In the UK there is a great misconception about qualified veterinary nurses and student veterinary nurse’s. On average it is thought we cuddle animals all day and clean up after them. I have put up some of the going on to clear up the misconception but decided to put up a bit more information on exams, wages and life.


Well we do a lot of cleaning up but as to cuddling animals all day. We do have contact with them but “spending the day cuddling animals” is not on the cards if you want to care for them properly.

Inpatients need temperatures, pulses, respirations checked, kennel’s cleaned, body functions monitored, medications given, walked or physiotherapy carried out.

Surgical interventions to assist with or carry out, veterinary nurses often do radiography, some qualified and vn's are able to do basic surgery so long as no body cavity is entered. Often nurses are in charge of wound care, the vets sorting medication but the nurses doing the cleaning and dressing, vets are generally useless at bandaging.

VN’s do dental scaling but unless the tooth is hanging out are not permitted to extract.

Veterinary nurses are the anaesthetists for the vet and at times scrub in as assistants usually to hold pull or do whatever is required by the vet. We carry out lab work, and basic vein puncture for various tests or to place iv catheters.

If we are on nurse clinics that means wound checks and redresses, discharges, post op checks, pre op admits, dental, diabetic, renal, geriatric, general animal care for many species, diet clinics, anal gland express, nail clips on and on.

Add to that in smaller veterinary practices we are also cleaners and receptionists. Being a qualified or student vn is not a role to be taken lightly.


For this the average wage for a qualified veterinary nurse is £12-16k/year. Some referral practices offer up to about £20k but that is very rare.

Nights and weekends are often worked and only tiny retainers paid. One practice l have heard of pays their nurses £1.50/night to be on call, that is only if work is carried out. They have to live in over the practice to check patients overnight and be available for the vets if called to assist and are expected to work a full day after a night shift. The night shift covers a full week. This is not unusual in the veterinary world, hence the value of emergency clinics staff are dedicated to that shift not exhausted. Not counting the fact that someone is observing the animals full time not popping down every so often.


There are several routes to becoming a qualified veterinary nurse the newest is the degree route via a university. There is also EVN (Equine Veterinary Nurse) qualifications for those who want to specialise in horses.

The standard EVN and VN course is in house training with either day or block release to a collage. The certificate is a bog standard NVQ 2 and 3 which is quite frankly a joke and a very sore point with l think all of us.


Veterinary nursing is the ONLY NVQ that is only passed based on written and practical exams. Work and learning far exceeds what is involved in any other NVQ exams.

Below is a summary of the present syllabus there are also sections on dealing with exotics in all the sections below not just cats and dogs but rabbits, rats, guinea pigs, birds etc.

Year one is written exams 2 papers in the morning and 2 in the afternoon over a day covering the year’s course:

Relationships and accountability in veterinary nursing practice

Health and Safety in veterinary nursing practice

Applied functional anatomy

Maintaining animal health

Essential veterinary nursing skills

Nursing support in the provision of veterinary services

Year two is a day of written exams 2 papers in the morning and 2 in the afternoon and a further half day of practical exams.

Application of veterinary nursing care

Practice and principles of diagnostics

Laboratory practice

Diagnostic imaging

Pharmacology and pharmacy support

Surgical theatre practice

Anaesthesia


If in more than 2 of practicals the sets are failed then a total re-sit is required. If you fail less then you can re-sit the failed practices. Failed written exams mean resitting the failed papers. Only 3 re-sits are allowed and then special dispensation is required.


We also have a portfolio of cases to be produced. On all areas, surgical, medical, behavioural, exotics, h and s, client care etc. I was unlucky enough to be in the first year of the new portfolio setup back in ‘98 time. Before that it was a little green book that got sigend every so often… bliss! And l had to go and miss it.

Since we did the first portfolio they have cut the portfolio by about 40% as apparently it was to complex and to much work when working full time, we managed it!


One of the huge points of anger is that we go through all that yet anyone stacking shelves in the supermarket one day can go and do any of those jobs and with only a brief update from someone in the practice and they and vets call them veterinary nurses.

In other words your pet goes in for even a routine operation and the person doing the anaesthetic can be first day on the job.

The "powers that be" say that the vet is in charge and keeping an eye on things, but as the vet is nose deep inside the pet they are not monitoring the patient.

All the work we do any untrained person is allowed to do and again call themselves a veterinary nurse. No matter what information they are giving out no one has monitored it to know if it is right or not.

This is all permitted as it is said there is not enough qualified vet nurses, but due to all to often appalling wages and often bad treatment from employers many do not stay long and there is a high turnover. Those that are good employers generally keep their staff for years.


You should always check who will be doing your pets anaesthesia and care or gives you advice. Are they fully qualified and listed or just auxiliaries the practice or they call “veterinary nurses”. These are often very experienced people but all too many are not, more importantly though they have no formal training.


There is a move to make qualified veterinary nurses into registered RVN. The idea is that you are then responsible for your mistakes, as a qualified listed vn the vet carries the can.

If someone qualified after 2003 then it is automatic and no choice to get an r. Those of use who qualified before 2003 have a choice of listed or rvn.

A registered vn is also meant to have a min of 45hrs CPD over 3 years. Some practices pay towards this many do not and for us locums we pay our own. A day’s cpd averages £150+ so on our wages this is not that simple. There is some cheaper evening or now as rare as hens teeth free cpd.

Berkshire Urgent Locum VN needed ASAP start two week commitment Great rates!

