NZ trained nurse looking for training position - help, confused!!

Re: NZ trained nurse looking for training position - help, confused!!

Victoria Cossou — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 08:20:14 GMT

No, unfortunately here in Otago the Diploma is only for people who have already completed the cert and it is definitely 2 years, there is no option to do it in a shorter period. I have absolutely no problems with doing more training, in fact I positively need it as I no way feel competent yet The thing with the cert seems to be the opposite of what you have described Celine, a lot of theory but not so much practical stuff and now I am actually in a practice it is HARD! I spend most of my time terrified i'm doing something wrong! So yeah I would totally be up for more training it is just finding a position in a training practice that is proving problematic. It would be disappointing to go back to the UK and not carry this on. Thankyou all for your replies - plenty of food for thought and think i'm gonna start sending my CV out to as many vets as poss in my home county and just see what happens

Re: NZ trained nurse looking for training position - help, confused!!

Celine — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 23:00:19 GMT

[quote user="Victoria Cossou"]According to some of the forums on here some people only start their training over there after they have been working as an animal care assistant for a few years - is that right??[/quote]

As someone else has said, it all depends on the practice you go into, I would have to agree that you'd be a good candidate for a practice to take on though - if you're older and more settled and possibly dedicated and (?) finished having children then you'd be a safer bet from a practice manager's point of view than the 18 year old from down the road who wouldn't have your life skills (SORRY 18 YEAR OLDS!!)

And yes, I think the style of training over here differs to NZ in that the students essentially work as a nurse for two years and try to squeeze in their formal lessons in only one day a week (bless, I don't know how they manage it) so UK trained VNs are generally very competent practically, and as a "new grad" already essentially have been a nurse for two years, if that makes any sense (they are restricted in some tasks they can carry out without supervision etc) I have to say, I have become a much better nurse since working over here, but this may also be to do with the fact that you are allowed and encouraged to do more over here than I ever was in the practices I worked in back home.

Is there no chance you could cross-credit your cert to the first year of the diploma and hang around in NZ for 6 extra months?

Good luck!

Re: NZ trained nurse looking for training position - help, confused!!

Katie Mansfield — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 19:37:11 GMT

Yes - some, but not all. It would depend upon the practice you're employed by, funding, and a whole host of other reasons. Don't be worrying until you've clarified everything about your NZ Nat Cert with the RCVS / BVNA.

K x

Re: NZ trained nurse looking for training position - help, confused!!

Victoria Cossou — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 01:08:55 GMT

Thanks for the info I certainly don't want to start from scratch as it seems to take people an awful long time to even get into a training practice in the UK if what i've been reading on here is correct. The Diploma is accepted as the full qualification but unfortunately in Dunedin where I am it is a 2 year course and we were hoping to be back in the UK by March/April. According to some of the forums on here some people only start their training over there after they have been working as an animal care assistant for a few years - is that right?? I really don't want to go down that route if I can help it. I can't quite believe how complicated it is - is the training in the UK more involved than the NZ one do you know? So many questions - sorry!

Re: NZ trained nurse looking for training position - help, confused!!

Celine — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 19:29:41 GMT

I'm a Kiwi and qualified there, but I did the National Diploma, (which is fully accepted by the RCVS) So far as I recall I did the cert in one year and the diploma as my 2nd year - any chance you could complete another year and then be ready to hit the ground running here? (Once you registered with the RCVS of course.... mutter mutter grumble...)

Otherwise I think you'd be better off starting from the start again in the UK with training - I think it would be very "bitsy" otherwise and can't imagine it wouldn't be incredibly stressful for you! Good Luck!

Re: NZ trained nurse looking for training position - help, confused!!

supamog — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 14:00:04 GMT

Hi we had a girl from NZ with us a few years ago. She was fully qual at "home" but had to undergo a "top-up" at college over here for a year and was fast-tracked to do her exam again which she passed. Sorry can't be more specific as it was a while ago but she definitely got to where she wanted to be. Good luck i'm sure there is loads of good info on here.

Re: NZ trained nurse looking for training position - help, confused!!

Tracy Windler RVN — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 11:51:31 GMT

Hi,

I would say that you woul be better off starting your UK VN quaifications from scratch. I'm afraid, I doubt you will find anyone at the RCVS who would be prepared to stick their neck out and attempt to convert your qualification to the UK one or give you prior learning credits, especially with it undergoing so much updating and reviewing at the moment. They can barely deal with the basic students! I think the hassle it would cause you and you employer would be more than just completing the entire course.

On a positive note, there seem to be plenty of job vacancies in the Derbyshire area and I don't think you ould struggle to find a position, whether that be a training position, or an Animal Nursing Assistant role, with your previous experience and qualifications.

Good luck and welcome back to Blighty!

Re: NZ trained nurse looking for training position - help, confused!!

Steph Worsley — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 10:45:37 GMT

I would say that if the RCVS requires you to under go further training to be qualified here then you need to look at getting a place at a registered training practice, I am assuming you will ned to complete training logs and sit further exams as well. This is just my best guess though

Re: NZ trained nurse looking for training position - help, confused!!

Katie Mansfield — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 08:00:35 GMT

Hi Victoria - maybe ring the BVNA? They are a mine of info http://bvna.co.uk/

Good luck,

K x