Veterinary Nursing

Description of the field

The field veterinary nursing encompasses subjects such as the veterinary nursing science, rehabi­lita­tion and prevention and control of infections. Veterinary nursing science is defined as the science that creates knowledge concerning relationships and measures to promote the patient's development towards good physical and mental health. By doing so, good health is seen as something more than the absence of illness and can be related to the feeling of well-being. Veterinary nursing aims to promote the patient's health and well-being, measures to prevent poor health and to alleviate suffering, along with promoting a dignified conclusion of life. The veterinary nursing science is central for/within the exercise of veterinary nurse's professional activities.

Current research

The research focuses on rehabilitation, prevention and control of infections and veterinary nursing aspects for various fields, such as clinical nutrition/pharmaco­logy/odontology/anaesthesiology.

We conduct research largely for the benefit of the animals themselves:

• Rehabilitation (validation of diagnostic methods and evaluation of treatment methods, generally oriented towards diagnostics and treatment of musculoskeletal problems and pain).
• Perioperative/perianesthetic veterinary nursing.
• Veterinary nursing in clinical pharmacology.

The research conducted in the field of One Health is:

• Prevention and control of infections (reduced spread of infections and reduced antibiotics usage).
• Clinical pharmacology (reduced use of antibiotics).
• Epidemiology in veterinary nursing (life expectancy in animals as a comparative model for humans).