Cert VN ECC

RE: Cert VN ECC

nikki84 — Sun, 04 Feb 2018 11:53:54 GMT

No problem!

I think they have updated the course material now from what I've heard to say the study time per week has increased but I may be wrong?

Book wise I bought copies of the BSAVA ECC Manual and also Practical Emergency and Critical Care Veterinary Nursing by Paul Aldridge and Louise O'Dwyer. Both books really helped. At the end of each outcome though they do give you references to some website they used which are helpful. I did find that registering for an account for the Vet Times and Vet Nurse Times online was a good idea to look back over previous articles. Overall the internet will be by far the easiest option to find references and do further reading - especially for exotics!

The course is time consuming and there will be days where you won't want to study - so don't! You have to find a sensible balance for the work and your home life. Once you get in the swing of things I'm sure you will be fine. I don't' have children but do work full time including weekends, bank holidays and on call. I had to be sensible and set study days, so when i worked a late shift i didn't do any work when I got home but then I'd dedicate one of the days over the weekend to sitting at my laptop writing assignments.

The only part of the course which I did find frustrating was the exams. Once a year they have the exams just in Scotland (March) and the 2nd set of exams they have Surrey and Scotland options. I travelled to Scotland to sit them which is a long way from Kent but incorporated a few fun things while I was there too so it didn't just feel like an expensive trip to sit 3 exam papers!

RE: Cert VN ECC

Bluewood — Sat, 03 Feb 2018 07:31:49 GMT

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply. So many people have said it takes more time per week than the course states - maybe they need to update their course info! I'm so tempted by this course as it being distance learning really suits me but I'm worried about the time issue due to jugging work and children. Which books did you need to buy/find useful for the course?

RE: Cert VN ECC

nikki84 — Fri, 26 Jan 2018 21:59:59 GMT

Hi!

I completed the Vets Now ECC course last year so hope I can help a bit. It is a very in depth course with alot of info which you need to take in and learn! They suggest 5 hours per week but realistically you will need to do more than this to ensure you have done sufficient background reading to complete the assignments for each unit. I think on average i was doing a minimum of 15hours a week to fit everything in!

You're provided with a great set of course notes however, the sections which are based around your assignments are a bit sketchy which makes you go and research the subjects fully.

The assignment questions are vague but this actually gets you thinking more about the questions and cases you can apply them too. The tutor help and online forum is great for asking questions.

I found the course beneficial and I learnt alot from it. I have been nursing just over 17years and I still found things in the course I didn'y know or hadn't heard of before. I learnt alot of new tips which I can use in clinic every day for just basic monitoring etc.

If you'e interested in ECC I would recommend it as long as you are prepared to spent 18month with your head in books! You need to be organised and work to deadlines but that shouldn't put you off