Veterinary Nurse (Level 3) Apprenticeship - Companion Animal

Throughout this apprenticeship you will gain the essential knowledge, skills and behaviours that are needed to work in the veterinary industry as a Registered Veterinary Nurse (RVN). As part of this apprenticeship you will undertake the VetSkill Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing and be eligible to apply for professional registration with the RCVS as an RVN.

Embedded within this qualification is also the content required to become a Suitably Qualified Person (SQP) for companion animals, which will allow you to prescribe certain categories of veterinary medicines.

From assisting veterinary surgeons with the care of animals during treatment and carrying out x-rays and diagnostic tests, through to advising clients on pet care and looking after inpatients in the hospital wards, veterinary nursing involves a wide range of activities and is vital to the running of a successful veterinary practice. Over the course of the qualification you will cover the following nine units:

• Professional Veterinary Nursing Responsibilities – Professional responsibilities of the student and RVN, including the RCVS Code of Conduct, health and safety in the veterinary practice and legal/ethical duties
• Diagnostic Principles – Key principles of imaging and laboratory techniques to support the veterinary surgeon in diagnosis; including microscopy, endoscopy, ultrasound and radiography
• Principles of Veterinary Nursing Care 1 – Underpinning knowledge relating to the care of patients in a veterinary environment including anatomy, physiology and emergency first aid
• Pharmacology and Dispensary Management – Basic veterinary pharmacology and its application, including the prescription, storage, supply and dispensing of medicines to standards required of an SQP
• Practical Veterinary Nursing Skills  – Developing practical skills in RCVS approved Training Practices through the compilation of a portfolio of evidence
• Anaesthesia and Theatre Nursing Skills – The principles of anaesthesia and theatre practice including surgical instruments, assisting in theatre and the preparation and monitoring of patients during anaesthesia and sedation
• Life Stage and Medical Nursing Care and Support – How the patient’s life stage influences their individual needs. The patient’s response to disease and trauma, reproduction, nursing care of medical conditions, palliative care and euthanasia
• Principles of Veterinary Nursing Care 2 – Nursing requirements of patients including fluid therapy, pain assessment, preventative care and physical therapy techniques
• Surgical Nursing and Patient Care – Specialised knowledge in surgical nursing, including pre, peri and post-operative nursing from admission to discharge

Functional Skills

If you are an apprentice under 19 years of age you will be required to undertake Functional Skills Level 2 in English and Maths unless exempt. Apprentices over the age of 19 are able to undertake these as part of the apprenticeship if they wish at no additional cost, if they do not already hold the same level qualification

Online learning at CAW

Are you wondering what studying online looks like? We are extremely proud of our online learning platform and virtual classrooms. Our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) provides interactive content and resources available at any time of the day or night. As well as accessing your course materials, you will be able to utilise wellbeing tools, study resources and an eLibrary. Our Virtual Classrooms offer live, realtime interactive lessons with chat features where you can get involved and ask (and answer!) questions. You can take part in polls and collaborate with your lecturer and peers using an interactive whiteboard. Learning from the comfort of your own home has never been easier! Watch the video below to find out more.

Virtual Reality Learning at CAW

The College of Animal Welfare’s new virtual reality technology is changing the way we think about learning. All CAW students will have the opportunity to use virtual reality headsets to prepare for their OSCEs (practical exams). Virtual reality helps create muscle memory, leading to the development of practical skills and alleviating exam anxiety. Students can practise the OSCE tasks that they may come across in their real exam, such as taking x rays, packaging samples and identifying parasites. We are the first veterinary nurse college to use virtual reality and we are very excited about the potential application of it. So, the only question we have left to ask is, are you ready to step into the future of veterinary nurse training and join us?

Assessment

You will undertake a variety of assessments including online examinations, assignments and case studies. You will also complete an online Nursing Progress Log (NPL) over the course of your training, as evidence of practical competence. At the end of year two there is a formative practical assessment.

If you are required to undertake Functional Skills Level 2 in English and Maths, these are assessed via online examinations and practical assessments.

Once you have completed these assessments, and undertaken the required amount of training hours, you will be able to undertake the End Point Assessment (EPA). This consists of

1. A Professional Discussion
   The Professional discussion is a structured 45 minute interview between the apprentice and an independent assessor covering a range of knowledge, skills and behaviours through scenario competence-based questions.
2. A Practical Assessment in the form of an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE)

This course is also available as a Level 3 Diploma for those not eligible for an apprenticeship

Industry Experience

In addition to your college studies, you will gain significant industry experience whilst working in an RCVS approved veterinary practice, either a Training Practice (TP) or an auxiliary Training Practice (aTP).

