Veterinary Nursing Awareness Month (VNAM) was originally launched back in 2005 by the British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA). Its aim was simple: to raise awareness about the importance of the work veterinary nurses do within practice and the wider industry.
Because of this, we’ll be celebrating our wonderful veterinary nurses throughout May and would love you to join us!
What do our veterinary nurses do?
Our veterinary nurses are integral to the team here at St Kitts Veterinary Group. They have the technical knowledge and expertise to ensure the smooth running of our four practices, caring for our customers’ pets with skill and empathy. They also:
- Prepare, monitor and recover animals during and after surgical procedures
- Care for inpatients and administer medication
- Perform nurse consultations
- Dispense medication
- Perform in-house lab work
- Carry out x-ray positioning and exposure
- Maintain practice hygiene standards
- Provide preventative healthcare advise to pet owners
- Provide support owners during bereavement
- Keep up with compliance and health and safety standards
- Provide lots of love and cuddles for animals!
How can you become a veterinary nurse?
There are two main pathways you can take to train as a veterinary nurse – vocational training or higher education. Regardless of which route you choose, you’ll need to make sure your course is accredited by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS).
Vocational training
A vocational qualification is the fastest way to become a Registered Veterinary Nurse (RVN). You can complete a Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing, which can take as little as 2 years to complete full-time.
This route means you’ll spend time both in the classroom and working in practice, so you’ll get plenty of hands-on experience.
Higher education
A Degree in Veterinary Nursing often takes between 3-4 years to complete. This path is more academically focused, but you will still need to complete a minimum amount of practical work experience on placements with approved practices.
This route is great if you want to experience life at university and gain a degree, potentially opening up different career paths or further study down the line.
Keep an eye on our Facebook and Instagram pages throughout May, as we’ll be sharing more insight into our veterinary nurses and what they do at our practices!
