Confidence in rabbit anaesthesia
The median confidence level for dog and cat anaesthesia was 9 , with ranges of 2 – 10 and 3 – 10 , respectively . Confidence in rabbit anaesthesia was lower , with a median of 6 and broader range of 1 – 10 . There were significant positive correlations between confidence in dog anaesthesia and rabbit anaesthesia ( SCC = 0.582 ; p < 0.001 ), and between confidence in cat anaesthesia and rabbit anaesthesia ( SCC = 0.602 ; p < 0.001 ). The median number of rabbits anaesthetised in practice per month was three , with a range of 0 – 60 . There was a significant positive correlation between the number of rabbits anaesthetised per month and the respondents ' confidence in rabbit anaesthesia ( SCC = 0.259 ; p < 0.001 ).
Additionally , there was a significant positive correlation between the number of years the RVNs had been qualified and their confidence in rabbit anaesthesia ( SCC = 0.277 ; p < 0.001 ). Of the RVNs who responded , 82 % ( 233 ) worked solely in primary care practice , with 6.3 % ( 18 ) in referral only , 6.7 % ( 19 ) at both , and the remaining 4.9 % ( 14 ) at other types of practice , including charities . The median rabbit anaesthesia confidence score was lowest ( 5 ) in the group that worked only at referral practices , with a range of 3 – 10 , but this association was not significant ( p = 0.392 ).
Of the 284 respondents , 134 ( 47.2 %) had trained to be RVNs through university higher education ( HE ) courses and 140 ( 49.3 %) by vocational training ( VT ), including Level 3 diplomas or National Vocational Qualifications . Six respondents ( 2.1 %) trained before 1998 when the RCVS began to offer nationally recognised qualifications , and the remaining four respondents ( 1.4 %) trained outside the UK . The group that qualified before 1998 had the highest median confidence in rabbit anaesthesia ( 9.5 , range 4 – 10 ) ( Figure 1 ). As the ‘ pre-1998 ’ and ‘ outside UK ’ groups contained so few respondents , they were excluded when testing this hypothesis . There was , however , a significant difference in confidence between the HE and VT groups ( p = 0.005 ).
Of the RVNs who responded , 81.3 % ( 231 ) had not undertaken any additional continuing professional development ( CPD ) or qualifications relating to exotic animals or anaesthesia . Only 7.4 % ( 21 ) had undertaken relevant CPD , and 11.3 % ( 32 ) had achieved a relevant qualification . The median confidence level in rabbit anaesthesia was 6 ( range 1 – 10 ) for those without further qualifications , 8 ( 3 – 10 ) for those who had completed CPD , and 8 ( 1 – 10 ) for those with additional qualifications or certificates . This association was significant ( p < 0.001 ), but there was no significant difference between the ‘ CPD ’ and ‘ certificates or qualifications ’ groups ( p = 0.690 ).
Figure 1 . Boxplot showing the confidence levels in rabbit anaesthesia according to training route , for 284 RVNs practising in the UK in 2019 .
38 Veterinary Nursing Journal