View all veterinary jobs
The CertAVN was launched by the RCVS in May 2019 as an advanced professional qualification allowing veterinary nurses at all stages of their career to develop their professional skills and knowledge in specific areas.
The qualification, which can either be taken as a Level 6 graduate qualification or a Level 7 postgraduate qualification, is smaller and more focused than its predecessor, the Diploma in Advanced Veterinary Nursing.
The other CertAVN providers are Harper Adams University, the University of Glasgow, the University of Central Lancashire in partnership with Myerscough College, and the Royal Veterinary College which has also recently added another pathway to its existing provision.
In total the five providers are offering 23 different CertAVN qualifications, including two with an equine focus.
Matthew Rendle, Chair of RCVS Veterinary Nurses Council, said: “It is fantastic that, in just a few short years after it was launched, we already have five educational institutions accredited to deliver the CertAVN across a wide range of subject matter, covering everything from anaesthesia & analgesia, to dentistry, to teaching, coaching and mentoring, to equine critical care.
“We have more providers on the horizon, as well as a Zoo, Exotics and Wildlife course that I am particularly excited about.
"This demonstrates that there is clearly a demand for the CertAVN courses which are very manageable and can fit around work and personal life, while also offering opportunities to develop a greater focus in designated areas of practice and the career opportunities that may offer.”
www.rcvs.org.uk/certavn
Hartpury says its four-year BSc (Hons) Equine Veterinary Nursing degree – accredited by the RCVS – is designed to produce a higher calibre of veterinary nurse than foundation degrees, top-up courses and apprenticeships alike.
The new degree is a sister qualification to the university's BSc (Hons) Veterinary Nursing degree, which is also accredited by the RCVS, and graduates will be able to join the RCVS VN Register, meaning they can practice as a veterinary nurse with specialism in equine veterinary nursing.
The new course covers a range of subjects, including clinical anatomy, professional veterinary nursing practice, surgical nursing, diagnostics and pharmacy management. It will also include a placement at an approved RCVS equine veterinary nursing training practice, which helps students gain valuable experience and connections for their careers.
Final-year students are able to concentrate on an area of equine veterinary nursing that particularly interests them, which will help them to stand out from the crowd when they graduate.
Catherine Phillips, Head of the Veterinary Nursing Department at Hartpury University, said: "Our new BSc (Hons) Equine Veterinary Nursing degree will add so much value to the profession as well as to graduate outcomes.
"It has been developed by equine veterinary nursing experts to provide our graduates with the vital clinical skills and knowledge to enjoy a successful and rewarding career in a highly valued profession.
"One of the major benefits of our links with equine veterinary practices and hospitals is that we’re able to provide students with access to a clinical placement at an approved RCVS equine veterinary nursing training practice.
"Undertaken in one continuous block, this will allow our students to develop equine-specific clinical skills and become a valuable part of the veterinary nursing team.
"Our students could also gain experience with more than 70 different animal species on campus, volunteering outside their studies with our animal collection, or as part of our equine and canine therapy centre teams."