collageIf you want to be a veterinary nurse, you can start to prepare at school. Biology, chemistry, and maths are all useful subjects to have.
This article would give you insight about verterinary nurse apprenticeship in Wales, veterinary nurse salary wales, vet nurse apprenticeship wage, and veterinary nurse salary. To learn more, find Collegelearners for up-to-date information.
Veterinary Nurse Apprenticeship in Wales
Veterinary Apprenticeships combine on the job training with academic study enabling you to gain experience, invaluable qualifications and highly sought skills. You’ll build your confidence being around animals through practical work supervised by your employer at a veterinary surgery.
One way to train as a veterinary nurse is to complete a college course. You can study a level-3 diploma in veterinary nursing. This programme takes 2 to 3 years to complete. You must study it at a college that has been approved by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS).
Another option is to complete an apprenticeship. The veterinary nursing apprenticeship lasts for around 3 years. Once you’ve completed it, the RCVS will award you a level-3 licence to practice veterinary nursing.
Some nurses train at university. You can study a foundation degree or a bachelor’s degree in veterinary nursing. The RCVS validates courses at a range of UK universities. Entry onto these courses can be competitive. To gain a place, you usually need A Levels in biology and chemistry.
Veterinary nursing foundation degrees usually take 3 years to complete. Bachelor’s degrees take 3 to 4 years to complete.
No matter what training route you choose, you will need to register with the RCVS. While you’re studying, you must register as a trainee nurse. When you’ve completed your training, you will need to register as a qualified nurse.
Before you start your nursing training, it’s a good idea to gain experience in animal care. Try to get volunteer or paid work at a vet clinic or animal shelter. It will help you decide if this is the right career path for you. Plus, you will need experience to get a place on some veterinary nursing courses.
Training
Training can involve completing a level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing either full-time at college or while working in an approved training practice as part of an apprenticeship. Or, you can train through an approved degree or foundation degree..
If you follow the apprentice-style training route, you must make sure that you are starting work in a TP that is approved by the RCVS. You’ll find a list of approved TPs on the RCVS website.
The other possible entry route is after completing a degree or foundation degree in veterinary nursing that is approved by the RCVS. You can find a list of approved courses on the RCVS website. University students take (usually unpaid) work experience placements in TPs.
Progression
Qualified Veterinary Nurses can go on to specialise in a particular area, such as equine care. In larger practices that employ several Nurses, you might be able to progress to a Head Nurse or Practice Manager . Veterinary Nurses can also move into areas such as teaching or lecturing, and the veterinary supply and pharmaceutical industries.
Work Experience
If you don’t have the usual minimum academic entry requirements for training, you might be able to start work as an Animal Nursing Assistant.
Qualifications
Qualifications:
GCSE (A-C), NVQ 2 up to Degree, NVQ 6
To get onto an apprenticeship, you’ll usually need five GCSEs at grade C/4 or above, possibly including English and maths.
To start training as an employed student in an approved Training Practice (TP), you must have at least 5 GCSEs (A*-C 9-4), including English language, maths and a science subject.
The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) accepts a number of equivalent qualifications. You should contact your local Veterinary Nursing Approved Centre (VNAC) to check whether your qualifications are acceptable. VNACs provide training and assessment through local TPs. You can find a list of VNACs on the RCVS website.
People who hold the level 2 certificate for Animal Nursing Assistants can also enter veterinary nurse apprentice-style training. They will also need GCSEs (A*-C 9-4) in English (or a level 2 Key Skills qualification in communication/level 2 English Functional Skills) and maths (or Key Skills level 2 in application of number/level 2 maths Functional Skills).
Veterinary Nurse Salary in Wales
As at November 8, 2021, the average salary of a veterinary nurse in Wales is £23,071 per year.
As with many careers, vet nurses are paid according to their experience and skill level.
The pay rates given below are approximate in Wales.
- Starting: £17,000 – £19,000
- With experience: £20,000 – £22,000
- Senior Veterinary Nurses earn £23,000
As a Veterinary Nurse you can expect to work around 40 hours a week, which might include weekend work and on-call duties. Part-time and temporary posts are available.
As in the animal care industry more generally, it’s not particularly high-paying work, especially when you’re just starting out. Entry-level veterinary nurse jobs pay around $39,000, or $19/hr.
People in this career are in it for the love — not the money. Still, your earning potential can grow over time if you play your cards right and invest in your career.
Very experienced, highly skilled vet nurses with leadership and management skills are considered extremely valuable, and veterinary practices will pay well to keep the right person on staff. A Diploma and leadership experience will increase your value — and your chances of earning closer to the high end of the scale.
Role of A veterinary Nurse
As a Veterinary Nurse, you will care for animals that are having treatment at the vets. You will help veterinary surgeons (vets) to diagnose and treat illnesses and injuries. You’ll set up the treatment room, for example, sterilizing and setting out the instruments needed. You will also help the surgeon during operations.
Routine work includes developing X-rays, feeding and cleaning animals, giving first aid and dressing wounds.
To be a veterinary nurse, you’ll need:
- good hand skills, to do things such as give injections and safely restrain animals
- emotional strength, as you will help the vet to ‘put down’ animals that are too sick for treatment
- communication skills to work with other staff and the public
What will I be doing?
Veterinary Nurses support the vet’s work in the clinic. Working closely with the vet, you’ll plan and deliver care for the animals. This includes monitoring the animal’s condition, giving medicines and other therapies, feeding, ensuring comfort and hygiene, and keeping careful records.
You will also do technical work such as managing the operating theatre during surgery. For example, before an operation, you’ll set up the operating theatre, sterilise and set out instruments, and prepare the animal, for example, by clipping and cleansing the area that the vet will treat or operate on.
During an operation, you will hand instruments to the vet, check the animal’s reaction to the anaesthetic and monitor its progress. After treatment or surgery, you will tidy up and clear away equipment.
You will also give advice and guidance to owners. You’ll play an important role in educating owners about how best to care for their animals.
Other duties include:
- testing blood and urine samples to help in diagnosis
- looking after drugs and equipment, ordering new stock when needed
- taking and developing X-rays
- helping to ‘put down’ animals that are too sick to be treated, and supporting their owners
You are also able to give some treatments and to perform minor surgical procedures, under the vet’s direction. You can change dressings and give medicines to the animals, for example.
Most veterinary practices employ full-time receptionists. However, you may be expected to cover clerical duties such as answering the telephone, booking appointments, and updating and filing records.
Speaking to people on the phone and welcoming them to the practice gives you the opportunity to reassure anxious animal owners.
Veterinary Nurses usually work with small, domestic pets. However, you may also qualify to work with horses (equine practice). Depending on where the practice is, you could also be working with livestock or zoo animals.
Where could I work?
You will work in veterinary practices. There are also opportunities with animal welfare organisations such as the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA), the Blue Cross and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA).
Other employers include veterinary schools, research establishments, zoos, animal laboratories, pharmaceutical and pet nutrition companies and colleges (veterinary nurse education).
You’re not limited to working in animal hospitals or general practice clinics, either. You can find vet nurses at:
- Specialist clinics
- Wildlife rescues
- Zoos
- Research centres
- Teaching others
- Freelance consulting
Self-employment
There are no self-employment opportunities for this career.
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