Rayner Emma L, Kumar Anahita, Airikkala-Otter Ilona, Sequeira Stacy, Mellanby Richard, Gibson Andrew D, Gamble Luke, Mazeri Stella
Worldwide Veterinary Service, 4 Castle Street, Cranborne, Dorset, UK.
Worldwide Veterinary Service, Hicks International Training Centre Madungo Vaddo, near Assagao Panchayat, Assagao, Bardez, Goa, India.
Anim Welf. 2025 May 30;34:e32. doi: 10.1017/awf.2025.30. eCollection 2025.
Effective, continuing professional development opportunities provide veterinarians with the necessary skills to uphold animal welfare standards. In India, surgical neutering is integral in successfully managing the large, free-roaming dog population; the delivery of skills-based, training opportunities which result in long-term behavioural changes remains challenging. Indian veterinarians attending a 12-day, practically focused, training programme on canine surgical neutering, completed a questionnaire prior to the commencement of training and 10-12 months afterwards. Questions explored the programme's impact on their attitudes, working practices, and retained knowledge. A total of 207 participants completed both questionnaires. Ten to 12 months after attendance, most participants reported increased confidence undertaking common surgical and clinical tasks; they felt both motivated and able to use their newly acquired knowledge and skills in their workplace, with some peer-to-peer skills transfer opportunities. Many reported high levels of employer engagement resulting in improvements in the workplace, including equipment investment. Evidence for sustained improvements in working practices were noted in four key areas: surgical practices, use of perioperative analgesia, use of perioperative antibiotics, and post-operative wound management. Average knowledge scores in four areas (surgical skills, peri-operative analgesia, post-operative antibiotics and post-operative care) increased significantly 10-12 months after the training programme as compared to before, after accounting for other participants' characteristics. These findings provide evidence for sustained improvements in workplace practices and patient care after attending a skills-based training opportunity, with a concomitant positive impact on standards of animal welfare. Furthermore, it may inform the development and implementation of future, educational, outcomes-focused training initiatives.
有效的持续专业发展机会为兽医提供了维护动物福利标准所需的技能。在印度，手术绝育对于成功管理大量自由放养的犬类至关重要；提供基于技能的培训机会以实现长期行为改变仍然具有挑战性。参加为期12天、以实践为重点的犬类手术绝育培训项目的印度兽医，在培训开始前和之后10 - 12个月完成了一份调查问卷。问题探讨了该项目对他们的态度、工作实践和所学知识的影响。共有207名参与者完成了两份问卷。参加培训10至12个月后，大多数参与者报告称在进行常见手术和临床任务时信心增强；他们感到有动力且有能力在工作场所运用新获得的知识和技能，还有一些同行之间的技能传授机会。许多人报告称雇主参与度很高，带来了工作场所的改善，包括设备投资。在四个关键领域注意到了工作实践持续改善的证据：手术操作、围手术期镇痛的使用、围手术期抗生素的使用以及术后伤口管理。在考虑其他参与者特征后，与培训前相比，培训项目结束10 - 12个月后，四个领域（手术技能、围手术期镇痛、术后抗生素和术后护理）的平均知识得分显著提高。这些发现为参加基于技能的培训机会后工作场所实践和患者护理的持续改善提供了证据，同时对动物福利标准产生了积极影响。此外，它可能为未来以教育成果为重点的培训举措的制定和实施提供参考。
