Veterinary nurses help look after sick animals.
What does a veterinary nurse do?
Veterinary nurses provide care for sick animals. You’ll work closely with a veterinary surgeon, helping out with surgical procedures, taking blood and urine samples, as well as ensuring an animals’ wellbeing. You’ll need to have good communication skills and be able to work in a team. It is a highly competitive job and you will need to have good grades to get a place on an appropriate training course.
What do I need to do to become a veterinary nurse?
You can become a veterinary nurse via on-the-job training, where you can complete a relevant BTEC, City & Guilds or NVQ, or you can complete a degree in veterinary nursing. To be able to take the degree route, you will need two A levels, preferably in chemistry or biology.
Essential qualifications
- City & Guilds diploma for veterinary care assistants
- Or Central Qualifications diploma for veterinary nursing assistants / diploma in animal nursing
- Or ABC Certificate for animal nursing assistants
- Or Veterinary nursing degree
Desirable qualifications
- A level biology
- A level chemistry