Working in the Netherlands

RE: Working in the Netherlands

therainyj — Wed, 22 Jun 2016 23:27:28 GMT

Hey,

If you speak fluent Dutch you may be able to get a job at a vets, but if you don't then you will struggle. I had no luck after three years of living there despite learning passable Dutch and having a pretty good CV.

Best idea is to write an open solicitation to as many vets as you can, try calling and visiting any of them who will give you the time of day. The Dutch can be quite abrupt so don't take it personally if you're not used to it.

Good luck, hope you're more successful than I was

therainyj

RE: Working in the Netherlands

Carola Leman — Wed, 22 Jun 2016 10:36:19 GMT

We have a position opening up for a student soon.

We are near London Stansted airport.

www.stortvet.com

RE: Working in the Netherlands

Madeline Heys — Wed, 22 Jun 2016 10:24:51 GMT

Not really, I used to live in Sheffield, and there are a few places I wouldn´t really like to live but I´m quite open to anything really! I have been working as a trainee here in the Netherlands for a few months already, and while I really like the work here, it would be wonderful to qualify as a British Vet Nurse.

RE: Working in the Netherlands

Carola Leman — Sun, 19 Jun 2016 13:28:11 GMT

Is there a specific area of the UK you are looking for?

RE: Working in the Netherlands

Madeline Heys — Sun, 19 Jun 2016 12:50:22 GMT

Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions Carola. I would actually prefer to study in the UK, but unfortunately it is a matter of cost and availability. Here it will cost me 2500euro for 2 years, and in the UK its much much more obviously. I have applied for several work-traineeships in the UK but have had no luck as of yet!

RE: Working in the Netherlands

Carola Leman — Thu, 16 Jun 2016 16:59:28 GMT

Hello Madeline,

First of all I would really recommend doing your nurse training in the UK. It is a much better system and much more knowledgeable.

But if you are in the Netherlands that will make it difficult. The BVNA is not in charge at looking at foreign qualifications it's the RCVS that deals with this.

When I did my training there were only 2 colleges. Barneveld and Helicon Oss (which then moved to Nijmegen).

Barneveld was seen as the better college I don't know if the is still the case.

I qualified from Helicon Nijmegen. And I am a registered RVN with the RCVS. The course is no where near as good as the UK one.

I have had a student from Helicon Nijmegen over he last 2 yeas and she just qualified and has taken a permanent position as RVN at my company.

I hope that this answers all your questions

Carola

RE: Working in the Netherlands

Madeline Heys — Thu, 16 Jun 2016 16:28:42 GMT

Hi Carola! I''m so glad I saw this. I´m British, living in the Netherlands and hoping to be able to go back someday and use my qualification there... I have emailed the British Assosiation of Vet Nurses and everything was so confusing. I understood the process I would have to go through, but there are no guarantees that a MBO qualification will be accepted. I am British, but live in the UK and currently work as a paraveterinair in opleiding. Im trying to choose which college to go to. Where did you study? I know barneveld is seen as the best, but I'm not willing to follow a four year course!! The options i''m considering are Nijmegen Helicon and the CursesCentrum in Barneveld. Thanks for posting! Madeline

RE: Working in the Netherlands

Johanna Van zoelen — Mon, 28 Dec 2015 15:09:50 GMT

Yeah thats true it Ha little translation bits I forgot about that! I will just have to get my diploma translated then

RE: Working in the Netherlands

Carola Leman — Mon, 28 Dec 2015 14:59:19 GMT

Isn't the uitreksel in several languages? Including English?

Yes I did get my diploma translated

RE: Working in the Netherlands

Johanna Van zoelen — Mon, 28 Dec 2015 14:53:33 GMT

Okay great! I will probably just have to get an official translation from both that and my diploma, do you remember if you had to?

RE: Working in the Netherlands

Carola Leman — Mon, 28 Dec 2015 14:51:44 GMT

I had the same problem,

You have to go where your parents registered you. I have one. got it in 2012.

But thinking about it. I used a uitreksel for the RCVS registration. So that should be all you need really?

RE: Working in the Netherlands

Johanna Van zoelen — Mon, 28 Dec 2015 14:45:51 GMT

Alright thanks that is a good idea :)! I'll try and ask around at the practices nearby and look into those webinars.

i'll go back to the gemeemtehuis next time I'm back in Holland, when I tried to get one a couple of years back they could only give me an uitreksel van het het geboorteregister, but they said they couldn't give me a proper birth certificate, but I guess it's kind off the same.

thank you you've been a great help!

