Changing careers to become a vet nurse......any advice :)

Re: Changing careers to become a vet nurse......any advice :)

Shane — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 12:42:51 GMT

I feel so bad about everyone looking for TP's. I've personally had to write 25 rejection letters this week for people looking for a student placement. It's horrible

Re: Changing careers to become a vet nurse......any advice :)

Sheila Synnott — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 19:11:47 GMT

I got back from another bad day at the office today to find my cats waiting for me and cuddling me for comfort. Its as if they knew lol! Knowing that I am going to be doing my dream job (hopefully) in a few months is the only thing stopping me from handing in my notice right now. Fingers crossed I will get a place in a TP soon :)

Re: Changing careers to become a vet nurse......any advice :)

Karen S — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:57:55 GMT

[quote user="Shane"]

don't forget my wine....

lol

[/quote]

Hell no! I have already starting looking, no kidding!

Re: Changing careers to become a vet nurse......any advice :)

Shane — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:46:27 GMT

stupid double posting grrrr

Re: Changing careers to become a vet nurse......any advice :)

Shane — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:45:22 GMT

don't forget my wine....

lol

Re: Changing careers to become a vet nurse......any advice :)

Karen S — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:41:01 GMT

I am one of them. Having worked in IT all my life and accounts, i finally decided at age 32 i was done with office work. The turning point came for me last year when my horse went into surgery and i was allowed to stand in and watch - and i realised on the spot i was in the wrong job. So began my search to study... I am from the UK but currently living in South Africa and i was unable to find an equine specific VN course over here, but i found one in the UK.... so i now do loads of flying...

I am loving it, it is hard work, hard study, long hours with my vet, but i could not be happier right now. I always wanted to be a vet but my family would not support me in it, nor pay for me to study. Truth is i would still like to be a vet but i am starting with the VN route first. Its late in my life but what can i do? Its now or never, and rather now than when im 60 and look back and say "if only...".

Dont die with any "if onlys"... that is my motto. Today i even went and brougth my Littmann stethoscope which im thrilled with. You wont look back im sure of that :)

Re: Changing careers to become a vet nurse......any advice :)

Sheila Synnott — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 23:58:41 GMT

Awwww that would be amazing thank you very much :). Kingfisher was the first place I was going to try when I went home :).

Re: Changing careers to become a vet nurse......any advice :)

johannapage — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 23:50:31 GMT

woohooo, Taunton isnt far from me!! Ill have a chat with the head nurse at Kingfisher (think they are a TP) and see if she knows of any vacancies for you!

Re: Changing careers to become a vet nurse......any advice :)

Sheila Synnott — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 20:40:55 GMT

Thanks so much for the advice! I am at the moment trying to get some voluntary work at my local vets on saturdays but for about 5 years in a row when I was a teenager I worked for the summer hols in a vets surgery helping out with the animal care/cleaning out and shadowing a vet doing operations and consultations. I know its not all cuddling cute animals etc and was even present when animals were pts as the vet wanted me to see every aspect of the job. I learnt so much and I really have no idea why I didnt pursue the career then. But these things happen.

I have already done the budgeting and after cutting down on bills etc and moving back home I will be ok with the money side of things. I know the career is never going to make me a millionaire but job satisfaction and the feeling like I really am making a difference is better than a large pay packet.

I am in London at the moment but will be moving back to Taunton, Somerset. I am going down there for a couple of weeks in August so will be doing a tour of the TP there having a chat with the head nurse to try and secure a placement. To be honest I am so unhappy in my current job if they offered me a place I would start whenever they wanted me to lol.

Just really cant wait to start now! :)

Re: Changing careers to become a vet nurse......any advice :)

johannapage — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 20:24:37 GMT

lots of determination!!

any experience is great

this wont help but you need to kow the bad bits as well, you may not be on minimum wage when u start

i did my two years of training below min wage - as its classed as an apprenticship employers dont have to pay u NMW.

where abouts in the country are you?

Re: Changing careers to become a vet nurse......any advice :)

albatross — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 12:42:58 GMT

Congratulations on your decision to change careers.
I did the same thing five years ago at the age of 42. I finally start my official VN training next month (it has taken that long to secure a place, partly because of age, partly location, and partly not being in the right place at the right time).

The best advice I can give is to work voluntarily, part time, or any work experience at all in the animal field, preferably a vet practice.
There's a hidden sort of points system to being able to secure a place to train as a VN.
The first seems to be who you know rather than what you know (yes I do personally know people who got a place to train just like that because their mum was a friend of the vet, or they used a practice and found that someone was leaving adn the job was never advertised).

Next if they go by what you know, they want experience working with animals not just owning them as pets.
They prefer you to have a year or more's experience in a practice, and better still in a TP.

So send out a cv to every practice locally, no matter whether a TP or not (you can get a list of TP's from the RCVS website), and then also apply for local charities, animal sanctuaries, wildlife parks. If necessary volunteer to work a day or so a week just to get your foot in the door. Once you have some animal experience then you can move onto vet related experience.

Think about doing an animal related care course as well which will help.

Most actual training places are minimum wage so you will need to think about whether you can afford to take the job even by moving back home. Although places say they prefer mature students, the differences between minimum wages for 18,21, and over definitely has a detrimental affect on gaining a placement if you are older.

good luck, and keep looking on all websites for animal related jobs, and prepare yourself for the fact you may have to relocate to get a position, depending on the area of the country you are in.