Becoming a vet nurse – training and skills

Photo by NTU - Brackenhurst / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Do you want to become a veterinary nurse, but are unsure about what skills and qualifications you will need to embark on this exciting career?

Training as a veterinary nurse requires skill, patience and a lot of hard work, but the good news is, with a combination of work experience and training at higher education level, you will be able to work in your chosen career.

Active role

As a trained veterinary nurse you will be an active team member in the support and care of all animals. You will be able to provide professional and expert medical care to sick and injured animals.

Working as part of a multidisciplinary team, you will be expected to administer drugs, take blood samples and x-rays, prepare patients for a surgical procedure and provide support to both animals and owners pre and postoperatively.

As well as the active care of animals, you will also have an important role to play in educating owners on the care and support of their much-loved pet.

Under the direction of the vet, you will also perform medical treatments, diagnostic tests and assist with surgical operations.

VN training

All training is provided via veterinary courses, either via vocational training or via a higher education qualification. Colleges and universities will have their own entry requirements and qualifications will be accredited by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS).

As a prospective veterinary student, enrolment with the RCVS is required to undertake certain procedures during your training.

As a general rule, the RCVS also likes prospective students to have undertaken some form of veterinary work experience to showcase basic skills.