Career opportunities: A career as a veterinary nurse
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. They 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 you will need takes time, hard work and commitment - but if you are willing to put in the effort, you will be rewarded with a career, which offers variety, interest and daily contact with animals and their owners.
Feldon is proud to employ a team of highly qualified veterinary nurses. As a training practice it provides an excellent teaching environment for student nurses.
Skills required
- Be able and enjoy working with people and animals
- Be able to work as a team member
- Be able to work under pressure
- Be aware that at times the job is not very glamorous
- You will train to carry out many practical nursing skills, prepare and assist for operations/procedures, etc.
The BVNA website offers details about the criteria required to enroll as a student veterinary nurse, and training to be a veterinary nurse.
There is usually high competition for places in veterinary practice for non-experienced members of staff to get their foot in the door. Evidence of work experience may be necessary in order to show you have some experience of veterinary practice life. If this is not possible try to get voluntary work in other animal environments, e.g. kennels and catteries.
Feldon Veterinary Centre actively encourages its entire qualified Nursing staff to undertake CPD (continued professional development) and to date have qualified student nurse assessors and RCVS examiner, specialists and certificate holders in nutrition, behaviour and healthcare advisors with nurses currently working towards diploma and exotic animal certificate holder status.
Further information can be found at http://www.dfes.gov.uk/keyskills/ and the RCVS website.
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A career as a veterinary nurse