Louise O'Dwyer

Louise O'DwyerLouise gained a Diploma in Advanced Veterinary Nursing (Surgical) in 2004, then a Diploma in Advanced Veterinary Nursing (Medical) in 2007. She qualified as a veterinary technician specialist (emergency and critical care) in 2011 and veterinary technician specialist (anaesthesia) in 2014.
Louise has contributed to more than 45 books, journal articles and book chapters, and lectures worldwide on all aspects of anaesthesia, emergency and critical care, surgery, and infection control. She spent 15 years working at Pet Medics in Manchester – firstly as head nurse then as clinical director – and, in 2015, moved to Vets Now to take up the position of clinical support manager.
Louise’s interests include all aspects of emergency care, but particularly trauma patients, as well as anaesthesia, surgical nursing, infection control and wound management. In 2016, she received the Bruce Vivash Jones Veterinary Nurse Award, in recognition of outstanding contributions to the advancement of small animal nursing, and the RCVS Golden Jubilee Award for exceptional contribution to vet nursing.
 

September 2018

Nursing notes: sepsis

In her final column, Louise gives advice on anaesthetising septic patients – from planning to implementing protocols.

23 mins

August 2018

Nursing notes: August

This month, Louise talks about the importance of dealing with the dystocia patient quickly.

9 mins

July 2018

Nursing notes: paediatric patients

This month, Louise discusses the many challenges paediatric patients can pose, but also reveals the deep joy a successful nursing outcome can bring.

13 mins

May 2018

Nursing notes: hot dogs

This month, Louise discusses how to go about differentiating between a diagnosis of hyperthermia versus pyrexia.

13 mins
Nursing notes: poisoning cases

Louise looks at tackling animals suffering from poisoning – and how rule one is to always treat the patient, not the toxin.

10 mins

April 2018

Nursing notes: bleeding disorders

In her latest column, Louise discusses the many considerations required for dealing with patients with bleeding disorders.

6 mins

March 2018

Nursing head trauma patients

Louise O’Dwyer DipAVN(Surgical), DipAVN(Medical), RVN, spotlights the care needed when presented with these cases in practice.

31 mins
Nursing notes: capnography part 2

Completing her capnography series – part one of which appeared in VNT18.02 – Louise looks at how to interpret the capnogram.

20 mins

February 2018

Nursing notes: capnography

For February's VN Times, RVN Louise O'Dwyer begins an article series on practical capnography – a topic highly requested by readers.

13 mins

January 2018

Nursing notes: cardiac arrhythmias

Continuing her series of articles on electrocardiography, RVN Louise O'Dwyer takes a look at how to identify cardiac arrhythmias.

11 mins

December 2017

Nursing notes: electrocardiograms

Starting a series of articles discussing electrocardiography, Louise O'Dwyer begins with the basics – how to understand an ECG.

9 mins

November 2017

Urinary catheters in dogs – placement and maintenance tips

Louise O’Dwyer highlights the measures that need to be taken to prevent infection, both during and after catheterisation.

27 mins
Nursing notes: critical pneumonia patients

RVN Louise O'Dwyer takes a look at the therapy needed for – and the requirements of – critical pneumonia patients.

7 mins

October 2017

Nursing notes: paediatric and neonate anaesthesia

Anaesthesia is challenging enough, and in neonatal and paediatric patients, even more so. RVN Louise O’Dwyer offers some help in this tricky area.

7 mins

September 2017

Nursing notes: hand hygiene

With pathogen-free digits an integral part of a practice’s infection control protocol, RVN Louise O'Dwyer advises on helping readers keep their hands clean.

5 mins

August 2017

Nursing notes: recumbent patients

With recumbent patients regularly appearing in practice, RVN Louise O'Dwyer discusses the best action for VNs tasked with managing such cases.

9 mins

July 2017

Nursing notes: triage

Louise has chosen triage as the subject to put under the spotlight this month, as well as the VN’s role within the process...

5 mins

June 2017

Nursing notes: refeeding syndrome

This month, Louise O’Dwyer takes a look at refeeding syndrome, how to avoid it and what to actually do instead...

6 mins

May 2017

Nursing notes: the rule of 20

RVN Louise O’Dwyer uses May’s Nursing Notes to take a (condensed) look at the Rule of 20.

5 mins

April 2017

Nutrition for trauma patients: a critical recovery ingredient

RVN Louise O’Dwyer discusses the importance of nutrition in emergency situations, exploring calorie requirements, assisted feeding and the wonderful world of feeding tubes.

36 mins

March 2017

Nursing notes: blood pressure monitoring

Louise O’Dwyer discusses the details of blood pressure monitoring in cats and dogs in March's Nursing Notes.

9 mins

February 2017

Nursing notes: pre-anaesthesia planning

Emergency and critical care superstar Louise O'Dwyer looks at the veterinary nurse’s role in pre-anaesthesia planning.

10 mins

January 2017

Nursing notes: pain management

Louise O'Dwyer discusses small animal pain management, arguing a need for more pain scoring in practice.

6 mins

December 2016

Nursing notes: pre-surgery fasting and anaesthesia

Louise O'Dwyer takes a look at the relationship between pre-surgery fasting and anaesthesia in December's Nursing Notes.

8 mins

November 2016

Nursing notes: fluid therapy in anaesthetised patients

In her VN Times editorial board member role, RVN Louise O'Dwyer looks at a guideline change in fluid therapy for anaesthetised patients.

5 mins

April 2015

Understanding capnography

Since 1943, when Karl Luft introduced the first infrared carbon dioxide (CO2) measuring and recording … more

27 mins

February 2014

Preparation and techniques for cardiopulmonary resuscitation

Louise O’Dwyer MBA, BSc (Hons), VTS (ECC), DipAVN (Medical and Surgical), RVN, considers the importance … more

51 mins

September 2010

Advanced wound dressings

Louise O’Dwyer BSc(Hons), DipAVN(Surg), DipAVN(Med), RVN continues her wound management series with a look at … more

16 mins

July 2010

Wound types and healing part three: classification of injuries

Louise O’Dwyer BSC (Hons), DipAVN(Surgical), DipAVN(Medical), RVN, looks at various wound types and how this … more

22 mins

June 2010

Wound types and healing: part two

Louise O’Dwyer BSc(Hons), DipAVN(Surg), DipAVN(Med), RVN, explains the processes underlying the various stages of wound … more

21 mins