Average wage

Re: Average wage

Hayley Marks — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 17:37:21 GMT

Hi all,

Regarding life in practice in Spain it´s not very different to the UK, we use the same anaesthetic techniques, have our own in-house blood machines etc and all the drugs that are available in the UK are available here too. Most of our clients are British, love their animals and love our vet as he treats each animal as if it was his own (he´s actually Argentinian). You do see bad things here, the older generation Spaniards are generally of the opinion that an animal is just a thing, whereas younger Spaniards are great. Also, recently we´ve been seeing a lot of British people going back to the UK and abandoning their animals here as they haven´t thought to get the pet passport done, so we´re guilty too!! (makes me soooo mad, in Spain, you have to have the pet passport document and microchip done by law, so all they´d have to do is the rabies blood test!!). With regards to getting work here I found it incredibly difficult to begin with as the veterinary nursing qualification is not recognised here. There are animal care courses here which allow you to be an animal care assistant but it´s no where near like the veterinary nursing qualification. Luckily my first job was working for a vet who had previously worked in the UK, so he knew about the skills we have. Unfortunately, due the the recession, his clinic was not doing very well and he was forced the close. Again, I must have been in the right place at the right time with getting this job as jobs are hard to come by, especially at the moment. To anyone wishing to come to Spain to work as a VN, I wouldn´t recommend it. It´s been very difficult, hence why we´re returning to the UK later this year. (Oh, and just so you know I get paid 12,000 € a year, about 10,500 pounds, not good!!)

Re: Average wage

Kim Buckley — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 11:22:28 GMT

Had a girl on my uni course who was from Spain and came over to here to study. She didn't complete the course but said that they just don't have good VN jobs in Spain and she lived in Barcelona so not from a quiet area.

Re: Average wage

Nikki Graef — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 11:13:26 GMT

Yes thats what i was lead to believe, they dont really have a well established training scheme like we do here so most nurses in spain have no qualifications as such therefore paid very poorly.

Also vet care in spain is very different to here, there are of course people who want to do everything possble for their pets like in england but i think they are in the minority and alot of people have animals but dont really want to spend any money on them should they become ill.

From what i have been told by the many spanish vets i have worked with, the only way vets can make any money there is to own their own practice as salary for vets is very poor so salary for nurses is even worse.

Re: Average wage

Tracy Windler RVN — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 22:34:16 GMT

I worked with a spanish nurse, who trained and qualified over here and didn't feel she had the work back home, as the set-up wasn't really biased towards using nurses as much as we do, hence why they would not be so well paid???

Just a thought?

Re: Average wage

sarinhaa — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 21:56:45 GMT

wow! I would've thought they paid better really surprised!

Re: Average wage

Nikki Graef — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 21:37:38 GMT

As far as i am aware in spain, wages for vets and vet nurses are much worse than in england.

Hence why so many vets come over here for work. Youd be better paid as a waitress than a VN

Re: Average wage

sarinhaa — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 20:24:19 GMT

hey hayley, I was thinking of moving to Spain and perhaps try my luck over there? Could you give me an insight of how things go over there? And how much you get in wages roughly?
Many thanks

Re: Average wage

SmegSlayer — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 18:08:33 GMT

Been qualified a year, previously 8 years experience at various practices. Am in east Kent. On £14500/yr

Re: Average wage

Victoria Nielsen RVN — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 18:33:23 GMT

It does depend on where you live really, as in London and Greater London it is usually above 17K and elsewhere, it's below 17K.

Re: Average wage

Gillian Davidson — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 18:07:11 GMT

I think we all need to not under value ourselves and when having an interview and being asked what we would work for, say a good wage (?£17k) and not just accept an average. If practices can find someone who will work for a basic wage they will take them.

Re: Average wage

Katie B — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 18:42:45 GMT

That is a much better wage than I was expecting, I thought the average was about £14,000.

Re: Average wage

Hayley Marks — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 16:02:21 GMT

Cheers all, I shall have a look at the website too

Re: Average wage

Stuart McQueen RVN MBVNA — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 14:26:35 GMT

[quote user="samantha morgan"]

Hi Hayley,

The BVNA has publishes the latest results from a wage survey on their website

http://www.bvna.org.uk/smartweb/careers/veterinary-nursing-and-support-staff-salary-survey

I hope this will help you.

Samantha Morgan

[/quote]

i didn't realise these had been published... thanks.

Re: Average wage

Tracy Windler RVN — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 13:07:17 GMT

There is no representative average, I would say, as there is such a huge variance in the wages QVNs and SVNs are paid. Some seem to be on £10k, working weekends/on call etc, yet there are nurses in general practice who are do no ooh and are on £18k! (not that I begrudge them that, its great!)

It completely depends on the practice and area you live in. The survey was interesting, but as it only showed averages, it was not terribly useful, as it could have represented the huge majority being around that figure, or some on very low wages, with some on very high and a few in the middle (which I suspect is the case).

Personally, I would not accept a job which paid under £17K and I think there are plenty of jobs which pay this. I'm surprised that you were on £17K 5 years ago, though!

Happy hunting!

Re: Average wage

Nikki Graef — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 13:04:36 GMT

The average wage is around £16,000 depending on where you live etc. £17,500 is a pretty good salary especially 5 years ago!

Re: Average wage

samantha morgan — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 11:30:36 GMT

Hi Hayley,

The BVNA has publishes the latest results from a wage survey on their website

http://www.bvna.org.uk/smartweb/careers/veterinary-nursing-and-support-staff-salary-survey

I hope this will help you.

Samantha Morgan