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30th VNCA Conference - Program

Click on any presentation title below to learn more about each sessions and its presenter.


Tuesday, April 16, 2024

Masterclass One - Room E1
8:00 AM - 8:30 AM Registration - arrival tea/coffee
8:30 AM - 10:00 AM RECOVER CPR: Rescuer Certification Workshop - basic and advanced life support
Presented by Amy Newfield, Leslie Wereszczak and Harold Davis
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM Morning tea
10:30 AM - 12:30 PM
RECOVER CPR: Rescuer Certification Workshop - basic and advanced life support (continued)
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM Lunch
1:30 PM - 3:00 PM
RECOVER CPR: Rescuer Certification Workshop - basic and advanced life support (continued.)
3:00 PM - 3:30 PM Afternoon Tea
3:30 PM - 5:00 PM
RECOVER CPR: Rescuer Certification Workshop - basic and advanced life support (continued..)
5:30 PM - 7:00 PM President's Welcome Drinks
Masterclass One - Room E1
8:00 AM - 8:30 AM Registration - arrival tea/coffee
8:30 AM - 10:00 AM RECOVER CPR: Rescuer Certification Workshop - basic and advanced life support
Presented by Amy Newfield, Leslie Wereszczak and Harold Davis
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM Morning tea
10:30 AM - 12:30 PM
RECOVER CPR: Rescuer Certification Workshop - basic and advanced life support (continued)
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM Lunch
1:30 PM - 3:00 PM
RECOVER CPR: Rescuer Certification Workshop - basic and advanced life support (continued.)
3:00 PM - 3:30 PM Afternoon Tea
3:30 PM - 5:00 PM
RECOVER CPR: Rescuer Certification Workshop - basic and advanced life support (continued..)
5:30 PM - 7:00 PM President's Welcome Drinks

Masterclass One - Room E1
8:00 AM - 8:30 AM Registration - arrival tea/coffee
8:30 AM - 10:00 AM RECOVER CPR: Rescuer Certification Workshop - basic and advanced life support
Presented by Amy Newfield, Leslie Wereszczak and Harold Davis
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM Morning tea
10:30 AM - 12:30 PM
RECOVER CPR: Rescuer Certification Workshop - basic and advanced life support (continued)
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM Lunch
1:30 PM - 3:00 PM
RECOVER CPR: Rescuer Certification Workshop - basic and advanced life support (continued.)
3:00 PM - 3:30 PM Afternoon Tea
3:30 PM - 5:00 PM
RECOVER CPR: Rescuer Certification Workshop - basic and advanced life support (continued..)
5:30 PM - 7:00 PM President's Welcome Drinks


Wednesday, April 17, 2024

Stream One - Hall C
Stream Two - Room E2
Stream Three - Room E3
Workshops/Commercial Sessions - Room E1
6:30 AM - 7:30 AM Sponsored Breakfast Session - The BOAS Breakfast
Presented by VetPrac
7:30 AM - 8:00 AM Exhibition Open - Arrival tea & coffee - Day one
7:30 AM - 5:00 PM Poster presentations
Poster presentations will be on display for the duration of the Conference in the exhibition area.
8:00 AM - 8:45 AM Conference Opening Ceremony and Welcome to Country
8:45 AM - 9:45 AM How to make the veterinary profession a sustainable career
Amy Newfield
9:45 AM - 10:30 AM Morning tea - Day one
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Special delivery: medication administration in the ICU
Leslie Wereszczak
But I offered food!
Kim Healy
Avian orthopaedics - from triage to discharge
Iffy Glendinning
Workshop One: Face your (anaesthesia) fears: a case studies workshop
Navin Prakash and Trish Farry
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM Nursing management of the urinary obstructed cat
Harold Davis
Veterinary nurse-trition: the power of nurse nutrition explored through real life cases
Kim Healy
Medical nursing of bloat in rabbits
Amanda Clews
Workshop One: Face your (anaesthesia) fears: a case studies workshop (continued)
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM Lunch - Day one
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM Emergency anaesthesia
Marcia Fletcher
What's in those fangs? Breaking down snake venom
Asha Yeoman
Common toxins for exotic pets - reptiles and birds
Emmajane Newton-Dinning
Workshop Two: Practice makes progress - techniques for reducing stress for dogs visiting vets
Dr Petra Edwards
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM Top ten challenges in the ICU
Leslie Wereszczak
Approach to the collapsed patient
Asha Yeoman
Navigating career pathways in veterinary nursing
Janet Murray
Workshop Two: Practice makes progress - techniques for reducing stress for dogs visiting vets (continued)
3:30 PM - 4:00 PM Afternoon tea - Day one
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM Keys to developing workplace standards that build growth and excellence in your team
Sue Crampton
Volunteering for the VNCA – Be a Part of Your Organisation VTyeS: the ins and outs of Veterinary Technician Specialties
Brittney Prakash
Sponsored Commercial Session - Let's Get Raw'!: The Awkward Conversation About Money
Presented by VetPay
5:00 PM - 5:30 PM VNCA Annual General Meeting
5:30 PM - 6:30 PM Happy Hour with the Exhibitors

