Obstetric Veterinary Nursing

It is recomended basic knowledge of Animal Reproduction.

In order to achieve the proposed skills, the teaching / learning process is based on:

• Theoretical exposition of the contents using audiovisual media to demonstrate certain physio-pathological mechanisms.
• Practical classes: real case studies; discussion of nursing techniques to be applied in physiological and / or pathological situations of the different reproductive phases; demonstration by the teacher of practices related to the different themes; execution by students of nursing care to be provided in each of the situations.

To develop competences in order to provide nursing care to females of different animal species, from breeding, through pregnancy, delivery, puerperium and lactation, in health and pathology situations.
Acquire skills to care for newborns.

The Curricular Unit is divided into two modules, each with the following syllabus:

Module 1

• Fertilization, embryonic development, maternal recognition of pregnancy, placentation in different animal species.
• Obstetrics of livestock species, namely:

1. Pregnancy: physiological alterations, diagnosis of pregnancy, duration, nutrition and anomalies in different livestock animal species.
2. Childbirth: physiology and stages. Parturition: eutocic and dystocic. Causes of dystocia and medical resolution
3. Caesarean section, management of newborns and postoperative care in farm animals and horses.
4. Management and supervision of the newborn, during recovery and during breastfeeding. Pathology of the mammary gland.
5. Puerperium: phases and variation factors. Postpartum female care. Disorders and their consequences on fertility. Particularities in production animals, horses.
6. Pathology of the reproductive system in production animals, horses.
7. Knowledge about the main andrological pathologies.

Module 2

• Obstetrics in companion animals, namely:

1. Pregnancy: physiological alterations, diagnosis of pregnancy, duration, nutrition and anomalies.
2. Childbirth: physiology and stages. Parturition: eutocic and dystocic. Causes of dystocia and medical resolution.
3. Caesarean section, newborn management and post-operative care.
4. Management and supervision of the newborn, during recovery and during breastfeeding.
5. Pathology of the mammary gland.
6. Puerperium: phases and variation factors. Postpartum female care. Disorders and their consequences on fertility.
7. Pathology of the reproductive system.
8. Pharmacological and surgical contraceptive methods.

Approval in the curricular unit requires the student to have a minimum classification greater than or equal to 9.5 values, obtained by weighting the classification of each module.

Students who attend at least 75% of the theoretical and practical classes taught, as well as students with special status, may opt for continuous assessment.

By continuous evaluation, the UC will be evaluated as follows:

• Module 1 will be assessed using two assessment tool:

1. written test (75% of the grade for module 1), in which the topics addressed in theoretical and/or pratical classes will be evaluated;
2. presentation and discussion of a group work, on a topic addressed in theretical and/or practical classes (25% of the module 2 grade), choosen by students previously.

• Module 2 will be assessed using two assessment instruments:

1. written test (75% of the grade for module 2), in which the topics addressed in theoretical classes and practical classes will be evaluated;
2. presentation and discussion of a group work, on a topic addressed in practical classes (25% of the module 2 grade).

• By continuous assessment, the student must obtain a minimum score of 7,5 points in each assessment tool (written test and presentation). Otherwise, the respective assessment tool must be evaluated by final exam.

In the final exam, each module will be evaluated by a written test (100% of the grade for each module), and the final grade is obtained by weighting the grade for each module.

NAO