What should I do?

Re: What should I do?

Fleabee99 — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 22:01:05 GMT

[quote user="SaskiaVN"]

Sandra,

This may have already been said, but I'm too lazy to read through all the posts!!!

Warwickshire College of Higher Education offer a few VN courses, depending on what you want to do. I recently received info on the Foundation Degree & BSc Hons in Veterinary Nursing. You can do it via distance learning. As I live in Northern Ireland and have a young family, there is no way I could do it other than distance learning.

For more information email vetstudy@warkscol.ac.uk

[/quote]

yeh i had a looky loo at this and the only thing you need to have done is the NVQ and be qualified!! =)

Re: What should I do?

Saskia Quinn — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 21:46:03 GMT

Sandra,

This may have already been said, but I'm too lazy to read through all the posts!!!

For more information email vetstudy@warkscol.ac.uk

Re: What should I do?

Fleabee99 — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 21:30:54 GMT

i know ive prolly joined this abit late but feel this is quite close to me so wanted to comment, basically choose the one you WANT to do i.e. interesting as when i left school i always knew i wanted be a VN but was advised due to my gcses results that i should do alevels instead of an animal care course and was told that this would make looking for emplyment easier, and after all that work.....was it F**K, it made finding a job a hell of a lot harder as i was seen as uncommitted!! at 20 i am still looking!! but there is light as i am thru to a half day interview so i finally have a chance to do what i want to do even if it is 4 years later!!

Re: What should I do?

Angel — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 21:15:25 GMT

STRVN, do you know what? Well, when I first began to locum nurse, I was "beep" scared of being away from home and my family, but the opportunity was tooo good to let go of.

I bit the bullet and went for it. My family understands that I have to do what is best for me. The other thing is that they are always there for me, you have the same with your folks too. If you tell them what you want to do, I am sure that they will be supportive of you no matter what you decide to do. Don't worry about making friends, this will come easily, just don't be shy.

You know in your heart of hearts that you want to do the degree.....so, DO IT! What is stopping you? Don't say finances......you will find a way of managing, think about it.....you always do!

Don't take second best because you feel that you have to. If this is something you want to do then go for it. Think about what you will be able to gain from doing the degree....in terms of satisfaction, achievement and acknowledgement......its all there hon.

:0)

Angel

Re: What should I do?

daisy — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 15:40:13 GMT

it was a week induction but it now only 3 days due to all the wasted time last year!!!!

we just spent a lot of time waiting around for tutors etc so it has now been sorted and now it is only 3 days.

Re: What should I do?

Sandra Taylor RVN, MBVNA — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 20:25:53 GMT

Did you have a full week at the start of the course? I am sure that is what was supposed to happen last year when I was supposed to start it.

Re: What should I do?

daisy — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 20:17:11 GMT

i have found that apart from getting the caseloads you dont really need your practice!

i have found that the older senior vets are no help whats so ever when i have asked questions etc but the younger vets are great, they will do theire best to answer what ever i need to know, but apart from asking questions about things i am struggling to understand you get all the support you need from myerscough, due to the fact its online you e mail your tutor and they reply ASAP and there is also a forum for the group so we all get on there to chat, moan and whinge!

Re: What should I do?

dinkyd — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 19:08:50 GMT

Hi those that are currently doing the diploma- how much support do you get from your practice?I really want to do it BUT am a bit concerned at how much support from my practice i would get/need, and thats really the only thing thats putting me off.We have just got our hospital status and are a very busy hospital so the caseload wouldnt be a problem - we are also a TP and i am one of two assessors with another in training and we do get loads of svns,so hopefuly that would help.Help lol!

Re: What should I do?

daisy — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 14:59:35 GMT

hi im in my second year of the diploma at myerscough and i love it!!!!

i have 3 children (the youngest is 14) and i find the study weekends arnt that bad at all, you go on the friday, the classes start in the afternoon and we finish on the sunday afternoon and we only have 3 a year. we get given the time table at the begining of the year so they are well planned. i have found that my family seem to enjoy the time im away as they get up to things that they arnt normally allowed to!!!!

i would defo recommend it it anyone.

if you have any questions im happy to help

Jue

Re: What should I do?

Sandra Taylor RVN, MBVNA — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 11:34:59 GMT

Hi Paula, I just googled rvc diploma and it came up straight away.

