The awarding body fees for student veterinary nurses on the City & Guilds Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing programme can be found here.
Author Archives: Alison German
Welcome Back Jackie Sansom!
We are delighted to welcome back Jackie Sansom to our Huntingdon centre as visiting lecturer. Jackie will be lecturing for us on Wednesdays and Thursdays on our veterinary nursing programmes as well as being a regular speaker on our equine short courses and an IV for our Horse Care Apprenticeships.
Many of you will remember Jackie from when she was IV for us a short while ago before leaving to develop her Applied Equine Podiatry business, which she runs for four days a week. Jackie loves horses and in her spare time practices Parelli Natural Horsemanship with her two Cleveland Bay horses ‘Hermes’ and ‘Max’.
Being a veterinary nurse she is also good at collecting anything small and fuzzy and currently has 4 house cats and a German Shepherd Dog called Mr Bear.
Welcome back Jackie!
New Two Year Day Release/Blended Learning VN Programme
From this September our three year day release Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing programme will change to a two calendar year day release plus blended learning programme.
There are benefits to students and employers alike; students will be able to qualify as a veterinary nurse in a shorter period of time therefore being able to work as a Registered Veterinary Nurse sooner! For employers the cost of training will significantly decrease as there will only be two years of fees rather than three!
Students on the blended learning programme will learn by a combination of classroom learning (attending college for one day per week for two years) and online learning.
Students currently on the three year day release programme will continue as normal. Students who are enrolled to start the day release programme in September will be contacted shortly with further details; in the meantime any queries should be directed to our administration team on 0844 372 9410.
CAW Chooses City & Guilds
We are pleased to announce that, from this September, we will be using City & Guilds to award our veterinary nurse provision.
This decision comes following the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons’ (RCVS) announcement to close its awarding body (RCVS Awards) last year.
Commenting on the decision, Leslie Heaton-Smith, Director of The College of Animal Welfare (CAW), said ‘Choosing City & Guilds was based on a number of factors and taken after lengthy consideration and extensive discussion with both City & Guilds and Central Qualifications. Our main priority was to cause minimum disruption in transferring our students and Training Practices from the RCVS to a new awarding body, we feel that by going with City & Guilds we will achieve this’. He added ‘That is not to say we weren’t impressed by Central Qualifications’ offer but having worked with City & Guilds for a number of years we felt this would enable a smooth transition for all those involved’.
Students starting with, or transferring to, City & Guilds will see no changes to the college course itself and will continue to complete the Nursing Progress Log (NPL) and associated assignments, MCQs and OSCE examinations. There will be, however, some changes to the examination process; students will now be able to take their online theory examinations at College and discussions are underway to also enable students to take their OSCE examinations at CAW centres. There are significant benefits to the online theory examination entry and results process; students will be able to be sit the theory examinations with just 24 hours notice and will get an indicative result immediately after sitting the exam.
Last week we held a series of update evenings around the UK, the presentation can be viewed here.
Changes to RCVS OSCE Stations – What has changed?
Yesterday we were informed of which OSCE Stations had been amended.
Having reviewed the amended OSCE’s we have noted the following changes. All clinical coaches and student veterinary nurses need to be aware of these changes!!
NC05,NC06, NC08,NC09, NC10
These now require that gloves are worn (step 10). This is for the application of all wound dressings, those tasks with no wound present remain the same and can be completed without gloves.
NCO1
• Clarification of fluid rate added to scenario
• Step 8 – close regulator added
• Step 14 – frequency of drops added
NC16
• The diet to be used now no longer needs to be selected, it will be indicated by the examiner. The wording to the scenario has altered to reflect this.
• Step 1 is now different to reflect that student no longer needs to choose the food.
NC17
• The word ‘foley’ has been removed so that any catheter can be used for the scenario.
• New step added, Step 2 is now “Nails well manicured, clean and unvarnished. False nails are not permitted” (these rules will apply to WHO technique & Theatre Practice tasks)
• Step 10 – now states “remove gloves and dispose of appropriately”.
• Step 11 – indicates should be no contamination of equipment, patient or self.
NC19
• Scenario has had “to be taken twice daily” added and that workings and final answer should be on the sheet provided.
NC21
• Now also applies to Equine Transitional and scenario has added that “drip to be left running at a rate of drops every x seconds (x drops per minute)”.
• Old Step 8 has been removed so no longer have to shake the bottle.
• Step 24 now reads “set fluid administration rate” rather than drip rate.
NC22
• Scenario notes re the giving set and calculation have been removed
• There is now no need to calculate the rate. Flow rate is indicated on the patient record.
• Variable changes to the statements of heparinised saline as normal saline can also be used (step 12 et al)
• Step 22 is now set administration rate as detailed on the patient record instead of calculated
TP01 & TP02
• Step 2 as NC17 – “nails well manicured etc…”
LD01
• Scenario is now a) “Make and prepare the slide for examination”
LD06
• Step 2 as NC17 re “nails well manicured etc…”
• Variety of changes to wording of the instructions for the WHO technique. (refer to VN Standard April 2009 if clarification needed). A copy of the technique can be viewed here.
LD07
• Step 10 now includes patient ID
• Step 19 “remove air from bag ” has now been added.
