Passion and understanding of the role

Veterinary nursing is varied profession. In any given day you may find yourself: taking x-rays, medicating patients, doing consults, maintaining equipment, monitoring anaesthetics, dressing wounds, answering phones, cleaning and the list goes on! You need to make sure you have a realistic expectation of what the job will be like, so that you’re ready to get stuck in and make a real difference.

Good team working skills

Teamwork is essential among veterinary nurses, as often you will be required to work together to complete certain tasks. It’s critical to your practice’s success that everyone gets along and is willing to help each other.

Commitment to professional development

As a veterinary nurse you should be passionate about learning new skills and undertaking regular continuing professional development (CPD). Not only is it a professional requirement, but being committed to lifelong learning will ensure veterinary practices continue to provide the best possible care to patients. What’s more – CPD allows you to pinpoint where you want your career to go in the future. For example, you may wish to pursue a specialist area of nursing, take on a clinical coaching role, or become a head nurse.

Willingness to work flexibly

Not all veterinary practices offer emergency or out-of-hour services, but many do, so you should consider whether you would be open to working out-of-hours and stepping in during emergencies. Veterinary Nurses also often work on weekends, bank holidays and evenings.

Good technical knowledge and communication skills

Veterinary nurses often provide information, advice and guidance to owners on the care of their pets. You could be asked about any form of nursing or procedure, from blood work and IV catheter placement to recovery from anaesthesia. To this end, it’s important to have a good technical knowledge base in order to deal with client questions that go beyond simply “yes” or no”. You should also be able to act confidently in high pressure or emergency situations.

Resilience

Veterinary nursing is a rewarding profession, but it’s not always sunshine and rainbows! Seeing animals suffer from an illness or accident can be difficult to experience, especially for passionate animal lovers. In these situations it’s important to be able to separate your own feelings in order to get on with the job. You need to get the right balance between being compassionate and doing your job without breaking down.

• Find out more about the Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing (Companion Animal Pathway)

• Find out more about the Level 3 Diploma in Equine Veterinary Nursing 

So you’ve achieved your veterinary nursing qualification and joined the RCVS register of veterinary nurses…now what?

It’s well documented that career opportunities for qualified veterinary nurses are excellent. Here, we look at just a few opportunities for career development for veterinary nurses…

1. Top up your veterinary nursing qualification to degree level

Our Veterinary Nursing BSc (Top Up) programme, offers diploma and foundation degree level registered veterinary nurses the opportunity to top up their qualification to degree level. Studying at degree level offers a range of benefits, including exploring professional interests, developing skills in research and academic writing, and paving the way to further postgraduate training at masters or even PhD level. Discover more benefits of topping up your veterinary nursing qualification

2. Land a great role in veterinary practice

Many veterinary nurses choose to remain in first opinion veterinary practice, however there are also options for RVNs with a particular interest to work in specialist practices (e.g. feline, equine, reptile or large animal practices), emergency vet practices, referral practices (e.g. orthopaedic, cardiology, oncology, ophthalmology) or veterinary/university hospitals. You could also become a locum veterinary nurse and gain experience in a range of different veterinary environments. If you’re looking for a place to start, check out the CAW Jobs Board.

3. Undertake further veterinary nurse training in a specialist area

Nurses must continue to study and log professional development hours to maintain their registration throughout their careers. This means there is plenty of opportunity to pursue professional interests and undertake specialist training in a range of topics, particularly the care of exotic pets, feline medicine, anaesthesia and dentistry.

4. Join the education industry

Many RVNs use their qualifications to pass on skills and expertise to the next generation of veterinary nurses in education roles such as lecturing. Teaching positions can vary widely, but veterinary nurses who choose to take up a role in education might be writing and developing course content, presenting lectures, workshops and practical teaching sessions, providing student support and guidance, assessing and moderating students, or undertaking research and representing educational institutions at conferences and exhibitions.

5. Work towards a leadership or management role

If you’re looking for leadership and management opportunities within veterinary practice, you could become a head nurse or even work towards becoming a veterinary practice manager over time. The Veterinary Management Group (VMG) can provide more information about management opportunities and training.

6. Become a Clinical Coach

Beside every great veterinary nurse is a great clinical coach, who supported them through their formal training and helped them develop their practical skills in practice. If you’re passionate about veterinary nursing and keen to help others flourish in the industry, you could consider training as a clinical coach and help to train student nurses in practice. Find out more about Clinical Coach training

7. Pursue a sales role

Another career route you may take once you have qualified as a veterinary nurse is working for one of the many companies and service providers that supply the veterinary industry as a sales representative. Becoming a veterinary sales representative is one of the less-recognised career paths open to veterinary nurses. It offers a fantastic opportunity to travel, meet new people and help veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses and other professionals to deliver better care to their patients.

8. Spend time working abroad

Do you want to the opportunity to travel the world whilst gaining valuable skills as a veterinary nurse? Whether you’re a newly qualified veterinary nurse looking to gain more experience, have been working in industry for years and fancy taking on a new challenge, or just want to do something good with your time off – taking on a voluntary placement abroad could be for you! Volunteering worldwide is a great way to use your veterinary nursing skills to help animals in need.

The Worldwide Veterinary Service is an animal welfare charity that provides opportunities for vets and veterinary nurses to volunteer their skills and experience on placement in countries including India, Thailand, Peru, Malawi, South Africa, Costa Rica – and many more.

