VCA and ANA course, Differences?

Re: VCA and ANA course, Differences?

Vicky RVN — Mon, 14 Jul 2014 00:29:20 GMT

I've seen people do both the ANA and the VCA and both have gone on to be brilliant VNs! So, do whichever course suits you.

Re: VCA and ANA course, Differences?

Sal the 1st — Sun, 13 Jul 2014 22:57:05 GMT

I am a green book too - so that must mean hair dye is a green book thing - dont know what colour my hair is classed as at the moment, probably geriatric mouse

Re: VCA and ANA course, Differences?

nursenat — Sun, 13 Jul 2014 22:12:45 GMT

Lol! Let's say my mentor qualified with the little green book...and she does colour her hair too...she calls it a pale blonde...but... ;-) Oh dear I will get in trouble when she reads this :-D

Re: VCA and ANA course, Differences?

Sal the 1st — Sun, 13 Jul 2014 22:02:14 GMT

- but I cant afford any more grey hairs - people will start thinking I am old! theres only so much you can do with hair dye these days

Re: VCA and ANA course, Differences?

nursenat — Sun, 13 Jul 2014 21:57:13 GMT

He he Sal! It caused my mentor no end of grey hairs too! (She's a member on here so may confirm this if she see's this post lol!). Let's just say it wasn't very structured, a bit repetitive and sometimes confusing in what exactly was being asked, but all in all I must say I did learn a fair bit and obviously it has helped me to progress onto the VN diploma. It just doesn't help anyone when they keep adding to the various different course types. I know they have to make improvements but just provide one nationally recognised level 2 course designed for nursing auxiliaries or to act as a pre VN diploma course which will be familiar to everyone!

Re: VCA and ANA course, Differences?

Nick Shackleton — Sun, 13 Jul 2014 19:50:36 GMT

I was annoyed at first having to do it. But really enjoyed it and gave me an insight and helped when it came to doing the nursing course

Re: VCA and ANA course, Differences?

Sal the 1st — Sun, 13 Jul 2014 19:39:18 GMT

[quote user="Nick Shackleton"]Go back to the pre-veterinary nursing days I say a lot less confusing. We attended college one day a week for a year. Covering everything from anatomy and physiology to basic nursing skills. We had a task book that needed to be signed off and sit an exam. This qualification then led on to nurse training

[/quote]

life would be so much easier - I remember supporting two through this when it very first came out which would be late 80's early 90's - and they both turned out to be damn good nurses

Re: VCA and ANA course, Differences?

Nick Shackleton — Sun, 13 Jul 2014 19:33:13 GMT

Go back to the pre-veterinary nursing days I say a lot less confusing. We attended college one day a week for a year. Covering everything from anatomy and physiology to basic nursing skills. We had a task book that needed to be signed off and sit an exam. This qualification then led on to nurse training

Re: VCA and ANA course, Differences?

Elerrina — Sun, 13 Jul 2014 13:41:47 GMT

[quote user="Meow1950"]

No offence meant Elerrina, but where I'm from the vet nursing college only offers ANA, so employers recognise it and know what it entails. If you study VCA you would have to do it online and you wouldn't therefore be on a placement gaining practical experience, which employers like. That's specific to here though, I'm unaware of what it's like in the rest of the UK. So I suppose it depends were you're from

[/quote]

Well you obviously have never looked into what the VCA is. You HAVE to be in a placement to do it. You do a variety of practical tasks and assessments. You just have an online tutor rather than going to college one day a week instead. I think the VCA is purely an online course and I can see why some workplaces would prefer it as you're not losing an employee for one day of the week.

Also I did the VCA last year, the MCQ tests were not treated as exams and we did them at home in our own time.

Re: VCA and ANA course, Differences?

Sal the 1st — Sun, 13 Jul 2014 11:52:17 GMT

wouldnt it be so much better if instead of having so many different courses/ qualifications/postnominals there was just one lot for which ever level people were working at? its so confusing and unnecessary even to the people that are studying for them. There are so many post nominals out there now that most people (apart from the ones who are using them) dont actually have a bloody clue what they stand for and care even less.

Re: VCA and ANA course, Differences?