RE: Working in the Netherlands

Carola Leman — Mon, 28 Dec 2015 14:10:16 GMT

Hello Johanna,

What I would do if I was you is speak to local vets and see if you can do some voluntary nursing. Just to get your skills back. That will also give you an idea if that is the path you want to go on and work as a VN here.

Also try and do some CPD, there are loads of free webinars online you can access and get an update on products etc.

I can't remember what I did as a reference, I worked at a vet as a VN when I registered with the RCVS so I might have got one of the vets to write me a reference. (if you do some voluntary work that vet might write you one?)

Holland does have birth certificates. I got one from the gemeentehuis few years ago in the town I was born (and therefore first registered there).

I did not have a confirmation from the Dutch diergeneeskunderegister as I was never registered with them, I moved to the UK as soon as finished my exams. So all I had was my diploma.

This was in 2008 (qualified in 2004 but then employer told me I could not register with the RCVS. I now know this was so they didn't have to pay me as a RVN just a VN and not pay for CPD and registration etc) so a lot might have changed.

RE: Working in the Netherlands

Johanna Van zoelen — Mon, 28 Dec 2015 10:36:24 GMT

Hi carola,

thank you for answering! I did contact the rcvs about registering but i was quite confused by all the things I had to hand in, the references you need to give are those from vets you have worked at, or just most recent jobs? My biggest issue is that I got my diploma so long ago and never actually worked as a vet nurse so I don't know if my knowledge is up to date enough and having no nursing work experience (aside the two internships during studying) so also not sure what references I need to put up.

in holland we don't have proper birth certificates, what did you give them instead of that?

how did you get the official confirmation of the Dutch regulatory body?

yeah there seem to be quite a fair amount of vet nurse jobs out there, I worked at a boarding kennel in the uk for the past 1,5 year but I just didn't agree with the way they would treat the dogs so now I am just exploring my options.

RE: Working in the Netherlands

Carola Leman — Mon, 28 Dec 2015 09:25:23 GMT

Hello Johanna,

I qualified in the Netherlands in 2004 (Helicon).

The diploma you gained in the Netherlands is valid in the UK (or anywhere in the EU really) and you can get registered in the UK with the RCVS.

The first registration is a bit more expensive and there is paperwork involved and it takes about 3 months (well if did back then).

http://www.rcvs.org.uk/registration/how-to-register/overseas-qualified-veterinary-nurses/

All the details are described there.

At my company we have just taken on a dutch student who will join our team and once qualified (june) will also go on the RCVS register.

I hope this helps? If not feel free to ask. There us a shortage of nurses everywhere so you should find a job no trouble

RE: Working in the Netherlands

Johanna Van zoelen — Mon, 28 Dec 2015 01:03:23 GMT

Hi, I know this is an old post but I have my Dutch diploma for veterinary nursing (although I got that 9 years ago) and contemplating to try and get registered in the UK, I was just wondering if you could give me some tips on the how and what in doing so as you have done it carola.

I got my diploma about 9 years ago but haven't actually worked in a vet practice because I got a job as a zookeeper at a Dutch zoo. I moved to England 2 years ago and have been working at a kennel but I'm looking for a change of job now and exploring my options

RE: Working in the Netherlands

Carola Leman — Tue, 03 Feb 2015 17:19:09 GMT

Your welcome,

No i did the opposite. I qualified in the Netherlands and moved here to work over here.

I supposed once you know what area you will be moving to, sending your CV to local vets might be worth doing? I know there are not as many jobs as there are nurses out there so it's very competitive.

The standard of the college, exams and training is a lot higher in the UK as it is in the Netherlands so that will work to your advantage, though if you do not speak dutch that is a disadvantage.

Good luck

RE: Working in the Netherlands

Abby Stuchbury — Tue, 03 Feb 2015 14:47:14 GMT

Thankyou! That is really helpful that website, thankfully my partner speaks flemish dutch! Carola are you out there already practising? xx

RE: Working in the Netherlands

Carola Leman — Mon, 02 Feb 2015 18:43:42 GMT

In the Netherlands (and Belgium) there are 2 words for Veterinary Nurse:

Dierenarts Assistente or Paraveterinair

Have you had a look on:

http://www.vetjobs.nl/vacature/vacature-paraveterinair

RE: Working in the Netherlands

Abby Stuchbury — Fri, 30 Jan 2015 15:05:29 GMT

If you hear of anything, please let me know as i plan to go out to Belgium/netherlands next year and am wondering how to go about it!

Abby