VETERINARY NURSES

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                               VETERINARY NURSES IN UK (LI)

What is Veterinary Nursing?

Veterinary Nurses (VNs) work alongside Veterinary

Surgeons in order to provide a high standard of care for animals. Veterinary Nurses normally work within a veterinary surgery or veterinary hospital and are involved in a wide range of care and treatment.

Veterinary Nurses provide skilled supportive care for sick animals as well as undertaking minor surgery, monitoring during anaesthesia, medical treatments and diagnostic tests under veterinary supervision.

Veterinary Nurses also play an important role in the education of owners on good standards of animal care.

As with any worthwhile job, the training required takes time, hard work and commitment - but those willing to put in the effort will be rewarded with a career offering variety, interest and daily contact with animals and their owners. 

Many qualified VN's continue to work in veterinary practice, taking on greater responsibilities, such as practice management, supervision of staff, hospital wards, and teaching/training other nurses or supporting staff.

Positions outside veterinary practice includes work in research establishments, laboratories, universities, colleges, zoological/wildlife parks, charities, pharmaceutical companies and breeding/boarding kennels.

Entry Requirements

You must have a minimum of 5 GCSEs at grade C or above which MUST include Mathematics, English Language and a Science subject or hold an ‘Animal Nursing Assistant’ (ANA) or ‘Veterinary Care Assistant’(VCA) qualification (with Functional Skills Level 2 in Application of Number & Communication).  Alternative qualifications of a comparable or higher standard may be accepted, these would be checked on initial enrolment.

Entry requirements for Degree Courses will vary according to the University.  Please contact them direct for more information.

Training to become a Veterinary Nurse

RCVS Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing - This qualification comprises a core and two option pathways, one in small animal nursing and one in equine nursing.  You must complete the core units and an optional pathway in order to gain the Diploma.

Students will attend college, and/or be undertaking college-directed studies, for a minimum of 22 weeks over the period of training, which will normally be two years.  Some colleges will offer part-time courses that will run for three years.  Courses are run in a number of ways, for example blocks of study, regular weekly study days or a mix of blocks and weekly days.

If you are already employed (or have the offer of a job) in a veterinary practice you will train as an apprentice, which means you carry on with your normal job as a student VN and attend college alongside.  If you join a course as a full-time student you will undertake clinical placements (arranged by your college) in veterinary practices.  These placements may be unpaid.  Whether you are an apprentice or a full-time student you must complete at least 60 full-time weeks (or the part-time equivalent) of work experience in a training practice.

Your work based clinical skills will be recorded using an electronic Nursing Progress Log (NPL).  Your NPL will provide a record of all the clinical skills you have learned, practised and reached competence in.

You will also undertake a number of different examinations and assessments by the RCVS and your college which will include RCVS written and practical examinations, college examinations and assignments and work based assessments.

Alternatively, you can undertake a Veterinary Nursing Foundation or BSc Honours Degree.  Training takes between three and four years depending on the type of course you choose.

Examination for the VN Degree varies depending on the course provider, but will include written and practical exams and a collection of work-based evidence

 Looking for a Position

Veterinary Nursing is a popular career choice to people of all ages.  There is no age limit on when you can become a veterinary nurse and there are many excellent RVNs who didn't enter the profession until later in life.

It can be difficult securing a position in a Training Practice (TP).  People may find the lack of student places available and the fierce competition for them frustrating at times.

Many veterinary practices choose existing staff members for student placements and so you may have to accept a ward assistant or receptionist role to enable you to get a little experience before you are successful in finding a student position.

Volunteering and work experience may be available and this will allow you to demonstrate your commitment to a prospective employer and enhance your CV.  Similarly a related academic qualification such as the ANA or VCA will give you an advantage when applying for a student position.

If you are interested in becoming a veterinary nurse why not join the BVNA as an Associate Member?  You can take advantage of the membership benefits, including the monthly VNJ, which carries a wealth of information about veterinary nursing.  It also has a classified section which is free of charge to members and may be used to find a vacancy.

The ANA is the most widely recognised qualification for support staff in veterinary practice. ANA's work within veterinary practices or veterinary hospitals playing a vital role in assisting Veterinary Surgeons, Veterinary Nurses and other members of practice staff.

Benefits of studying the ANA include:

• Gaining a recognised qualification in the veterinary profession
• No previous qualifications necessary
• Study can be day release at college or via correspondence
• Course delivered in approved colleges nationwide
• Course split into four sections which may be taken independently
• Recognised qualification for alternative entry onto the RCVS VN Certificate*

The role of an ANA is to assist qualified staff in the general husbandry and care of patients.** ANA's may play an active role in the day-to-day running of the practice, including reception and client communication.

Course Units

• The ANA course consist of four units with two case logs per unit.
  Veterinary Animal Management
• Animal Biological Science
• Basic Veterinary Nursing
• Veterinary Reception and Administration

Units may be completed independently, which gives all staff the opportunity to gain a unit certificate. For instance, reception staff may choose to study the veterinary reception and administration unit.
The syllabus covers a wide range of small animal and exotic species, and will give broad knowledge in the fundamentals of veterinary practice.

Student Requirements

• Must be at least 16 years old
• Must have a work placement within a veterinary practice***

* must hold GCSE Grade C passes in English language and mathematics or Key Skills Level 2 in Application of Number and Communication or equivalent

** student and qualified ANA’s are not permitted to carry out Schedule 3 procedures under the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966

*** practices are NOT required to become a TP or have NVQ assessors to support ANA students

Entry onto ANA

If you want to be an Animal Nursing Assistant you must be:-

• 16 years or older.
• Working in a veterinary practice either full-time or part-time (gainfully employed).
  This can be any veterinary practice and does not need to be a Veterinary Nursing Approved Centre or Training Practice.

No formal qualifications are required.

Training to be an Animal Nursing Assistant

As a Student Animal Nursing Assistant, you must:-

• Have fulfilled the entry requirements outlined above.
• Contact your course provider/college to enrol as a student
• Practical training will usually be supported by a college-based course or studying via distance learning. Please contact ABC Awards and ask for a full list of the course-providers. You will need to enrol directly with any of these course-providers.
• Training usually takes at least one year.
• Students will undertake examinations at the end of the year plus a case-log book, which is completed, based on the workplace.

The Future

Once you have passed the Animal Nursing Assistant (ANA) qualification, you are entitled to carry out duties within the veterinary practice assisting Veterinary Nurses and Veterinary Surgeons, working with animals and helping to care for them (but at no time must you undertake any Schedule 3 duties).

If you would like to enrol to undertake the Animal Nursing Assistant Qualification, please contact your Course Provider or ABC Awards either via email, phone, fax or post and request a copy of the enrolment form.

Careers - Veterinary Receptionist

In addition to the Veterinary Nurse, Practice Manager and Animal Nursing Assistant, a Veterinary Receptionist is part of the essential practice staff team.

A Veterinary Receptionist is often the first person a new or existing client talks to on the telephone or sees when they visit their veterinary practice. Sometimes they need information or reassurance that their pet will receive the best care and attention.

The Veterinary Receptionist is therefore instrumental in creating the first impression in relation to the Veterinary Practice.

In addition to dealing with clients, Veterinary Receptionists can play a greater part of the practice team by dealing with financial aspects ie., invoices, payments etc, client records, and can assist the whole practice team and be a valuable team member.

Sometimes no training is required, and the veterinary practice provides in-house training however if somebody wanted to undergo external training there are several courses that could apply.

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                                                                                                                     DR.VISVANATH.M.V.Sc