Meow1950 — Sun, 13 Jul 2014 08:15:49 GMT

This is interesting. I wondered why most of the English companies here referred to ANAs as VCAs (e.g. Vets4Pets, PDSA etc). Makes sense now that that must be a more recognised title over there. You learn something every day! But yeah it's not available here unless it's online or PDSA can let their employees study for it but no college attendance unless they go to England for a few days or something. Only option for everyone else is ANA with college attendance of 1 day a week for a year and 20 hours placement a week. We're crap, lol!! And we did complain that there were topics not covered that we did regularly but our tutor said the reason they weren't covered was because technically we shouldn't be doing them as ANAs. But you know how it is you end up doing a lot more in actual practice!

Re: VCA and ANA course, Differences?

Sal the 1st — Sun, 13 Jul 2014 00:24:45 GMT

ok must have changed a bit - ours was purely correspondence with no college attendance. Now you mention it I do recall the multiple choice tests :-). - I think I found it more stressful than the two students did, certainly caused me a few more grey hairs trying to get them to finish it.

Re: VCA and ANA course, Differences?

nursenat — Sat, 12 Jul 2014 23:09:25 GMT

Hi Sal, I completed the VCA course in 2012 via CAW so definitely know I sat the 3 exams! There were 3 units to complete which consisted of assignments & practical tasks and a multiple choice exam was sat at the end of each unit for which I had to attend the college to do. We had a set time to complete each exam with an invigilator present. I have 3 C&G certificates for each exam pass & an overall course certificate with my achieved grade. When my practice enrolled me on to the course I think the criteria was that we had to be an aTP (which we were) but reading the requirements now it seems this does not apply so I stand corrected! From what I gather the VCA course seems to change every year, so it may be different to when I studied it :-) The VN diploma I will be starting this September :-)

Re: VCA and ANA course, Differences?

Sal the 1st — Sat, 12 Jul 2014 21:59:19 GMT

[quote user="nursenat"]The VCA requires you to be employed at an aTP practice

[/quote]

Are you absolutely sure? because we are not a TP and I dont ever see us being one ( reason being listed nurses cannot be clinical coaches). The college was aware of this when our two were enrolled. 3 exams - not sure about that either? - are you mistaking this for the veterinary nursing diploma? which is something else entirely

http://www.caw.ac.uk/courses/veterinary-care/level-2-diploma-for-veterinary-care-assistants-vca-course/

check the entry requirements

Re: VCA and ANA course, Differences?

nursenat — Sat, 12 Jul 2014 19:34:25 GMT

The VCA requires you to be employed at an aTP practice or you would need to secure a placement at one prior to starting the course. It requires you to complete a certain amount of practical hours for the duration of the course in order to qualify. You have to sit 3 exams. Never heard if it being an online course!?? I do know the VCA course is run by City & Guilds and is provided by CAW and many other colleges/universities and in my view is a lot more involved & detailed than the ANA. In honesty I don't actually see the ANA being widely offered now as most colleges have replaced it with the VCA. It may be worth looking at the syllabus of both course to see which you'd prefer to study. Good luck!

Re: VCA and ANA course, Differences?

Sal the 1st — Sat, 12 Jul 2014 14:51:38 GMT

both of the nursing assistants where I work did the VCA - they have both worked in the practice for years and I was quite keen to get them some formal training and recognition.( the jury is still out on how successful that was) I dont really think it makes a deal of difference which one you go for or the letters you go for because both courses should give you a good background knowledge and demonstrate to a potential employer a willingness to learn - more so if the course is carried through to completion. I know one of them comes with a badge if bling is your thing and one doesn't

Re: VCA and ANA course, Differences?

Meow1950 — Sat, 12 Jul 2014 12:38:59 GMT

Re: VCA and ANA course, Differences?

Elerrina — Sat, 12 Jul 2014 12:11:57 GMT

They are both exactly the same qualification wise and actually the VCA goes into a lot more depth in certain areas than the ANA. I did the VCA and for one task had to assist in monitoring and anaesthetic, the trainee who had previously done the ANA didn't have to do anything like that.

Irritates me when people say one is better than the other, they are both exactly the same qualification, just with different letters.

Re: VCA and ANA course, Differences?

Meow1950 — Sat, 12 Jul 2014 11:28:27 GMT

In my experience the ANA course is more recognised and thought higher of (where I live anyway). Here you can get into the vet nursing course easier if you have completed the ANA. I also think it is recognised by the RCVS where as the other one isn't? Someobe correct me on that if I'm wrong. That's not to say the VCA isn't useful but in my experience not as much :)