The Open College of Equine Nursing-City & Guilds Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing (Equine Pathway)

RE: The Open College of Equine Nursing-City & Guilds Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing (Equine Pathway)

SuzyM — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 13:10:27 GMT

Thanks Cats Meow - that explains it as I qualified on the transitional pathway (which caused a lot of confusion...!). I was unaware it had changed since.

RE: The Open College of Equine Nursing-City & Guilds Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing (Equine Pathway)

Leonie Lawson — Tue, 11 Aug 2015 16:39:37 GMT

Hi Luan, this is a really common query we get from prospective students looking at becoming a registered veterinary nurse. In answer to your query , as Cats Meow correctly mentioned there are 13 generic core units which cover all species and then an additional 6 units in either small animal or equine to form the overall qualification. If you currently work in mixed animal practice and have a significant number of equine cases, the equine pathway would probably suit you best. You do not need to complete a small animal qualification first before topping up to the equine. On completion of the City & Guilds Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing (Equine Pathway) you will be able to use the postnominals RVN and will be able to work both small and equine practice as a registered veterinary nurse. If you wish, you can then top up and complete the small animal pathway through another College. Previous students have completed the equine pathway and then gone on to work in small animal practice later.

The Open College delivers programmes a bit differently to other Colleges where the equine pathway units are incorporated into the programme from the very beginning as students are primarily working in equine or mixed animal practice rather than small animal. This keeps the programme more relevant to those in equine or mixed animal practice so they are not working through small animal related units only for the first two years and then the specialised units in the final year.

I hope this helps to clarify about your options going forward and how the qualification is structured.

RE: The Open College of Equine Nursing-City & Guilds Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing (Equine Pathway)

Cats meow — Tue, 11 Aug 2015 15:06:26 GMT

I had to look this up because I wasn't sure, was informed by a reliable college source some time ago.. From RCVS News 2011, when the NVQ changed to the new Diploma:

Bottom left of the 5th page:

http://www.rcvs.org.uk/publications/rcvs-news-june-2011/rcvsnews_jun11.pdf

RE: The Open College of Equine Nursing-City & Guilds Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing (Equine Pathway)

SuzyM — Tue, 11 Aug 2015 14:38:12 GMT

Hi, I am an REVN and as far as I am aware that has not changed. (Please correct me if I'm wrong).

RE: The Open College of Equine Nursing-City & Guilds Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing (Equine Pathway)

Cats meow — Tue, 11 Aug 2015 13:42:39 GMT

Unfortunately CPD hours are not qualifications and only demonstrate that you are keeping your skills up-to-date.

Guidance on the Veterinary Surgeons Act:

All Registered or Listed veterinary nurses (VNs) are qualified to
administer medical treatment or minor surgery (not involving entry
into a body cavity), under veterinary direction, to all the species
which are commonly kept as companion animals, including exotic
species so kept. Unless they hold further qualifications they are not
qualified to treat the equine species, wild animals or farm animals.
Registered or Listed veterinary nurses who hold the RCVS
Certificate in Equine Veterinary Nursing (EVNs) are qualified to
administer medical treatment or minor surgery (not involving entry
into a body cavity), under veterinary direction, to any of the equine
species - horses, asses and zebras.

...although I believe that the title EVN no longer exists and now we are all RVNs.

RE: The Open College of Equine Nursing-City & Guilds Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing (Equine Pathway)

arcticfox — Tue, 11 Aug 2015 12:53:42 GMT

Ultimately when you qualify with either pathway you are an RVN

RE: The Open College of Equine Nursing-City & Guilds Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing (Equine Pathway)

arcticfox — Tue, 11 Aug 2015 12:52:55 GMT

Legally I believe that if you are a small animal RVN and demonstate that you undergo CPD in equine, then you are legally allowed to work as an equine VN and vice versa.

As you are employed in a mixed practice you should look at the case load of patients to decide which pathway you want to go down. if you have a higher small animal caseload the small animal pathway would probably be better due to the number of logs you need to do on the NPL

RE: The Open College of Equine Nursing-City & Guilds Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing (Equine Pathway)

Cats meow — Tue, 11 Aug 2015 12:42:50 GMT

Within the current City & Guilds level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing there are a number of modules: core units, small animal pathway and equine pathway units. The core units are the base of the veterinary nursing qualification and are required to be passed regardless of which pathway is taken afterwards; these include anatomy and physiology, practice administration, communication, infection control and the law and ethics module. These core units cover all species - small animal, equine and exotics and may be assessed via a number of methods including exams, assignments and NPL (nursing progress log).

On top of the core units the pathway is selected, either small animal or equine, and the relevant units are to be passed to be qualified in that area (assignments and NPL). If you wish to be qualified in both small animal and equine veterinary nursing then the modules for both pathways require studying and passing too, which means that experience in practices working with the corresponding species is necessary. Usually people qualify via one pathway, for example small animal, and 'top-up' their qualification by studying the units for the other pathway, for example equine, if they want to.

Really hope this helps!

RE: The Open College of Equine Nursing-City & Guilds Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing (Equine Pathway)

Harriet Reeves — Thu, 06 Aug 2015 07:14:54 GMT

Hiya,

I am also looking at doing this course, and spoke with one of the Open College staff members the other day. She said that if you do the Equine, you will be qualified to do both small animal and equine once you graduate, whereas other courses just teach small animal and you would have to then do the top up.
I hope that helps!

RE: The Open College of Equine Nursing-City & Guilds Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing (Equine Pathway)

Jennifer — Sat, 01 Aug 2015 12:44:55 GMT

Hi Lu,

You have to qualify as a veterinary nurse before you can do the equine top up, the same as the exotics one.

Regards Jen