Veterinary Nursing

VETERINARY NURSING

At Burnham House we have a fantastic nursing team. Nurses' uniforms differ depending on their level of qualification: here are the three you can spot:

Registered Veterinary Nurse

RVNs wear a green uniform. See if you can spot the red badge worn on the right lapel - it is the badge awarded to newly-qualified veterinary nurses and depicts St Francis - the patron saint of animals. Members of the British Veterinary Nursing Association also have a green badge, worn on the other side. RVNs usually have a stethoscope, several pens, bandage scissors and a fob watch attached to them!

Our RVNs are:

Leasa Neame RVN CertNES (Head Nurse)
Kim Pressnell RVN (Student Nursing Assessor/Clinical Coach)
Fay Millar RVN

Fay Millar RVN

Student Veterinary Nurse

SVNs wear a green-and-white striped uniform while they are training. Our student nurses spend four days per week in the practice learning practical skills and one at college learning nursing theory. See below for more details about training as a Veterinary Nurse.

Our SVNs are:

Martina Hood BSc(Hons) (1st year, Hadlow Agricultural College)
Daisy Hockley (1st year, Canterbury College)
Laura Wilson (1st year, Canterbury College)

As a registered VN Training Practice, we also have students from other veterinary practices visit us to learn the advanced nursing skills carried out by our fantastic nurses.

Animal Nursing Assistant

ANAs wear a blue-and-white striped uniform. They provide support to the qualified nursing staff and vets, care for inpatients and help provide a supportive environment for every animal's recovery. Click here for more information about becoming an Animal Nursing Assistant.

Our ANAs are:

Hannah Carey

FAQ on Veterinary Nursing and nurse training

Q: How do I become a Veterinary Nurse?

A: There are two routes to becoming a Registered Veterinary Nurse (RVN) in the UK. The degree route is a three-year BSc degree incorporating the RCVS' training standards from the vocational route, leading to RVN status.

The second route is a college course, either on a day-release or block release basis. The first year is two days per week at college (or one day per week over two years), and students must also gain a set minimum number of weeks' work experience in practice with pets, horses and farm animals. (Right: Kim does a teaching session with Fay on Theatre Practice - learning how to "gown and glove" for sterile surgery)

The second year is the clinical year, during which students must be employed by a veterinary surgery or hospital with Training Practice (TP) status. The whole course consists of units including: Veterinary Anatomy, Preventative Health, Nursing Care, Diagnostics, Pharmacology, Theatre Practice, Surgical Nursing and Anaesthesia. Units are assessed by a combination of written (first and second year) and practical (second year) exams, and successful completion of these plus a Clinical Case Log allows a student to Register with the RCVS as a fully qualified Veterinary Nurse.

There is no longer a separate course for those wishing to become Equine Veterinary Nurses (EVNs), working exclusively with horses - all nurses must qualify via the new route as a general VN, taking a small equine option in the clinical year if they wish.

Q: I'm 15 and want to train as a Veterinary Nurse when I am older. What can I do to maximise my chances?

A: You cannot start training as a Veterinary Nurse until you are at least 16 years old. If you want to go down the NVQ route, to enter the second year of training you will need to be employed by a veterinary practice that has Training Practice (TP) status. As a TP, we receive applications every week from prospective trainees and competition is fierce. We will not take on anyone we do not "know", so Work Experience in practice is vital. You can also gain experience in other animal establishments such as kennels, catteries, wildlife parks, farms and stables. You can apply for a Work Experience placement at Burnham House using the link on the left.

Q: Where can I find out more?

Sources of further information:

Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons "A Career as a Veterinary Nurse"
British Veterinary Nursing Association
Canterbury College NVQ3 (second year)
Canterbury College NVQ2 (first year)

Updated 28/09/10

Burnham House Veterinary Surgery

24 hour care for your entire pet family