9. Train in rehabilitation

As a qualified veterinary nurse, you could grow your career by training to become a veterinary physiotherapist or hydrotherapist. Rehabilitation following veterinary referral can help animals recover following surgery and from a variety of conditions such as pack pain, sprains, strains, fractures and sporting injuries. It has become a growing service within specialist veterinary hospitals, referral centres and first opinion practices. You can visit our career profiles to find out more about how to pursue a career in veterinary rehabilitation.

10. Undertake academic writing and research

If you have studied to become a veterinary nurse at degree level, you may wish to pursue a career in conducting and publishing research. This work is essential to developing veterinary nursing techniques and championing evidence-based practice. You could also take your academic development in a new direction by speaking at industry congresses and events. If you have a creative flair, you could also aim to become a freelance writer. You could even start your own blog!

We’re delighted to announce we now offer the opportunity for Registered Veterinary Nurses to top-up their qualification to a BSc Honours Veterinary Nursing degree, in partnership with Middlesex University. 

Delivered predominantly by distance learning, the course aims to give you the skills, experience and knowledge needed to enhance your veterinary career and continue your personal and professional development.

Key Facts

• Attendance: This programme is delivered predominately by distance learning with minimal classroom attendance required for one module.
• Duration: Full time study – 2 years; Part time study – 3-4 years
• Start Date: September 2020, January 2021
• Location: Hendon, Huntingdon or Leeds

Throughout the programme you’ll develop skills in critical evaluation, academic writing and complex decision making. What’s more, you can tailor your degree to your professional interests with elective modules including:

• Management and Business
• Nursing Exotics and Wildlife
• Companion Animal Behaviour and Training
• Equine Nursing
• Veterinary Education and Professional Development
• Applied Emergency and Critical Care
• International Veterinary Nursing

In addition, completion of the pharmacology module culminates in eligibility for Companion Animal Suitable Qualified Person status (C-SQP).

Applications are open to start the programme in September 2020 or January 2021. 

Find out more about the BSc Honours Veterinary Nursing Top Up Degree (Middlesex University)

Veterinary nursing is a natural choice for those with their minds set on working with animals. If you have a passion for animal welfare, then you are likely already familiar with the profession and the important role that veterinary nurses play in raising animal welfare standards.

Read more about why veterinary nursing could be the career for you:

Gain real job prospects

Job prospects for registered veterinary nurses continue to remain high in veterinary practice and in related industries. What’s more – salary expectations have increased significantly in recent years, the median salary package for qualified veterinary nurses is now £30,500 (SPVS Salaries Survey 2022/3).

Join a rewarding profession

Veterinary nurses make a real difference to the lives of animals every single day. The sense of purpose that comes from nursing an ill, abandoned or stray animal back to health, and the long-lasting friendships fostered whilst working as part of a close-knit team in practice, makes veterinary nursing a rewarding and worthwhile career.

Benefit from varied career options

Upon completion of formal studies, veterinary nurses have numerous professional opportunities. You could remain in first opinion practice; move into referral practice and specialise in a particular area, train as an equine veterinary nurse, or find work in related industries such as management, research, teaching, sales or rehabilitation with further training. Read more about what you can do with a veterinary nursing qualification

Gain the gift of life-long learning

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is a mandatory requirement for Registered Veterinary Nurses (RVNs), with 45 hours being required by the RCVS over a three year period. This gives those working in the profession the gift of life-long learning and education, and leaves plenty of opportunity to pursue professional interests and undertake specialist training in a range of topics, particularly the care of exotic pets, feline medicine, anaesthesia and dentistry.

• Find out more about the Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing (Small Animal)

• Find out more about the Level 3 Diploma in Equine Veterinary Nursing

Apprenticeships have been around for some time and there are more benefits to employers than ever before. Not only do they provide an opportunity for someone to gain a qualification and valuable experience working with horses, they can help equine employers to expand and grow their team in a cost effective and practical way.

Quick facts about equine apprenticeships at The College of Animal Welfare:

• The National Minimum Wage (NMW) for apprentices is currently just £3.90 per hour.*
• Apprentices can now be part-time.
• Existing staff can use apprenticeships to upskill or retrain – they are not just for new employees.
• Apprentices can be any age (as long as they are over 16 years of age).
• Apprentices do not attend college and they can start at any time! Our assessors visit at mutually convenient times and provide email and telephone support between visits.
• We can help you recruit, screen candidates and even arrange interviews – for free!

£1,000 incentive to employers taking on a new apprentice

Take on a new apprentice aged 16-18 years of age and you will receive a £1,000 incentive towards their training fees (in two staged payments). What’s more, if your business has less than 50 contracted employees, the course fees for those aged 16-18 will be fully funded!

What will my apprentice learn?

Our Equine Apprenticeship programmes run within a 90 mile radius of our Huntingdon centre. They will equip apprentices with the practical skills and knowledge needed across key horse care skills. Examples of units include:

• Safe Working Practices
• Yard and Field Routines and Duties
• Horse Anatomy, Physiology and Welfare
• Horse Handling, Care and Appearance
• Saddlery and Equipment
• Travelling Horses
• Non-Ridden Exercise

In addition to the core knowledge, skills and behaviours your apprentice will undertake further learning relevant to their job role and interests. There are five specialised routes you can choose, from each of which have specific knowledge and skills: Breeding, Riding, Driving, Non-Riding and Racing.

Not looking to recruit new staff? Train your current staff!

If you would like to train an existing member of staff, your employee will need to select the equine apprenticeship they are interested in and apply online.

If you would like to speak to a member of our team directly regarding our equine apprenticeship training, please contact us at admin@caw.ac.uk or on 01480 422060.