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Exploring how end‐of‐life management is taught to Australasian veterinary students. Part 1: technical euthanasia
Author(s) -
Littlewood Katherine E,
Beausoleil Ngaio J,
Stafford Kevin J,
Stephens Christine,
Collins Teresa,
Fawcett Anne,
Hazel Susan,
Lloyd Janice K F,
Mallia Catherine,
Richards Leonie,
Wedler Nicole K,
Zito Sarah
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
veterinary record
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.261
H-Index - 99
eISSN - 2042-7670
pISSN - 0042-4900
DOI - 10.1136/vr.104775
Subject(s) - snowball sampling , curriculum , medical education , nonprobability sampling , livestock , medicine , veterinary medicine , psychology , pedagogy , pathology , geography , environmental health , population , forestry
This descriptive study explored how end‐of‐life management was taught to students in all eight Australasian veterinary schools. A questionnaire‐style interview guide was used by a representative at each university to conduct structured interviews with educators in a snowball sampling approach. Four categories of animals were addressed: livestock, equine, companion and avian/wildlife. This article focuses on the first part of the questionnaire: teaching the technical aspects of euthanasia. Euthanasia techniques were taught at more universities in clinical years than preclinical years. Clinical teaching relied on opportunities presenting, for example, euthanasia consultations. Few universities gave students a chance to practise euthanasia during a consultation and those that did were all with livestock. Competency in euthanasia techniques is an important aspect of clinical practice and these findings can be used to inform curriculum reviews of veterinary training.