The valuable clinical and employment skills you will learn whilst working in a real-life setting will help you to better understand how a fast paced veterinary environment operates, and will prepare you for the responsibilities that come with working as a Registered Veterinary Nurse (RVN).

You must have a minimum of five GCSEs at grade C or above (4-9), including English Language, Mathematics and a Science subject. If you do not meet the GCSE requirement, there are alternative qualifications that may be acceptable; one of these combinations is the City & Guilds Level 2 Diploma for Veterinary Care Assistants, or VetSkill Level 2 Certificate in Veterinary Care Support, along with full Level 2 qualifications in English and Maths i.e. Level 2 Functional Skills or GCSE at grade C or above.

You will also need to be living and working in England* in a veterinary practice that is approved by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) as a Training Practice (TP or aTP) earning at least the National Minimum Wage for Apprentices. To complete this apprenticeship within the 30-36 month time frame you will need to be working for a minimum of 30 hours per week, if you are working less than 30 hours a week the length of your apprenticeship will be extended depending on your working hours.

If you are not employed in a veterinary practice, you may wish to consider applying for the VetSkill Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing programme with placement year.

*Please note apprentices attending our Edinburgh centre must be resident in England and spend at least 50% of their employment in England.

Before applying, please ensure you read the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) Fitness to Practise: A Guide for UK Providers of Veterinary Nursing Education and Student Veterinary Nurses, which can be downloaded here.

International qualifications

Students with foreign qualifications are required to have their certificates translated using a UK ENIC Statement to confirm if they have previously achieved Level 2 English and Level 2 maths for their apprenticeship. If a student has not previously achieved this, they will need to complete Functional Skills English and/or maths as part of their apprenticeship. More information about how to apply, how it works and prices can be found on the UK ENIC’s website here.

You should have proof of competence in the English Language by holding either the ESOL qualification at levels C1 or C2 or IELTS at a minimum score of 6.0 (with a minimum of 5.5 in each element) where your international qualifications were not taught and assessed in English.

This course is also available as a Level 3 Diploma for those not eligible for an apprenticeship

Apprenticeship fees are payable by the employer. Prior to starting the course an invoice will be issued for the total course fee.

If you have not achieved your qualification by the planned end date detailed in your individual learning plan, your employer will be able to pay monthly direct debit payments to allow you to continue to receive support and access to your course until certification of your award.

Small employers/Non-levy payers (with an annual payroll bill of less than £3 million)

Non-levy paying employers in England are required to contribute 5% (£850 in one payment) towards the cost of the apprenticeship provided they use their digital account to process the claim for 95% funding available.

Apprenticeship fees may be free for those under 21 years of age, working in a non-levy paying organisation with less than 50 employees.

Large employers/Levy payers (with an annual payroll bill of more than £3 million)

Levy payers in England will pay the full apprenticeship amount of £17,000 using their digital account.

Professional/Awarding Body Fees*

RCVS Registration: £219

Exam fees will be payable where a resit is required.

* RCVS registration and any exam resit fees are payable by employers and will be invoiced at cost.

Remote examination invigilation
If a student chooses to undertake a remotely invigilated resit exam, there will be an additional fee on top of the normal exam fee which is payable by phone in advance of any booking being processed.

These are current figures and may be subject to change. The differences in course fees reflect the level of funding that is available as a result of government policies and priorities. These may be as a result of age, employment status, previous education achievements, or location for example, and are outside the control of The College of Animal Welfare.

On completion of your apprenticeship you will be eligible to apply to join the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons’ (RCVS) Register of Veterinary Nurses and use the post nominal term, RVN. Entry on the register allows you to legally practice as a veterinary nurse under the direction of a veterinary surgeon.

Many veterinary nurses choose to remain in first opinion veterinary practice, however there are also opportunities to pursue more specialist roles in referral practices, emergency ‘out of hours’ practices or large veterinary hospitals; perhaps specialising in a particular area such as surgical nursing. You could also find work in, for example, teaching, management, research or sales.

You may also look to pursue further training by ‘topping up’ your qualification to a full degree by undertaking the BSc Honours Veterinary Nursing Degree Top Up Programme, available at Middlesex University via distance learning. A degree would open up further opportunities in post graduate study, such as veterinary physiotherapy. You could also consider completing the Level 5 Advanced Diploma in Veterinary Nursing (Practice Nurse), which is designed to equip you with advanced veterinary nursing skills and knowledge relevant to practice and consulting environments.

Remember that once you are qualified, it is your professional responsibility to ensure that your professional knowledge and skills remain up-to-date. You can do this by undertaking short courses or further veterinary nursing qualifications. Our CPD and short courses are designed for registered and student veterinary nurses alike, and can be undertaken to refresh veterinary knowledge and keep up with the latest developments in the profession.