CAW Huntingdon Now a Practical Exam Centre
We are delighted to announce that our Huntingdon centre was inspected by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) last week and has been approved to become a practical (OSCE) exam centre. Students will be able to apply to take their OSCE exams at Huntingdon from this September!
We are thrilled that students from the East of England now have a local exam centre to attend, cutting down on travel costs and reducing some of the anxiety associated with travelling further distances.
Remember any CAW student wishing to sit the practical exams this September must have their examination form submitted to us by Monday 6 August 2012.
Changes to RCVS OSCE Stations
All student veterinary nurses and clinical coaches should be aware that the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) have made amendments to some of the OSCE Stations. Most of the amendments are minor but please ensure you or your students are working to the revised versions below.
TP02 – Instrument identification
NC17 – Urinary catheter care_Y
NC08 – Fracture support (wound)
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Cats in the Community Survey – Can you Help?
Researchers from the University of Lincoln have launched a unique study to gauge what the UK public really think about meandering moggies.
There are more than ten million cats in the UK and many are free to roam around their local communities, winding their way through streets, gardens, parks and commercial areas on their travels.
The survey, the first of its kind in the UK, will help to quantify and qualify risks that cats face when out and about. The researchers welcome responses from people who do not own cats as well as people who do.
Kevin Mahon, Feline Friends Cat Welfare Scholar at the University of Lincoln, who is working with Professor Mills on the study, said: “By nature cats are inquisitive, predatory and territorial animals, so it’s no surprise that they satisfy those instincts by wandering around our neighbourhoods. This behaviour can also expose them to risks though, and in this study, we’re hoping to gain a better understanding of just what those risks are. The findings will be extremely important to our ongoing research into companion animal welfare and we’d greatly appreciate the help of members of the public in completing our survey.”
There are two versions of the survey available online; one for cat owners: www.surveymonkey.com/s/UOLCatOwners and one for non cat owners: www.surveymonkey.com/s/UOLNonCatOwners
For further information contact Kevin Mahon, Feline Friends Cat Welfare Scholar at the University of Lincoln’s School of Life Sciences, on: kmahon@lincoln.ac.uk
CAW Chooses City & Guilds To Award VN Qualification
The UK’s largest provider of veterinary nurse training, The College of Animal Welfare (CAW), has chosen City & Guilds to award its veterinary nurse provision.
CAW has been carefully evaluating the choice of awarding body following the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons’ (RCVS) announcement to close its awarding body (RCVS Awards) last year.
Commenting on the decision, Leslie Heaton-Smith, Director of CAW, said ‘Choosing City & Guilds was based on a number of factors and taken after lengthy consideration and extensive discussion with both City & Guilds and Central Qualifications. Our main priority was to cause minimum disruption in transferring our students and Training Practices from the RCVS to a new awarding body, we feel that by going with City & Guilds we will achieve this’. He added ‘That is not to say we weren’t impressed by Central Qualifications’ offer but having worked with City & Guilds for a number of years we felt this would enable a smooth transition for all those involved’.
CAW has already built up an excellent relationship with City & Guilds, having worked with them for many years, most notably with the development of the very successful Veterinary Care Assistants qualification and is already working with its administration and examination systems on a daily basis.
Under City & Guilds, students will take their online theory examinations at College and discussions are underway to also enable students to take their OSCE examinations at College.
Come along to one of our employer evenings (23-26 July) to hear more.
CAW Chooses City & Guilds To Award VN Qualification
The UK’s largest provider of veterinary nurse training, The College of Animal Welfare (CAW), has chosen City & Guilds to award its veterinary nurse provision.
CAW has been carefully evaluating the choice of awarding body following the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons’ (RCVS) announcement to close its awarding body (RCVS Awards) last year.
Commenting on the decision, Leslie Heaton-Smith, Director of CAW, said ‘Choosing City & Guilds was based on a number of factors and taken after lengthy consideration and extensive discussion with both City & Guilds and Central Qualifications. Our main priority was to cause minimum disruption in transferring our students and Training Practices from the RCVS to a new awarding body, we feel that by going with City & Guilds we will achieve this’. He added ‘That is not to say we weren’t impressed by Central Qualifications’ offer but having worked with City & Guilds for a number of years we felt this would enable a smooth transition for all those involved’.
CAW has already built up an excellent relationship with City & Guilds, having worked with them for many years, most notably with the development of the very successful Veterinary Care Assistants qualification and is already working with its administration and examination systems on a daily basis.
Under City & Guilds, students will take their online theory examinations at College and discussions are underway to also enable students to take their OSCE examinations at College.
For further queries please contact CAW on 0844 372 9410 or visit www.caw.ac.uk.
– Ends –
For more information please contact:
Alison German VN
Marketing Executive
The College of Animal Welfare
Tel: 0844 372 9410
Email: agerman@caw.ac.uk
Notes to editors:
The College of Animal Welfare is the UK’s largest provider of veterinary nurse training and education; operating from four centres around the UK.
The College has a well earned reputation for excellence and has created a number of unique achievements that have created new opportunities for learning.
For more information about The College of Animal Welfare please visit www.caw.ac.uk