Wiki

Tasks performed by veterinary nurses and veterinary nursing assistants

This page has been created to try and build and exhaustive list of the tasks carried out by registered veterinary nurses AND veterinary nursing assistants.

Inclusion on this list does NOT imply that the task can be legally performed by a nurse or veterinary nursing assistant, it is currently just a list of things that might be. 

In due course, we will categorise the list here according to whether they are Schedule 3 tasks (ie only allowed to be performed by a registered veterinary nurse).

What should be added to the list, please add your suggestion and the category BELOW THE LINE!

General

  • Caring for hospitalised animals
  • Planning nursing care
  • Administration of medication
  • Dispensing of medication to clients
  • Placement of feeding tubes
  • Placement of catheters, intravenous
  • Placement of catheters, urinary
  • Setting up & administration of intravenous fluids
  • Administration of vaccinations (Primary/boosters)
  • Administration of medicines by subcutaneous injection
  • Administration of medicines by intravenous injection
  • Administration of medicines by intramuscular injection
  • Dispensing of medications to clients
  • Administration of other preventative POM-Vs
  • Dental hygiene work
  • Clinical cleaning
  • Taking blood samples
  • Removal of sutures
  • Tick removal
  • Nail clipping
  • Anal gland/sac emptying
  • Post-op checks
  • ear flush
  • Teaching students
  • Visiting clients
  • Reception work
  • Practice Admin
  • General domestic cleaning
  • Microchipping
  • Enemas
  • CPR
  • Physiotherapy

Clinics

  • Nutritional advice/counselling
  • Behaviour consultations
  • Nurse clinic (general health)/counselling
  • Parasite advice/counselling
  • Geriatric clinics
  • Weight clinics
  • Dental check ups
  • Puppy parties
  • Adolescent health check
  • Exotic pet clinics

Minor Surgery

  • Lump removal
  • Wound suturing & management 
  • Tail amputation
  • Dew claw removal
  • Amputation (toe)
  • Castration (cat)
  • Biopsy
  • Aural haematoma
  • Performing dental extractions
  • Castration (calf)
  • Disbudding (calf)
  • Supernumary teat removal
  • Lance/flush/drain abscesses
  • Placing central lines 
  • Skin closure after procedure
  • Dressing changes/removal
  • Subcutaneous drain placement

Anaesthesia

  • Administration of anaesthetic pre-medication
  • Administering local anaesthesia
  • Induction of anaesthesia by increment or by set dose
  • Monitoring of anaesthesia
  • Phlebotomy 
  • Placement of intravenous line

Diagnostics

  • Laboratory test performing and interpreting e.g. in house cytology and blood smears
  • Taking radiographs
  • Processing radiographs
  • Ultrasound (assisting?)
  • Endoscopy (assisting?)
  • TB testing
  • Performing CT Scans
  • Performing ECG

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