For 8 years, we have successfully taught the equine and small animal combined course, but we are now proud to offer the above course as a stand-alone qualification. With our dedicated and highly experienced equine teaching team, we are committed to continuing our 100% pass rate.
The course can be delivered as an apprenticeship to enable funding for nearly all students.
The course, which lasts for 2yrs and 2 terms, will run from September 2021 and can be taken by 2 routes:
- Day release alongside blended learning and employment in your training practice
- Remote learning with contact days for those that cannot commute easily
What is an equine veterinary nurse?
An Equine Veterinary Nurse is someone who has completed the necessary training, through an accredited qualification, to become a veterinary nurse. This training is usually a 2-3 year course, the majority of which is spent studying the care of equine patients in veterinary practice. Once qualified, candidates apply to go on to the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) Register for Veterinary Nurses and call themselves a Registered Veterinary Nurse (RVN).
The value of RVNs in equine veterinary practice
RVNs have invested a lot of time and effort in their qualification. They take a lot of pride in the clinical work that they carry out. Allowing RVNs to perform the clinical tasks that they are qualified to carry out, can free up veterinary surgeons to carry out other tasks. This therefore increases the efficiency of the veterinary team.
The benefits of being a RVN
Training to become an RVN is challenging, and requires commitment and discipline, as well as long term support from a veterinary practice. However, the result is a dedicated, highly skilled and versatile professional who is trained to apply gold standard care to equine patients on a daily basis. This career is complex and extremely rewarding with many opportunities to grow and develop following qualification.
What can RVNs do in practice?
RVN s are an essential part of the equine team and are qualified to carry out:
- Intravenous (IV), Intramuscular (IM), and subcutaneous (S/C) injections
- Intravenous catheterisation
- Blood sampling
- Nasogastric tubing
- Radiography
- Lab work
- Assist with anaesthesia
- Assist with surgery
- Essential inpatient care – monitoring vital parameters, and reporting readings back to the veterinary team
- Wound care and bandaging
- Other roles include:
- Assisting with lameness examinations.
- Role in organising the hospital.
- Clinical coaches – facilitate nurse training.
- Lecturing other nurses.
- Teach owners and vet students.
- Client care.
This award is offered via the apprenticeship route. Qualified veterinary nurse status is achieved by completing a Level 3 Veterinary Nursing Diploma and is delivered as a blended learning course.
It is a requirement of BGT’s course that students attend college for 4 hours a week for theoretical input and spend 3 hours on blended learning in practice.
The majority of the blended learning has been assigned as practical tasks or homework. Students do not need to be under direct supervision of a clinical coach to complete each task, but the student’s clinical coach is required to sign off the work undertaken once completed. Tasks will be marked and feedback will be given by tutors at Bottle Green.
Each list of blended learning tasks will be sent to practices via students during each module.
Once a module is completed it is expected that students will complete a reflective learning journal with their clinical coach. This learning journal needs to be signed by the practice principal once completed.
This piece of documentation will then be stored at BGT as evidence of students training in practice.
The course is aimed to run for 2 years and 2 academic terms for the complete diploma. During this time students will sit Awarding Body external examinations and in house examinations (some of these in house examinations go towards the final qualification) as well as their Central Skills Log, which is an electronic list of skills that need to be completed prior to students sitting their end point assessment/ All of these will need to reach an approved standard to enable students to qualify as a veterinary nurse. Students will be given academic writing support and structured tutorial time at Bottle Green Training during half terms to enable them to complete written work.
Entry Requirements:
All students who wish to train as a veterinary nurse need to fulfil the following criteria:
- Have achieved 5 GCSE’s grades A-C or 9-4 or equivalents to include English, Maths and Science at the time of application. Certificates will be required to prove this. Statements of results are NOT acceptable
- Be employed in a veterinary practice that is recognised as a training practice by the RCVS.
- Be working alongside a clinical coach in that practice for a minimum of 2 days per week.
- Be able to attend college on a day release basis / or via zoom if distance learning – attendance must not fall below 80%.
Prior to Acceptance on the Course:
- We strongly recommend that all students work in a veterinary practice for a minimum of 6 months prior to starting the course
- Submit BGT enrolment paperwork.
- Be able to attend an induction day at BGT if successful.
College times are either 8.45am to 1.00pm for a morning session and 1.45pm to 6.00pm for an afternoon session. Sessions run on all week days with Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday morning reserved for first year students. These days are subject to change upon progression within the course.
What can I do after this award?
Apprenticeship Learner Journey