The lay of the land
Veterinary nurses work alongside vets in the care and treatment of animal patients, within veterinary surgeries or hospitals in both rural and urban areas.
They work mainly with domestic animals, and also with horses and farm animals. They will sometimes undertake minor surgery on animals.
Qualified veterinary nurses must register on the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons’ list of veterinary nurses. Nurses may train and register as either small animal or equine veterinary nurses.
Veterinary nursing is part of the animal care sector and can provide a career progression for people working within other animal care businesses.
On the horizon
Recruitment is not particularly an issue for veterinary nursing. It is a very popular choice for many school leavers.
Alternative treatments and therapies are becoming increasingly popular, leading to a need for veterinary nurses to extend their traditional skill base to cover these areas and nutritional management.
Successful veterinary practices are often those who offer ‘added value’ to their services, e.g. alternative treatments and pet care.
Digging deeper
Our research helps us to ensure education and training is relevant to your industry. We study the skills and labour requirements of the veterinary nursing industry, and ensure these needs are met through your training.
For more detailed information, read the Veterinary Nursing Sector Skills Agreement Stage 5 Report.
