Veterinary Nursing

The Course

There are increasing employment opportunities within veterinary nursing, veterinary practice management and the development of vet practices and the animal health industry. Generally degrees include the RCVS professional nursing qualification, so you will not only have the skills and rights of a registered veterinary nurse but also those skills provided by an FdSc or an honours degree in science. Core modules include Veterinary Nursing, Anatomy and Physiology, Companion and Large Animal Management, Principles of Animal Health, Animal Medicines, and Animal Disease Sciences. Honours degree modules also include Veterinary Practice Management, optional equine modules and Advanced Veterinary Nursing.

The Placement

We have an expanding range of exotic and companion animals on campus and all main groups of farm animals are well represented. To obtain the nursing qualification, 70-weeks equivalent is spent working with registered veterinary practices, both as short block release and during the sandwich year. This hands-on experience complements the applied health, nursing, business and welfare sciences studied here. For the honours degree, after a placement year in veterinary practice nursing, a range of optional modules will broaden your knowledge and boost your management skills. Experience in veterinary practice will continue throughout the course. This degree can be used to ‘top-up’ from a suitable foundation degree or Further Education training programme in veterinary nursing.

The Future

Veterinary nursing is a career with lots of job satisfaction. Current legislation consolidates the opportunity for qualified nurses to work with horses, farm animals and wildlife in addition to companion animals. Accounting and management skills add value and boost career development for degree students. The pharmaceuticals industry employs trained veterinary nurses. The degree also opens the door to wider opportunities concerning the health and welfare of animals.