Stream Three - Room E3
Workshops/Commercial Sessions - Room E1
6:30 AM - 7:30 AM Sponsored Breakfast Session - The BOAS Breakfast
Presented by VetPrac
7:30 AM - 8:00 AM Exhibition Open - Arrival tea & coffee - Day one
7:30 AM - 5:00 PM Poster presentations
Poster presentations will be on display for the duration of the Conference in the exhibition area.
8:00 AM - 8:45 AM Conference Opening Ceremony and Welcome to Country
8:45 AM - 9:45 AM How to make the veterinary profession a sustainable career
Amy Newfield
9:45 AM - 10:30 AM Morning tea - Day one
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Avian orthopaedics - from triage to discharge
Iffy Glendinning
Workshop One: Face your (anaesthesia) fears: a case studies workshop
Navin Prakash and Trish Farry
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM Medical nursing of bloat in rabbits
Amanda Clews
Workshop One: Face your (anaesthesia) fears: a case studies workshop (continued)
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM Lunch - Day one
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM Common toxins for exotic pets - reptiles and birds
Emmajane Newton-Dinning
Workshop Two: Practice makes progress - techniques for reducing stress for dogs visiting vets
Dr Petra Edwards
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM Navigating career pathways in veterinary nursing
Janet Murray
Workshop Two: Practice makes progress - techniques for reducing stress for dogs visiting vets (continued)
3:30 PM - 4:00 PM Afternoon tea - Day one
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM VTyeS: the ins and outs of Veterinary Technician Specialties
Brittney Prakash
Sponsored Commercial Session - Let's Get Raw'!: The Awkward Conversation About Money
Presented by VetPay
5:00 PM - 5:30 PM VNCA Annual General Meeting
5:30 PM - 6:30 PM Happy Hour with the Exhibitors






Thursday, April 18, 2024

Stream One - Hall C
Stream Two - Room E2
Stream Three - Room E3
Workshops/Case Study - Room E1
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM Sponsored Breakfast Session - Time Made Magical
Presented by Hill's Pet Nutrition
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM Workshop Three: The anaesthesia Olympic challenge
Anita Parkin and Trish Farry
8:30 AM - 9:00 AM Exhibition Open - Arrival tea & coffee - Day two
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM Initial assessment of the emergency patient
Harold Davis
Positioning for surgical radiographs
Brittney Prakash
Nursing the equine colic patient
Gemma Murphy
Workshop Three: The anaesthesia Olympic challenge (continued)
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM Morning tea - Day two
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM When the beat drops: ECGs and arrhythmias
Marcia Fletcher
Feathers, scales and fur in focus: A guide to radiographic techniques for avian and exotic patients
Rebecca de Gier
The equine nurses' role in equine lameness exams
Gemma Murphy
Workshop Four: Theatre preparation - Getting clean and staying clean
Jo Hatcher
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM When I was your age….
Cat Walker
Advanced medical math
Sabrina Lepiane
Ruminant field anaesthesia
Tenneal Prebble
Workshop Four: Theatre preparation - Getting clean and staying clean (continued)
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM Lunch - Day two
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM Understanding the blue patient
Amy Newfield
Monitoring blood pressure under general anaesthesia
Laura Jane Butcher
Camelids – they’re not so scary!
Tenneal Prebble
Case study presentations
These afternoon sessions will feature unique and interesting case management scenarios. Each presentation will run for 15 minutes, and will follow on after each other over the afternoon sessions.
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM Nursing strategies for mechanically ventilated patients
Leslie Wereszczak
Take a deep breath, now exhale: understanding capnography
Tori Brown
Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome: A standardized approach to brachycephalic’s in the veterinary hospital
Kimberley Litster
Case study presentations (continued)
3:30 PM - 4:00 PM Afternoon tea - Day two
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM Taking your team from toxic to terrific
Amy Newfield
Balance of care - a management tool to determine appropriate staff to patient ratio in an emergency and critical care facility
Michelle Rouffignac
You want me to do what in front of an owner?
Hayley Strain
Case study presentations (continued.)
7:00 PM - 11:30 PM Conference Dinner - 'Diamonds and Pearls'

