Western Veterinary Acupuncture for Nurses
Overall aims of the course
This course, run in conjunction with the Western Veterinary Acupuncture Group, is designed to equip veterinary nurses to use acupuncture confidently, safely, and for a wide, but selected, range of clinical conditions.
NOTE: Acupuncture is a schedule 3 procedure and as such must be directed by a veterinary surgeon trained in acupuncture. We do require a letter from a veterinary surgeon in your practice stating that they are willing to direct you in this regard.
NOTE: Acupuncture is a schedule 3 procedure and as such must be directed by a veterinary surgeon trained in acupuncture. We do require a letter from a veterinary surgeon in your practice stating that they are willing to direct you in this regard.
Overall outcomes of the course
At the end of the course the participants should be able to:
- Apply safe and competent needling
- Define the principles of point selection
- Palpate and understand the significance of myofascial trigger points
- State why there is a relatively small amount of clinical acupuncture research in the veterinary species
- Understanding chronic pain generally and in the context of veterinary acupuncture
- Understanding the current research and basis for the treatment of a wide range of clinical conditions
Course information
8 modules: split into one four day and two two day blocks
Course dates:
Modules 1 - 4 (WVAG Foundation Course):
10th - 12th September 2021 Online
5th - 8th November 2021 at the Knockderry Hotel, Cove, Scotland
To book the WVAG Foundation Course modules 1 - 4 please go to http://www.wvag.co.uk/datesbooking-form.html
Modules 5 - 8 (Longview CPD Block Course Modules 5&6 and 10&11))
For modules 5 - 8 (Longview CPD modules 5 & 6; 10 &11) and/or the option to do the chronic pain modules please complete the contact us for further information.
Costs:
Modules 1-4 £1,000* ( no VAT)
Remaining 4 modules £275* each (£1,100)
* Price does not include accommodation.
Modules can be done over three years and some modules are available to do singly or in pairs. Please contact us for further details.
Entia certification (ECAS)
Delegates also have the option of attending just the taught modular programme or they may additionally register with Entia to complete the certificate programme along the way. Further information about the Entia award will be available shortly.
Training venues:
Knockderry Country House Hotel (visit website)
Shore Road, Cove, G84 0NX
Argyll and Bute, Scotland
Dinner, bed & breakfast £135 per night. Accommodation price includes free airport transfer. 45 mins from Glasgow Airport.
Overtown Manor www.overtownmanor.co.uk
Overtown Hill
Wroughton
Swindon
Wiltshire
SN4 0SH
Trainer:
Samantha Lindley MRCVS
Sam lectures widely to veterinary undergraduates, veterinary nurses and veterinary surgeons on animal behaviour, chronic pain, and veterinary acupuncture.
Dr Mike Cummings
Medical Director of the British Medical Acupuncture Society, co founder of WVAG, will join Sam on the courses where numbers and availability allow.
Course dates:
Modules 1 - 4 (WVAG Foundation Course):
10th - 12th September 2021 Online
5th - 8th November 2021 at the Knockderry Hotel, Cove, Scotland
To book the WVAG Foundation Course modules 1 - 4 please go to http://www.wvag.co.uk/datesbooking-form.html
Modules 5 - 8 (Longview CPD Block Course Modules 5&6 and 10&11))
For modules 5 - 8 (Longview CPD modules 5 & 6; 10 &11) and/or the option to do the chronic pain modules please complete the contact us for further information.
Costs:
Modules 1-4 £1,000* ( no VAT)
Remaining 4 modules £275* each (£1,100)
* Price does not include accommodation.
Modules can be done over three years and some modules are available to do singly or in pairs. Please contact us for further details.
Entia certification (ECAS)
Delegates also have the option of attending just the taught modular programme or they may additionally register with Entia to complete the certificate programme along the way. Further information about the Entia award will be available shortly.
Training venues:
Knockderry Country House Hotel (visit website)
Shore Road, Cove, G84 0NX
Argyll and Bute, Scotland
Dinner, bed & breakfast £135 per night. Accommodation price includes free airport transfer. 45 mins from Glasgow Airport.
Overtown Manor www.overtownmanor.co.uk
Overtown Hill
Wroughton
Swindon
Wiltshire
SN4 0SH
Trainer:
Samantha Lindley MRCVS
Sam lectures widely to veterinary undergraduates, veterinary nurses and veterinary surgeons on animal behaviour, chronic pain, and veterinary acupuncture.
Dr Mike Cummings
Medical Director of the British Medical Acupuncture Society, co founder of WVAG, will join Sam on the courses where numbers and availability allow.
Course Syllabus
Foundation Course in Veterinary Acupuncture
Module 1-4
Aims:
At the end of this module participants should be able to:
- To provide a grounding in veterinary acupuncture and the ability to start using acupuncture in practice
At the end of this module participants should be able to:
- State the origins of acupuncture, as well as some of the controversies and define some common areas of agreement between the “Western” and the traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) approach
- Understand the neurophysiological mechanisms involved in the effects of acupuncture
- Have palpated myofascial trigger points, understood their aetiology as currently understood and their relevance to acupuncture treatments.
