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Course: Veterinary Nurse (Level 3) Apprenticeship - Companion Animal

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The course covers a comprehensive range of topics relevant to companion animal nursing (cats, dogs, rabbits, and guinea pigs) across nine units:

  • Professional Veterinary Nursing Responsibilities – Professional responsibilities of the student and registered veterinary nurse, 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 a Suitably Qualified Person (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

Suitably Qualified Persons qualification
Embedded within this diploma is the training required to become a Suitably Qualified Person (SQP) for companion animals allowing you to, on successful completion, join the VetSkill SQP Register and prescribe and/or supply certain veterinary medicinal products.

How you study

Theory lessons - you will attend theory lessons for one day a week. These lessons can either be undertaken in-person in one of our college centres (subject to availability) or via our Live Online classroom. Our Live Online classrooms offer real-time interactive lessons that allow you to engage with your tutors and peers. During online lectures you will be expected to participate in a diverse range of learning and assessment activities including live chat, group chat, breakout room activities, independent activities e.g. research, polls and Q&A sessions.

Online course materials - our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) provides a wide range of learning resources including interactive online lessons, revision and study support materials, recordings of classroom lessons for you to rewatch, an extensive eLibrary, access to journal articles and career resources.

Practical skills training - you will attend one of our college centres for practical skills training days, there are approximately 10 of these across the programme.

Tutor support – you will be allocated a personal tutor to provide 1:1 support and guidance and be a point of contact throughout your programme.

Virtual reality (VR) – You will be loaned a free virtual reality headset for the duration of your programme that will allow you to use our two exclusive software programmes. The OSCE preparation software will help you to prepare for your OSCEs (practical exams) by creating muscle memory and alleviating exam anxiety. You can practise the OSCE tasks that you may come across in your real exam, such as taking x rays, packaging samples and identifying parasites. Our anatomy software allows you to explore and learn body systems in details. We are the first veterinary nurse college to use virtual reality and we are very excited about the potential application of it.

Off-The-Job Training Hours
You will undertake a minimum of six hours a week of off-the-job training hours, this is learning that takes place during your normal working hours. These could comprise of college lessons, working through online course materials, time spent revising for exams etc.

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Application process

  1. Click on the course you would like to apply for, this will redirect you to the CAW Student Hub where you can create an account and start your application.
    If you wish to continue an existing application, please visit the CAW Student Hub and log back in.
  2. You can leave your application at any time and log back in to continue it at a time convenient to you.
  3. Once you have completed your application, you will take part in a pre-course discussion with a tutor so we can make sure the course you have applied for is the right one for you, and you can ask any questions you may have before starting. This is usually carried out online via Teams or phone.

Data Protection

All records at The College of Animal Welfare are maintained in compliance with the principles of the current data protection legislation. Find our more here.

The College is registered with the Information Commissioners Office as a provider of education and training.

By applying to enrol on a course of study, you consent to the College processing personal data relating to you, including sensitive personal data, in accordance with the College's registration, statutory requirements and conditions set by funding bodies.

You have a right to a copy of any data we hold about you. If you would like a copy of this data you should apply in writing to the Principal of The College of Animal Welfare.

Additional Information