Research Focus: The benefits and challenges of contributing to clinical research

In this Knowledge Natter, Lou Northway speaks to Lizzie McLennan-Green from CVS about their award winning project using clinical audit to look into blood pressure monitoring in cats. By creating a wide range of guidance documents and providing team training, the Clinical Leadership Team increased blood pressure monitoring, and enabled earlier identification and treatment of hypertension in cats aged 7 years or older. This nationwide initiative was awarded Champion in the 2024 Quality Improvement Awards, recognising the contribution of all team members involved in the project. Read the case example here. Read the transcript here. The views and opinions expressed in our podcasts are the speakers’ own and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of RCVS Knowledge.  

In this Knowledge Award audio summary, Lizzie Booth from Quarry Veterinary Group, explains how her team reviewed aspects of the BSAVA Protect ME Poster to facilitate discussions on their antimicrobial stewardship activities and rational use of antibiotics in ear and skin conditions. This led to several initiatives including all team training and new guidelines, resulting in an impressive 89% reduction in long-acting antibiotic use. Read the full case example. Read the transcript.

In this Knowledge Award audio overview, Megan Orr from Roundhouse Hospital, explains how her practice approached the introduction of a surgical safety checklist. This nurse-led initiative and audit to assess its use resulted in a 94% compliance with completing the checklists, benefitting patient safety and team communication. Megan was awarded Highly Commended in the 2024 RCVS Knowledge Awards. Read the full case example. Read the transcript.

In this Knowledge Natter podcast, Lou Northway speaks to 2024 Quality Improvement champion, Paul Stanley from White Lodge Veterinary Surgery about their award winning initiative looking at post-operative pain scoring and management in their bitch spay patients. Team training and updating pain management protocols enabled them to both improve their pain scores and reduce the number of dogs requiring rescue analgesia to just 10% of patients. Read the case example here. Read the transcript here. Additional resources Pain assessment in the dog: the Glasgow Pain Scale - Royal Canin Acute pain assessment scale for dogs - The Practice Assistance Centre (PAC) Pain assessment in cats - The Feline Grimace Scale inFOCUS Spotlight on Quality of Life assessment tools - Species specific pain assessment tools The views and opinions expressed in our podcasts are the speakers’ own and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of RCVS Knowledge.

Sally Everitt speaks to Martin Whitehead about the "Down the drain" study, looking at how spot-on parasiticides applied to dogs can contaminate the environment, and how he takes a risk-based approach to the prevention and treatment of parasites. Read the transcript Read the paper Additional resources Down-the-drain pathways for fipronil and imidacloprid applied as spot-on parasiticides to dogs: Estimating aquatic pollution - inFOCUS Veterinary medicines and the environment - inFOCUS  Responsible use of antiparasitic medications in veterinary practice - inFOCUS  How cat and dog routine prophylaxis needs to change | BSAVA Library How can we prevent worms and still protect the environment? | BSAVA Library The views and opinions expressed in our podcasts are the speakers’ own and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of RCVS Knowledge.

In this Knowledge Natter podcast, Lou Northway speaks to 2024 Quality Improvement champion, Corinne Ackroyd from Yorkshire Vets about her nurse-led initiative to reduce the use of oxygen and volatile anaesthetic gasses. Through the initiative, the team were able to substantially reduce oxygen and isoflurane use. The carbon footprint reduction is the equivalent of driving from London to Rome, and back. Read the case study here. Read the transcript. Additional resources  Oxygen Conservation – Davies Vet Specialists Conversations with Keith and Courtney: Non-Rebreathing Systems Conversations with Keith and Courtney: Rebreathing Systems Demystifying Circle Breathing Systems: A Practical Overview by Courtney Scales The views and opinions expressed in our podcasts are the speakers’ own and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of RCVS Knowledge.  

Quality Improvement (QI) techniques can be used to review and improve administrative tasks, helping to enhance the effectiveness, efficiency and profitability of practices. This in turn helps to improve clinical outcomes and bring the whole team together with a shared purpose. In this episode, our QI Clinical Lead and Chair of the Quality Improvement Advisory Board (QIAB), Pam Mosedale speaks to Practice Manager Cath Grimsey from Pinkham Equine Veterinary Services about the role of management in Quality Improvement, and how she has approached implementing QI techniques in her setting. Read the transcript.

In this Research Focus podcast, small animal internal medicine specialist Scott Kilpatrick discusses his study on cobalamin supplementation in dogs with RCVS Knowledge Clinical Lead Sally Everitt. They use Scott’s study as a jumping off point to discuss all manner of topics, including the benefits and drawbacks of doing research as a practising vet, how to bring pet owners on board with research, and how doing your own research can give you a deeper understanding of research carried out by others. Read the paper Read our inFOCUS summary of the paper Read the podcast transcript

Dr Kit Sturgess, outgoing Editor-in-Chief of Veterinary Evidence, chatted to two of the winners of our 2023 Veterinary Evidence Student Awards - Rebecca Hearne and Rachel Garrett - about their experiences of writing Knowledge Summaries for Veterinary Evidence and how it felt to be published in a peer-reviewed journal before graduating.  Read the transcript 

Rosemullion Veterinary Practice were named Quality Improvement Champions in the 2023 Knowledge Awards for conducting an audit aimed at improving infection control and cleaning methods in clinical and non-clinical areas. In this Knowledge Natter, Lou Northway speaks to Abi Redfearn from Rosemullion Veterinary Practice about the audit.  Read the transcript