Stream Three - Room E3
Workshops/Case Study - Room E1
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM Sponsored Breakfast Session - Time Made Magical
Presented by Hill's Pet Nutrition
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM Workshop Three: The anaesthesia Olympic challenge
Anita Parkin and Trish Farry
8:30 AM - 9:00 AM Exhibition Open - Arrival tea & coffee - Day two
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM Nursing the equine colic patient
Gemma Murphy
Workshop Three: The anaesthesia Olympic challenge (continued)
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM Morning tea - Day two
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM The equine nurses' role in equine lameness exams
Gemma Murphy
Workshop Four: Theatre preparation - Getting clean and staying clean
Jo Hatcher
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM Ruminant field anaesthesia
Tenneal Prebble
Workshop Four: Theatre preparation - Getting clean and staying clean (continued)
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM Lunch - Day two
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM Camelids – they’re not so scary!
Tenneal Prebble
Case study presentations
These afternoon sessions will feature unique and interesting case management scenarios. Each presentation will run for 15 minutes, and will follow on after each other over the afternoon sessions.
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome: A standardized approach to brachycephalic’s in the veterinary hospital
Kimberley Litster
Case study presentations (continued)
3:30 PM - 4:00 PM Afternoon tea - Day two
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM You want me to do what in front of an owner?
Hayley Strain
Case study presentations (continued.)
7:00 PM - 11:30 PM Conference Dinner - 'Diamonds and Pearls'




Workshops/Case Study - Room E1
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM Sponsored Breakfast Session - Time Made Magical
Presented by Hill's Pet Nutrition
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM Workshop Three: The anaesthesia Olympic challenge
Anita Parkin and Trish Farry
8:30 AM - 9:00 AM Exhibition Open - Arrival tea & coffee - Day two
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Workshop Three: The anaesthesia Olympic challenge (continued)
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM Morning tea - Day two
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Workshop Four: Theatre preparation - Getting clean and staying clean
Jo Hatcher
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Workshop Four: Theatre preparation - Getting clean and staying clean (continued)
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM Lunch - Day two
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM Case study presentations
These afternoon sessions will feature unique and interesting case management scenarios. Each presentation will run for 15 minutes, and will follow on after each other over the afternoon sessions.
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Case study presentations (continued)
3:30 PM - 4:00 PM Afternoon tea - Day two
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Case study presentations (continued.)
7:00 PM - 11:30 PM Conference Dinner - 'Diamonds and Pearls'


Friday, April 19, 2024

Stream One - Hall C
Stream Two - Room E2
Stream Three - Room E3
Workshops - Room E1
6:30 AM - 7:30 AM Sponsored Breakfast Session - Nursing the gastro-intestinal in-patient: Nutrition and beyond
Presented by Royal Canin
7:30 AM - 8:00 AM Exhibition open - Arrival tea & coffee - Day three
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM Monitoring the IV fluid patient
Amy Newfield
Don't be scared - it's just an endoscope!
Jasmine Pengelly
How to juggle all the balls: The true reality of returning to the workforce as a mum!
Sarah Wandel
Workshop Five: Avian and exotic case studies - exceptional encounters in specialised veterinary care
Rebecca de Gier
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM Catheter crisis: hitting the hard to hit
Leslie Wereszczak
I'm sterile... now what? The role of the scrubbed surgical assistant
Rhonda Ponder
Conflict is a dish best served cold
Cat Walker
Workshop Five: Avian and exotic case studies - exceptional encounters in specialised veterinary care (continued)
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM Morning tea - Day three
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Team ready! The principles of RECOVER CPR
Leslie Wereszczak
Effective action to beat climate change – emissions reduction in practice
Terry George
The veterinary industry - can we fix it? Yes we can
Erica Honey
Workshop Six: Hands free X-ray - radiography positioning workshop
Brittney Prakash
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM Blood transfusion 101
Amy Newfield
Relief at last: pain management for the small animal veterinary patient
Tori Brown
Creating a culture of respect
Janine Irwin
Workshop Six: Hands free X-ray - radiography positioning workshop (continued)
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM Lunch - Day three
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM Shining a new light on an old disease - periodontal disease takes the stage
Maggie Burley
Anaesthesia mortality in exotic species – are they dying, or are we killing them?
Rebecca de Gier
Meeting the changing needs of veterinary clients
Janet Murray
Sponsored Commercial Session - KONG inside and outside the clinic
Presented by KONG
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM 'The Cat Walker Hour'
Cat Walker
3:30 PM - 4:00 PM Conference close and awards





Workshops - Room E1
6:30 AM - 7:30 AM Sponsored Breakfast Session - Nursing the gastro-intestinal in-patient: Nutrition and beyond
Presented by Royal Canin
7:30 AM - 8:00 AM Exhibition open - Arrival tea & coffee - Day three
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM Workshop Five: Avian and exotic case studies - exceptional encounters in specialised veterinary care
Rebecca de Gier
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Workshop Five: Avian and exotic case studies - exceptional encounters in specialised veterinary care (continued)
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM Morning tea - Day three
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Workshop Six: Hands free X-ray - radiography positioning workshop
Brittney Prakash
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Workshop Six: Hands free X-ray - radiography positioning workshop (continued)
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM Lunch - Day three
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM Sponsored Commercial Session - KONG inside and outside the clinic
Presented by KONG
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM 'The Cat Walker Hour'
Cat Walker
3:30 PM - 4:00 PM Conference close and awards


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