.
Chris graduated from the University of Cambridge in 2013 and worked both in first opinion and referral practice in north Wales. In 2016 he started a combined residency and master’s programme in anaesthesia and analgesia at the University of Glasgow. He became a Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia in 2021.
He joined Vets Now Glasgow in 2022 and is enjoying the challenge of helping to set up the anaesthesia service. He is interested in all aspects of small animal anaesthesia, particularly analgesia and perioperative care.
Sophie Adamantos – Clinical Director & Veterinary Surgeon. Paragon Referrals
Sophie is an RCVS Specialist in Emergency and Critical Care and has worked at the RVC and Langford vets where she was involved in the development of their ICUs. Since 2018 Sophie has been Clinical Director of Paragon Referrals. She loves all things cat, and has a specific interest in transfusion medicine and haematological abnormalities. In her role as clinical director Sophie spends most of her time defining quality and working towards improving all aspects of veterinary care by working with her fantastic team. She is passionate about creating long lasting careers for veterinary nurses and vets through engagement, empowerment and support.
Steve Epstein – Professor of Clinical Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care Small Animal Infectious Disease Control Officer Director of Blood Bank and Transfusion Medicine Assistant Director. Small Animal Hospital.
Dr. Steven Epstein attended University of California at Davis for his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine. He then went on to complete an internship in anesthesiology at Kansas State University and then completed a three-year residency in veterinary emergency and critical care at UC Davis. Dr. Epstein is now Professor of Clinical Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care. His research interests include CPR, diagnostic testing in the emergency room, and antimicrobial resistance patterns.
After graduating from University of Glasgow in 2013 Emma completed a rotating internship, where her interest in Emergency and Critical Care developed. Emma went on to complete an ECC Internship at the Vets Now hospital in Glasgow, followed by a three-year residency in Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care. After finishing her residency, Emma worked as an ECC Clinician in Manchester for two years before returning to the Vets Now Glasgow Hospital in 2020 where she is currently based.
Søren Boysen – Professor Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary.
Søren Boysen, DVM, DACVECC, completed his DVM from the University of Saskatchewan, completed a small animal internship at the Atlantic Veterinary College, and a residency at Tufts University, becoming a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care in 2003. He is the former Chief of Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care at the University of Montreal and currently a Full Professor at the University of Calgary. Extensively published (more than 80 papers/chapters), and a recipient of numerous teaching, research, and speaker excellence awards, he has become an internationally recognized speaker. With the help of many great colleagues from Tufts and around the world, he developed the small animal FAST, abdominal POCUS, and PLUS exams, and continues to pioneer novel ultrasound training techniques and workshops for non-specialist practitioners. Along with point of care ultrasound, his research interests include veterinary education/simulation, haemorrhage, coagulation, and perfusion.
Megan Brashear – Senior Manager of Veterinary Nursing. Purdue University Veterinary Hospital.
Megan Brashear, BS, RVT, VTS (ECC) graduated in 2000 with a BS in Veterinary Technology and obtained her Veterinary Technician Specialty in Emergency/Critical Care in 2004. She has enjoyed working in emergency and critical care since 2000 and is the Senior Manager of Veterinary Nursing at the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital in West Lafayette, Indiana. Here, Megan truly enjoys the opportunity to work with veterinary nursing supervisors as well as teach and train technicians and students on the hospital floor. She loves to travel and lecture sharing her knowledge with veterinary technicians and nurses around the world.
Previous Positions: • Emergency/ICU Veterinary Technician, Technician Manager, Education Manager at DoveLewis Emergency Animal Hospital in Portland, Oregon, USA • Education Manager, Technician Manager, Hospital Administrator at VCA Northwest Veterinary Specialists in Clackamas, Oregon, USA • Senior Manager of Veterinary Nursing at Purdue University Veterinary Hospital in West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
Exhibition
Royal Armouries Hall
Refreshments and Exhibition
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Refreshments and Exhibition
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Lunch and Exhibition
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ECC Congress 2022 Agenda
Emergency Critical Care Congress 2022 in the Royal Armouries Hall in Leeds hosts six locations for lectures, workshops and exhibitions
