Study the Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing at The College of Animal Welfare

Non-employed students with unpaid placement year

Duration: 36 months (3 years)

Attendance: In years 1 and 3, you will undertake lessons on a day release basis either by coming into college for classroom tuition, or studying remotely via online lessons in our virtual classroom. In addition, you will be required to spend one additional day per week working through online course materials with up to a further six hours per week developing your practical skills using a virtual reality headset. When you are not undertaking college lessons, online learning or practical skills training in years 1 and 3, you are able to undertake casual work (working in any type of employment) to financially support yourself during the programme. During year 2 of the programme you will undertake a full-time unpaid work placement in an RCVS approved veterinary practice. You will undertake 40 hours per week for 45 weeks of placement across the 52 weeks.

Start dates: If you are undertaking the non-employed programme, you can start in January, April, July or October.

Students who are employed in an RCVS approved veterinary practice

Duration: 30 months (2 1/2 years)

Attendance: Day release via Live Online Delivery Classrooms or Centre Attended (available at selected centres). Details of these two options can be found below.

Live Online Delivery: The majority of the theory element of the programme is delivered in virtual lecture format using our virtual delivery platform that allows you to engage with tutors and your peers in real time either from home or from work. During virtual 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. It is therefore essential that you have a working microphone and camera on your laptop or PC to allow this. All virtual classroom sessions are recorded and are available to view after the event for consolidation of learning and revision purposes. Online exams are available via a remote invigilation platform as well as by physically attending one of our main centres. Practical training sessions are held in-centre in the college environment; you will attend your chosen centre for practical training days (approximately 10) throughout your programme.

Centre Based Programmes:You will attend your chosen college centre on a day release basis (one day per week during term times) for face-to-face teaching in a classroom/clinical skills setting. Practical sessions are held in-centre in the college environment.

Start date: If you are employed in an RCVS approved training practice, you may start this course at any time.

This small animal qualification will cover cats, dogs, rabbits and guinea pigs. Over the course of the qualification you will cover nine units:

• Professional Veterinary Nursing Responsibilities
• Diagnostic Principles
• Principles of Veterinary Nursing Care 1
• Pharmacology and Dispensary Management
• Practical Veterinary Nursing Skills
• Anaesthesia and Theatre Nursing Skills
• Life Stage and Medical Nursing Care and Support
• Principles of Veterinary Nursing Care 2
• Surgical Nursing and Patient Care

Embedded within this qualification is the content required for you to become a Suitably Qualified Person (SQP) for companion animals, allowing you to prescribe and/or supply certain veterinary medicinal products.

Assessment: You will complete online exams, assignments, case studies, and a Nursing Progress Log (NPL) to demonstrate practical competence. A formative practical assessment takes place at the end of year two, followed by final OSCEs upon successful completion of all other assessments.

You must have a minimum of 5 GCSEs at grades 9-4 (A*-C), including English Language, Mathematics and a Science subject. Students with Scottish qualifications are required to have 5 subjects at a National 5 or Higher/Advance Higher at level A, B or C; to include Maths, English and a Science.

If you do not meet these requirements, there are alternative qualifications that may be acceptable such as the Level 2 Diploma for Veterinary Care Assistants, the VetSkill Level 2 Certificate in Veterinary Care Support, or the Veterinary Care Support (Level 2 Apprenticeship), along with GCSEs grade C or above (or Level 2 Functional Skills) in English Language and Maths.

Employed Applicants: Students who are already employed in a veterinary practice looking to undertake this qualification must be at least 16 years of age, be working in an RCVS approved TP or aTP and have the full support of the practice to support you through your qualification; a list of TPs/aTPs can be found on the RCVS website.

Non-employed Applicants: Non-employed students must be a minimum of 18 years of age on the 1st of the month in which the course starts. Please note students who hold the Level 2 Diploma for Veterinary Care Assistants, the VetSkill Level 2 Certificate in Veterinary Care Support or the Veterinary Care Support (Level 2 Apprenticeship) qualification are welcome to apply from 16 years of age.

Work experience undertaken in a veterinary practice alongside a reference from a veterinary surgeon or registered veterinary nurse supporting your suitability for veterinary nurse training will be a distinct advantage. If you have not undertaken any work experience, we will consider your application, however you will be required to undertake work experience within the first three months of being on programme in order to make sure that this is the career for you. Assistance is available from the College to support applicants seeking work experience.

Course fees can be found on our website.

View the course fees here.