You dont get individual med/surg diplomas anymore because you can do a mixture of both medical and surgical if you wish, whereas before you picked one route or the other.Me personally will go down the medical route, as that holds more interest for me than what memory does x type suture material have, or what type of screw do you need for this such and such...zzzzzzzzzzzzz that would send me to sleep I am afaraid..lol.

Re: What should I do?

Saskia Quinn — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 11:15:57 GMT

Sandra, where do I get more info on the RCVS graduate diploma? Is it same as diploma in medical / surgical nursing?

Re: What should I do?

Sandra Taylor RVN, MBVNA — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 10:00:36 GMT

I have sent off for more info on the RCVS graduate diploma, it looks much the same as the myerscough one, but hopefully wont mean any travelling to attend, and it's cheaper than myerscough.

Re: What should I do?

Sandra Taylor RVN, MBVNA — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 14:38:12 GMT

[quote user="sazzle"]

i'm applying for dip this year too. (Struggling with application essay tho!)

I looked into costs for my practice and its currently at £2800 with accom on top (roughly £800 over 2 years at guys thatched!)

I would DEFINETLY go for dipavn at myerscough tho i am biased. Let me know if you do go, we can say hi in person!

Any tips for the essay BTW ...theyve changed it to 'standards of exemplary nursing care' & i dont know wheter to write an essay/caselog on one particular animal at surgery, care of animals in general at surgery or something completey different!

Sarah xxx

[/quote]

Hi Sarah, they will be looking for an essay type answer, I think mine was 1000 words.

You have to basically discuss and disect aspects of the chosen topic, yours being exemplary standards of nursing care.

You will more than likely have to refer to nursing standards in practice and what is expected of the nurse of today, compared to what was expected years ago, thats the way I would take it anyway. They look for you to do a bibliography and a contents page as well as the essay.Lots of referencing from journals, etc should be included. I could e mail you a copy of my essay to give you a clue as to how they will want it, although the subject is different to your it should give you an idea as to what they are looking for.Thats if I still have it on here, if not the full version I will prob still have a draft at the least.

Hope this helps.

Re: What should I do?

Sandra Taylor RVN, MBVNA — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 14:31:07 GMT

Aww thankyou guys for replying, keep them coming though.

Mrs dot dot, you are right I really do want to do the Diploma as it sounds very interesting, and definitely caught my attention more than the Degree, but I hate being away from home, and although it is only a few times per year it is hard.My youngest is studying at the moment for her standard grades, and when I was away on locum just before christmas, she really could have done with my help on her Biology, and I was not there for her, and I dont want to do that to her again, so that was why I was thinking about the top up, that and the financial difference as well.

Re: What should I do?

Mrs Dot Dot — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 01:31:38 GMT

Hi STRVN! It sounds like you really want to do the Diploma... it also sounds like it will be quite tough all round but you've looked into it alot, worked / planned your life around doing it etc so I would go for it.... better to try something than not... if it doesn't work out for you, for whatever reason, you can start Plan B but at least you won't regret not trying.

Re: What should I do?

sazzle — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 23:00:38 GMT

i'm applying for dip this year too. (Struggling with application essay tho!)

I looked into costs for my practice and its currently at £2800 with accom on top (roughly £800 over 2 years at guys thatched!)

I would DEFINETLY go for dipavn at myerscough tho i am biased. Let me know if you do go, we can say hi in person!

Sarah xxx

Re: What should I do?

Louise B — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 22:52:46 GMT

Might be worth looking at ILA scotland - if the top up course in scotland is 50% (or more) of a fulltime course then you might be able to get £500 off of it (not sure if they assess household or personal earnings) which, if is only gonna cost a few pounds to try why not try the top up first as see what you think. You can always leave if its not for you!

Re: What should I do?

Debbie Gudgeon — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 22:45:06 GMT

Have you looked at the RCVS Graduate Diploma? It's done mostly via an online classroom. I started it last June and am loving it! And you would end up with G.Dip with your RVN after 2 years.......

Re: What should I do?

S-J — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 14:12:18 GMT

i know that the travling and the cost is a big issue, but just think of all the time you are going to invest in it, which ever you choose it needs to keep you interested and motivated and when you are finished feel like you made the right choice and havent wasted your time.

Good luck