Exploring how end-of-life management is taught to Australasian veterinary students. Part 1: technical euthanasia.

This research article investigates how Australasian veterinary schools teach end-of-life management, specifically the technical aspects of euthanasia, to their students.

Study Overview

• The study in question is a descriptive research project aimed at understanding how veterinary students in Australia and New Zealand are taught about end-of-life management, with a specific focus on euthanasia. Euthanasia, in this context refers to the act of putting an animal to death painlessly, often to alleviate suffering from an incurable condition.
• The research involved all existing eight veterinary schools across Australasia, making it an extensive study within its context.

Methodology

• The research utilized a questionnaire-style interview guide. Representatives from each university conducted structured interviews, and they used the snowball sampling approach, where participants were used to recruit additional participants.
• The technical part of the questionnaire specifically dealt with the practical aspects of euthanizing animals, particularly focused on four categories of animals namely livestock, equine, companion and avian/wildlife.

Major Findings

• The study discovered that euthanasia techniques are often taught during the clinical years of the veterinary curriculum and rarely in the preclinical years. Contrarily, the preclinical years dominated the theoretical aspects of end-of-life care.
• The clinical teaching approach largely depends on available opportunities – usually euthanasia consultations. In these consultations, students can observe and learn the practical aspects of euthanasia.
• Notably, only a limited number of universities gave students practical opportunities to perform euthanasia during a consultation. Those that did only afforded such opportunities solely within livestock contexts.

Implication of Findings

• The proficiency in euthanasia techniques is a crucial aspect in clinical veterinary practice. This study thus proves to be beneficial in informing potential curriculum reviews within veterinary training, in order to improve the quality of learning and professional proficiency of the students upon graduation.