- Define the “Western” approach to acupuncture
- Be able to apply the principles and safe practice of Western veterinary acupuncture
- Be able to construct treatment plans, including needling sites and techniques for a variety of different conditions.
Module 1
Introduction to the course
Needling practice:
Introduction to trigger points
Pain recognition in animals
Principles of point selection
Safety quiz
Point selection exercises – neck, shoulder and forelimb conditions
- Welcome and practical considerations
- Overview of acupuncture, its history, some TCM nomenclature and the introduction of acupuncture to the West
- Safety Brief for needling of fellow participants
Needling practice:
- Experience needling at Li4
- Points: neck, shoulder and arm
- Point finding in the veterinary species
Introduction to trigger points
- Trigger point theory in man and animals
- Finding trigger points
Pain recognition in animals
Principles of point selection
Safety quiz
Point selection exercises – neck, shoulder and forelimb conditions
Module 2
Points in the lower back and leg
- Point finding in the veterinary species
- Needling practice
- Revision of pain pathways and the nervous system
- Explaining the principles of point selection
- Practical handling and location
- Further principles of point selection
- Point selection exercises – lumbar, lumbosacral region and hindlimb
- Clinical discussion
- Which patients to treat
- Which conditions to treat
- Contraindications/cautions
- Needles and needling techniques
- Frequency and timing of treatments
- Safety of acupuncture
- Serious adverse side effects
- Minor adverse side effects
- Relevance to the veterinary species
Module 3
Face and abdomen points
- Point location
- Practice needling
- Use of different needling techniques
- Discussion of relevance of face points in animals
- The use of acupuncture for functional non pathological disorders
- Paraspinal needling – theory and practice
- Other approaches to segmental needling
- Treatment of visceral conditions: point selection exercises
- Case demonstrations with discussion
Module 4
Introduction to electroacupuncture
Final forum
- Electroacupuncture theory
- Electroacupuncture experience
- Theory and research of acupuncture in dermatology
- Consideration of dermatological conditions
- Point selection exercises
- Challenges of acupuncture research
- Examples of acupuncture research
- Questions to ask and pitfalls to avoid
- Devising treatment plans for more complex cases
- Safety
- Practical considerations
- Timings and pricing
- Opportunity for revision and reflection
Final forum
Electroacupuncture (EA)
Module 5
Aims:
By the end of this module the participants should be able to:
Electroacupuncture - theory
- To expand on the introductory ideas of electroacupuncture and to allow participants to introduce EA into their practice
By the end of this module the participants should be able to:
- State how electricity has been used historically in medicine
- Define the general principles of electroacupuncture
- Understand the electroacupuncture device with which they are supplied
- State when and why they will use electroacupuncture
- Understand safety considerations and potential side effects of electroacupuncture
- Be able to apply their theory of electroacupuncture to a number of conditions
Electroacupuncture - theory
- Safety
- Contraindications and cautions
- Principles
- Effects
- Indications
- Familiarization with the EA device
- Use of the device
- Use in specific conditions
Review, refresh and update
Module 6
Aims
This module aims to refresh and revise the major concepts covered in modules 1-5 before moving on to update participants in current research and practice.
Outcomes
By the end of this module participants should:
This module aims to refresh and revise the major concepts covered in modules 1-5 before moving on to update participants in current research and practice.
Outcomes
By the end of this module participants should:
- Feel comfortable and confident with all the major concepts of modules 1-5
- Have covered issues arising from using acupuncture in practice
- Be aware of some of the new pieces of research into musculoskeletal pain and their significance
- Issues arising from practice
- Revision of points and anatomy
- Revision of safety
- Current research – human
- Current research – animal
- Specific conditions – hip, stifle, hock
- Specific conditions- shoulder, elbow, carpus
Beyond musculoskeletal pain
Aims:
By the end of these modules participants should be able to:
- To demonstrate and revise the challenges of acupuncture research and to provide updates on the use of acupuncture in a range of clinical conditions
By the end of these modules participants should be able to:
- Appreciate the challenges of acupuncture research and be able to assess published research papers
- Understand the current research on a number of clinical conditions and how this applies practically to the clinical situation
Module 7
Challenges of acupuncture research
Update on visceral conditions and practical applications
- “Placebo” and “nocebo” effects
- Examples of studies
- Practice reading, reviewing and evaluating acupuncture research papers
- Case examples/studies
Update on visceral conditions and practical applications
- Case examples/studies
Module 8
Update on acupuncture for ocular problems
Update on acupuncture for neurological conditions and practical applications
Miscellaneous syndromes
Revision of techniques and conditions treated
Case studies and presentations
Final forum
Update on acupuncture for neurological conditions and practical applications
Miscellaneous syndromes
Revision of techniques and conditions treated
Case studies and presentations
Final forum