Veterinary Nurse Training

At KirksVets we are both lucky and proud to have an excellent nursing team. The nurses, both qualified and in training, are all dedicated to their work and desire to give a first class service to all our patients, often staying late into the night to nurse animals back to health and carrying out all sorts of duties behind the scenes.

The desire to work with animals is just one small criteria which is required if you want to become a veterinary Nurse, you need to be prepared for almost anything from mopping floors to assisting in major life saving surgery.

The duties expected of you will vary from practice to practice, but at KirksVets all nurses work together as a team, sharing both the pleasant and more unpleasant jobs associated with a busy Veterinary Practice. Duties include:

• Assisting Veterinary Surgeons with surgical procedures, monitoring anaesthetics, taking x-rays, assisting with dentals.
• Dispensing drugs which have been prescribed by a Veterinary Surgeon.
• Patient aftercare including walking patients and cleaning the kennel, monitoring drips and administering medication.
• Dealing with people in distress who are worried and anxious for there pet, consoling the bereaved, dealing with queries concerning medication, nutrition, diets, behaviour etc.
• Answering the telephone, making appointments, giving advice and passing on messages.
• Cleaning the waiting room areas, the toilets, the kennels, the operating theatres, the animal bedding, the consulting rooms, the prep room and the isolation room.

To start Veterinary Nurse training you must be 17 years of age or older and have 5 GCSEs at grade C or higher which must include English Language and two Science subjects. To find out more about veterinary nurse training, visit the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons' website.

We currently have two trainee nurses, Karen and Hayley, who are happy to keep a diary of their coursework to give you an insight into what is required to become a fully fledged Veterinary Nurse. Log in regularly to see how they are progressing from week to week until the big exam day. If you have any questions or comments for Karen or Hayley, please email them using the following link: surgery@kirksvets.co.uk