Emergency Medicine I

Basic Emergency Principles

Course Master(s):

Prof. Dr. Katja-Nicole Adamik, Dipl. ACVECC/ECVECC (CH)
Dr. Maria Christina Precht, DCVDI, EBVS® specialist in veterinary diagnostic imaging

Instructor(s):

Dr. Maria Christina Precht, DCVDI
Dr. Laureen Peters, Dipl. ACVP

Course Overview

This module provides advanced foundational training in veterinary emergency medicine, focusing on rapid patient assessment, stabilization, emergency diagnostics, resuscitation, emergency procedures, and analgesia/anesthesia principles in critically ill patients. The module emphasizes evidence-based clinical reasoning, procedural competence, and team-based emergency management.

Distinctive topics:

• Introduction to emergency medicine, incl. ABCD, Triage and emergency room equipment
• Point-of-care laboratory diagnostics for the emergency patient incl. interpretation
• Physiology of respiration and gas exchange
• Recognition and pathophysiology of respiratory distress
• General and specific stabilization of patients with respiratory distress based on leading symptoms, video-based case discussions
• Chest X-ray introduction to interpretation and case discussions
• Shock and fluid therapy: identification of shock, fluid choice, fluid dosages, fluid additives
• Fluid therapy case discussion in groups
• Hematology and cytology interpretation
• Emergency Procedures: Theory and Practical Exercise
  • Oxygen supplementation
  • Thoracentesis and thoracic drains
  • Tracheostomy
  • Venous (peripheral and central) cut down
  • Intraosseous catheters
• Basic CPR, Advanced CPR and lab
• Pain management and anesthesia principles and protocols in the emergency patient

Learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of this module, participants will be able to:

Knowledge and Understanding

1. Critically explain the pathophysiology of shock, respiratory distress, and cardiopulmonary arrest in emergency patients.
2. Evaluate the principles and clinical application of triage, ABCD assessment, and emergency stabilization protocols.
3. Interpret emergency diagnostic findings including point-of-care laboratory data, hematology, cytology, and thoracic radiographs.
4. Explain the pharmacological principles of analgesic, sedative, anesthetic, and resuscitation drugs used in emergency medicine.
5. Analyze indications, contraindications, risks, and complications associated with emergency procedures and fluid therapy.
6. Define the principles of oxygen supplementation methods and identify the appropriate delivery system for various degrees of respiratory compromise in small animal emergency patients.
7. Recall the interpretation of point-of-care hematology and clinical chemistry parameters in the context of emergency triage and initial stabilization of critically ill veterinary patients.

Clinical and Technical Skills

1. Perform systematic triage and primary emergency assessment of critically ill veterinary patients.
2. Implement appropriate stabilization strategies for patients presenting with respiratory compromise and circulatory shock.
3. Safely perform core emergency procedures including oxygen supplementation, thoracocentesis, venous cut-down, and airway management techniques.
4. Formulate and administer evidence-based fluid therapy plans according to patient perfusion status and underlying disease processes.
5. Demonstrate competency in basic and advanced cardiopulmonary resuscitation according to current RECOVER CPR guidelines.
6. Interpret thoracic radiographs in the emergency setting, identifying key pathological findings relevant to respiratory and cardiovascular emergencies.
7. Diagnose and manage analgesia requirements in emergency patients, selecting and administering appropriate analgesic protocols based on pain assessment and clinical status.

Professional Competencies and Clinical Decision-Making

1. Prioritize emergency interventions using structured clinical reasoning in time-critical situations.
2. Integrate diagnostic findings and patient monitoring data into emergency treatment plans.
3. Communicate effectively with veterinary team members during emergency stabilization and resuscitation procedures.
4. Apply principles of patient safety, infection control, and professional responsibility during emergency interventions.
5. Critically reflect on emergency case management and identify areas for continuous professional development and quality improvement.
6. Plan and adapt triage protocols and emergency room workflows to optimise patient throughput and safety standards in a veterinary emergency setting.
7. Evaluate the clinical outcome of emergency interventions, assuming autonomous responsibility for treatment adjustments and escalation decisions in time-critical veterinary emergencies.

Learning and Teaching Strategy

The module combines:

• Specialist-led lectures
• Interactive case-based learning
• Video-assisted emergency case discussions
• Practical procedural laboratories
• CPR simulation training
• Small-group clinical reasoning exercises

Emphasis is placed on integration of theoretical knowledge with practical emergency decision-making and procedural competence.

Course Program (Subject to change)