DAILY ASSIGNMENTS FOR MÉRIDA CLINICS

Veterinarians: 4+ 

Students: 35

Shifts: 8am – Lunch, Lunch – Dark

Mobile

            Farm Calls (all day)                        2 students + 1 Vet

Mérida Clinic           

            Clinic Manager / Intake          2 students, 2 translators (LA+SA) +/- 1 shadow?

            Large Animal Clinic                 4 students + Vet

            SA Physical exams / wellness     4 students (teams of 2) + Vet(s)

            SA Sx prep / induction          2-4 students (team of 2) + Vet

            SA Anesthesia                       2 students (1 in surgery at all times)

            SA Surgery                       4-6 students (teams of 2) + Vet(s)

            SA Recovery                   2 students + 1 local translator (+ local volunteer(s))

            Diagnostics                         3 students (w/a “Mini-Dr. TQ” in charge)

            Research                               As needed per project

 

            CLEAN UP                             3 students  (including 1 ExBo member)

            Laundry (recovery beds, etc.)     2 students

            Sterilizer duty                         2 students

            Overnight Patient care            3 students (1st/2nd + 3rd + 4th year student combination)

 

 

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Hotel Mérida Clinic job descriptions:

The following are descriptions of each of the jobs you may be performing in the clinic. Everyone will rotate through and perform most jobs at least once. 

Intake/Reception/Triage/Clinic Flow Manager

Students will work with a translator to assess which animals are coming for surgery, and which animals are for preventative care only.  Students will assign a number from the master list, begin paperwork, start the history if time allows, organize people and animals into lines and waiting areas.  Will also assist the recovery team with discharging animals post-op.  May also assist the physical exam/wellness teams in the afternoon.  Try to keep an eye on the overall flow of the clinic, and shift resources accordingly.  One student is assigned to each small animal and large animal reception.

 

Physical exam/wellness (teams of 2)

Students will work in pairs to perform pre-surgical and preventative care physical examinations. Filling out a physical exam form and photographing each dog are a top priority (ie: Adopt a Dog Fundraiser). One team will perform physical exams and collect necessary lab specimens for possible surgical patients. All animals going to surgery must have a physical exam, TP, PCV, 4x Snap test, and adequate history/signalment collected and recorded before being admitted by induction. Any preventative health treatments will be dispensed under the advisory of a DVM (largely deworming, ectoparasite treatments, and vitamin injections). Judicious use of muzzles and using your best judgment with these dogs, who are not accustomed to restraint is encouraged. During the afternoon if physical exam patients are scarce, students can assist the recovery team in sending surgery patients home with proper medications.

 

Induction (teams of 2)

Students will work together to set up for the day by drawing up doses of sedation and anesthesia drugs and setting up the prep area while the PE team is doing the day’s first exams.  Once animals have been cleared for Sx, they will transition animals from the physical exam area into the surgery area. For each surgical candidate, these students will draw up anesthetic drugs, place IV catheters, induce and intubate animals, and perform a rough prep of the surgical site.

 

Surgery (teams of 2)

Teams will be made up of one surgeon (3rd or 4th year) and one assistant (2nd or 3rd year). As the clinic progresses, some underclassman may be able to perform a neuter with the help of an upperclassman and at the discretion of the supervising veterinarian.  There will be 1-2 DVMs in the surgery area to oversee students and step in if there is a problem.

 

Anesthetist (team of 2)

Students will monitor depth of anesthesia, HR, Pulses, RR, temp, fluid flow, etc.) and hand-off to recovery, as well as keeping complete anesthesia records.  One student will be in the surgery area with the anesthetized patients AT ALL TIMES.  The primary goals of this student are to:

  • MAKE SURE THE PATIENT IS STABLE
  • ADMINISTER MORE ANESTHETIC WHEN THE PATIENT GETS LIGHT

The other student will be free to leave the surgery area to gather more anesthesia drugs, emergency drugs, get help, etc.

 

Recovery (team of 2)

Students will monitor animals as they wake up from anesthesia. Warming these dogs up is our #1 priority. We will have hairdryers and space blankets, fleece blankets, etc to help this year. The recovery student is responsible for making sure the animal goes home with all the proper medications (dewormer, antibiotics, pain meds, etc). Student should be recording vitals and recovery time on sheet and discharging the patient, via a translator, with any discharge instructions.

 

Diagnostics (team of 2)

Students will perform each of the following tests on every small animal:

  • blood smear and platelet count
  • fecal floatation
  • total protein
  • PCV
  • 4dx snap test
  • giardia snap test
  • buccal mucosal bleeding times?

Students will perform tests on large animal specimens as requested. These tests are required for small animal patients before being admitted to surgery. Students will record results in the laboratory notebook and on each patient’s paperwork.  There is a lab manual describing these duties in more detail.

 

Large Animal

Two students will assist a vet out on farm calls (usually cattle + horses). This may consist of deworming, drawing blood, pregnancy checks, fecal collection, etc. The 4 LA Clinic students will assist vets in hospital (usually horses, pigs, goats) with physical exams, blood draws, fecal collection, deworming, pregnancy checks, ectoparasite control, castration, equine dentals, etc.

 

Research (Projects in 2013)

Not all students will do this rotation. Extra sample collection or information to record will be the indicated by individuals directing research projects.  At orientation we will discuss these details further!  Just to note the projects that will take place this year (not their official titles obviously): 

Victoria O'Nion: Equine Anaplasmosis 

Jana Van Borstel: Equine BCS and dentition