Please call Vic Bekker at Rigvets on 01392 314 773 or email me at victor.bekker@rigvets.co.uk for further information any of these jobs, and several other immediate starting vacancies throughout the UK.

If you are currently in need of work within the next 6-12 months please read on. Similarly if you are aware of anybody that is looking for work please direct them to Vetpro..

To obtain further info on these or any other vet jobs contact: 

Locum RVN – Bedford 17^th – 31^st December:

Working for the same company as above but at their Bedford Location again you will be confident to hit the floor running and be confident in pre and post operative care. There is no accommodation with this role.

 Locum RVN – Birmingham– 23^rd November – 4^th January:

How would you like you like to work in a new state of the art referral centre? We are offering 1 lucky RVN an 8 week contract in this fast moving referral centre. This position also provides brand new accommodation for you at no extra expense to yourself!

Locum VN – Buckinghamshire 21^st Dec – 6^th Jan:

Locum Qualified or experienced nurse required to cover the festive season in Buckinghamshire. NO on call or weekends within this role.  Accommodation can be provided for you. 

Locum Nurse required for 6 months in Crinkle wood. You will be confident in pre and post operative care, rediopgraphy, inpatient care and nurse clinics. You will be happy to take sole charge should the need arise

 Locum RVN – Bristol 23^rd Nov & 14^th Dec both ongoing: Locum RVN required to work ongoing at this well known site on the outskirts of Bristol. You will be happy to work in theatre and also in 1^st opinion referrals. Accommodation could be provided should it be required.

Locum RVN – Lancashire 14^th -25^th December: Locum RVN required to cover 2 weeks holiday in the run up to Christmas. You will be happy to cover every aspect of vet nursing from inpatient care to theatre assist and helping in reception should the need arise. You will be working 1:3 on call weekends where you may need to take sole charge. Accommodation can be provided.

Locum RVN Experienced Nurse – Devon 14^th December:                                               

Locum Nurse required to cover 6 months busy small animal practice in Devon. You will be confident in monitoring anaesthetics, lab work & X ray and IV’s. You may need to take sole charge should the need arise; you will be working 40hrs a week between Monday & Friday with no on call or weekends. Accommodation may be available should you need it.

 Locum RVN – Surrey -Immediate start ongoing: RVN required to join first opinion clinic based in surrey. Duties will include, taking blood samples, lab work, inpatient care alongside pre and post operative care and theatre assists. You will be working Monday-Friday with no on call or OOH.

Locum RVN – Hampshire- January 5^th 2010 ongoing:

We are offering you a long term contract at my clients practice in Hampshire. You will be working alongside 4 vets and 6 nurses, this practice is mainly pre and post operative care with theatre assists. There is no ooh, on call or weekends. Accommodation provided. 
 

Would  you be interested in a surgical position? If so read on..... RVN required to join this specialist referral site based in Surrey, you will be working on a rota basis with the earliest start being 7:30am and the latest finish of Midnight. You will be working a 40hr week with no weekend shifts or on call. Accommodation can be provided for you at no extra expense; however you will require a car to commute the 10 minute drive from your accommodation.

My client based in North London is seeking a highly experienced or qualified nurse to cover their ongoing vacancy. This is a newly refurbished site and is based in a very prominent area. You will be working Monday-Friday with no on call OOH!

Locum VN – Dublin Immediate start - Ongoing

Locum VN or experienced nurse required to join this first opinion clinic in Central Dublin. Shifts will include a rota of weekends and ooh. The team you are joining are well established and extremely supportive within this centre and are possibly looking to take on a permanent nurse to enhance the patient care within the busy practice.

 Locum VN – Cambridge - Long term

VN required for a small animal teaching hospital in the Cambridge area. All applicants will need to be RCVS registered and be comfortable with Inpatient care, assisting with ops, Monitoring anaesthetics   and catheters. You will be working 9am-5pm Monday-Friday only.

Locum Night VN -Eastbourne- Ongoing

Would you like to work 7on 7 off? Then we could have the ideal role for you. You will be required to cover 14 hrs emergency shifts with no phone duties. You will be required to cover in bound emergencies for the group with the assistance of the VS on call. The position is payed at a set night rate as they are not often buys and you may sleep where not required for duties.

 Locum Animal Assistant – Hertfordshire

Have you got 1 year or more experience working within a practice? We are currently looking for an animal assistant to join my client’s small animal practice based in Hertfordshire. You will be working Monday-Friday with no ooh, your duties will include – assisting with ops, Blood samples and lab work, Inpatient care, dispensing drugs and reception cover and front of house work. Accommodation will be provided at no extra expense on site.

Locum RVN or exp nurse - Central London Immediate start

RVN or very experienced nurse to join busy small animal practice in Central London. You will be working on a rota basis but there is no ooh or on call within this role. Accommodation can be provided. You will be confident in all aspects of care. 

 Locum VN – Cornwall: Locum experienced nurse required to join busy small animal practice in quaint village in Cornwall. Accommodation can be provided. You will be working 40hrs Mon-Fri with non weekends or on call. You will be confident in inpatient care and Drugs dispensing as well as being happy to assist in a front of house capacity.  

Please call Phil to discuss your requirements on 01392 314070 or email me direct nicola.gubb@rigvets.co.uk

YOU CAN VIEW ALL VETERINARY JOBS IN OUR VETERINARY JOB DATABASE - LEFT HAND SIDE OF HOMEPAGE.