Progressing career to wild animal work

Re: Progressing career to wild animal work

Celine — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 18:38:30 GMT

I'm a VN in a zoo! I have been nursing in practice for 12 years, and since coming to the UK from New Zealand 7 years ago I've locumned in LOADS of different practices. I also spent 5 months every summer volunteering on a sea turtle conservation field project in Greece and also was sent to Costa Rica to work with turtles there.

I got my job last year, having locumned for them for 4 months the year before. I think what swung it for me (apart from my winning personality, hehe!) was my field experience and the length of time I had been nursing, and the variety of places I had worked in. You just can't beat a steady VN who is unflappable in a "situation". It really doesn't matter if it is a cat or a monkey that is crashing, all your basic principles apply. Is it breathing? Is it bleeding? Is it too hot or too cold? Is it racing around the room trying to bite you? etc.

I'd agree to get farm animal experience. I was a horsey teenager, which helped, but if you have a big animal like a camel and it is pretty light under anaesthetic and decides to stand up on you a bit early it's helpful to not be fazed by the idea of jumping on it to keep it down (best done with more than one person obviously!) The atmosphere of going down on section to knock something out is very like going down the farm to do a caesarian etc, and the keepers are your farmers - who know their animals far better than you can ever hope to and thus are a respected part of the team.

You'll all hate me but I hadn't done any formal exotics qualification! But we recently needed a locum and people who had done further study we definitely on our short list. I do feel that if you are a really capable VN, who has seen a lot and done a lot then you have an advantage - you need to be really inventive... try keeping a dressing on a penguin's foot! So it helps if you have worked with loads of different people and have seen loads of different ways of "spaying a cat".

Again, based on my experience, I'd advise you to get field work experience. If you PM me I can give you contact details for some places in Greece, Costa Rica and Namibia, all projects run by friends of mine and inexpensive.

Oh and if you want to know how not to do it, watch that Vet safari school thing on ITV - brilliant comedy value, bless 'em

Good luck!!

Re: Progressing career to wild animal work

Kim Buckley — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 18:11:06 GMT

I did the degree at middlesex/ RVC and did the exotics and wildlife module. We were taught by one the the VN's from London Zoo and he said it is good to get experience with hoofed animals as a lot of the animals he works with are antelope etc.

Re: Progressing career to wild animal work

Cheryl RVN — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 17:34:54 GMT

Hello this is also my ambition to work with wild/zoo animals. I competed the VN degree and carried out a zoo module. I would also advise you to try and carry out placement at as many zoo's as you can, however you may need to apply a year in advanced for the placement. I have carried out work experience at Tywcross Zoo with Bridget and also a month at Blackpool zoo. Try and get as much experience as possible. I would also advise trying to get experience in an exotic animal practice and trying to complete the City and Guilds VN Exotic Certificate once you are qualified. All of the volunteer abroad things seem amazing but you need to save up for these in advance and if you can attend one i would recommend it. Hope that helps X

Re: Progressing career to wild animal work

Mark Hedberg — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 18:05:29 GMT

[quote user="Steph SVN"]

Thanks I didn't know this! Im currently studying my vet nursing at CAW Potters Bar so this would be useful to look in to! Thanks :)

[/quote]

Glad I could help! :)

Re: Progressing career to wild animal work

Steph SVN — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 17:40:58 GMT

[quote user="Mark Hedberg"]

BSc (Hons) in Veterinary Nursing. Modules you can choose include Exotics and Wildlife; you can do it part time and full time!

http://www.caw.ac.uk/courses/vn/vndlt.aspx

It's available from The College of Animal Welfare. The one available from our Edinburgh centre is in association with Napier University, the one available from our Huntingdon and RVC centre is in association with Middlesex University. Contact details are available on the link.

[/quote]

Thanks I didn't know this! Im currently studying my vet nursing at CAW Potters Bar so this would be useful to look in to! Thanks :)

Re: Progressing career to wild animal work

Mark Hedberg — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:21:24 GMT

At risk of sounding like a broken record, if you want to continue your education, there is a BSc (Hons) in Veterinary Nursing. Modules you can choose include Exotics and Wildlife; you can do it part time and full time!

http://www.caw.ac.uk/courses/vn/vndlt.aspx

Kind regards,

Mark

Re: Progressing career to wild animal work

Steph SVN — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:52:47 GMT

[quote user="emmadilemma"]

Check out the jobs section there`s one there at the minute for monkey world

[/quote]

Thanks for that! Have had a look, unfortunately doesn't apply to me at the moment, as i said above, as I am currently training so want to carry on with that first but thank you very much! x

Re: Progressing career to wild animal work

emmadilemma — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:35:15 GMT

Check out the jobs section there`s one there at the minute for monkey world

Re: Progressing career to wild animal work

Steph SVN — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:12:43 GMT

BUMPING! Just in case anyone else has any info that hasn't seen this! Thanks x

Re: Progressing career to wild animal work

Steph SVN — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:36:20 GMT

[quote user="Princess Ophelia Hermione MacBeth"]

Hi,

Try contacting Bridget Fry at Twycross zoo. She's the research manager there. She trained as a vet nurse and then did a zoology degree. I used to locum with her many moons ago. Good luck.

[/quote]

Thanks very much I shall give that a go.One of my college friends has just informed me that one of the lecturers at college used to do zoological nursing so will se if she can give me any headers too! Thanks.

Re: Progressing career to wild animal work

Louise B — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:26:03 GMT

Hi,

Try contacting Bridget Fry at Twycross zoo. She's the research manager there. She trained as a vet nurse and then did a zoology degree. I used to locum with her many moons ago. Good luck.

Re: Progressing career to wild animal work

Steph SVN — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:10:05 GMT

That sounds interesting :) Thanks

Im going to have to do some research in to it i think.

If anyone else has any info that would be great thanks!

Re: Progressing career to wild animal work

emmadilemma — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 13:30:03 GMT

I want to work with wildlife too .... am doing that City and Guilds exotics certificate at the minute and am gonna start volunteering at a wildlife hospital in the summer to get some experience.

I looked into animal conservation type degrees but after researching the kinds of jobs it would lead to i realised i would prefer more hands on work in wildlife rescue.