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Diploma in veterinary Nursing

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  • 08-07-2011 10:19am
    #1
    falabo
    Registered Users Posts: 651 ✭✭✭


    Hi all

    looking for some advice. I decided to re-train, change my life and finally do what I want to do. I wamt to work with animals and would love to be a veterinary nurse

    I know there has been threads aboutt his but they go back to 2008 and was wondering if I could get some advise from anyone

    I would be a mature student, current;y in full employment (nothing to do with animals). no experience working with animals.

    does the rule of finding a job 20 hours per week at a vet that is registered with UCD still apply ? I just cant imgaine a vet taking anybody one, 1 year before you can even apply for the course !

    what would be the best route for me ?

    I have read the content of the course and really really find it interesting. many thanks for your opinions and foir sharing your experiences


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    #2
    Whistlejacket
    Registered Users Posts: 241 ✭✭Whistlejacket


    Hi Falabo,

    The UCD Diploma in veterinary nursing has been replaced by a full time 4 year degree. There are also 4 other colleges offering accredited veterinary nursing courses that allow you to register with the Veterinary Council of Ireland in order to practice veterinary nursing in the state. They are St Johns College, Cork (2 years full time) plus the ITs in Dundalk, Athlone and Letterkenny (all 3 years full time). You can find more information about individual courses on the various colleges' websites. A variety of other colleges offer a range of animal care courses but these do not enable you to register with the VCI.

    If you are applying as a mature student the college will want to see that you have as much relevant animal experience as possible, so spending as much time as you can in a variety of veterinary practices alongside registered veterinary nurses is really important. Oftentimes the reality of the job can be quite different from what people expect so it's important that you get a chance to see for yourself what it's really like.

    It's a tough job and nurses are often not very well paid for the skills they have and the hours they put in. However if you get some hands on experience and are sure it's for you then it is a very rewarding job. You can also get more information about the profession from the Irish veterinary nursing association (www.ivna.ie)

    Best wishes with it


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    #3
    falabo
    Registered Users Posts: 651 ✭✭✭falabo


    Thank you very much for that. I simply could not go back to college full time, as I need an income, regarding how little but would need to get something.

    Many thanks :(


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    #4
    ppink
    Registered Users Posts: 1,458 ✭✭✭ppink


    No chance you could do it distance learning Falabo...........the theory part only I suppose?
    Or have you looked abroad?


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    #5
    Sparkie93
    Registered Users Posts: 101 ✭✭Sparkie93


    i was just wondering i have applied to a one year course in animal care if i do that can i apply for the second year in st johns after?


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    #6
    boomerang
    Registered Users Posts: 3,189 ✭✭✭boomerang


    If you want to do vet nursing in St. John's, as of this year's intake (September 2011) they now require that you do your two years in Cork - ie Level 5 Animal Care and then Level 6 Vet Nursing.

    I just finished a Level 5 Animal Care course in Limerick and now have to do it again in St. John's before I can progress on to their Level 6 vet nursing course. Doh!


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    #7
    SophieSakura
    Closed Accounts Posts: 261 ✭✭SophieSakura


    Yeah St John's is very hard to get into, and you can't get straight into the 2nd year anymore :(

    I just finished a 2 year (level 6) animal science course in Mallow and have a year's work experience with a vet and I got into the first year in St John's, but my friend didn't get in. Even though she did the same course and loads of work experience with a vet all year. :confused: I have no idea why they didn't let her in, since most other people at the interviews had a lot less experience and only a few had level 5 courses done, I don't think anyone else had a level 6 course done.

    So I think for St John's it's useful to have other things too, and really exaggerate things so they're impressed :) Like do a bit of volunteering or whatever. I told them about handrearing kittens, baby rabbits and a baby guinea pig, taking in stray cats and feral kittens, breeding guinea pigs and bunnies, dog grooming, fundraising for rescues, etc. Even if it doesn't seem like a big deal, just mention everything you've done that has anything to do with animals.


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    #8
    Sparkie93
    Registered Users Posts: 101 ✭✭Sparkie93


    its probably too late to apply now i wish i'd seen this course sooner


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    #9
    SophieSakura
    Closed Accounts Posts: 261 ✭✭SophieSakura


    Sparkie93 wrote: »
    its probably too late to apply now i wish i'd seen this course sooner

    Well they only take people into St John's who have experience with a vet, so it's good to do another course first and try to do one day a week work experience with a vet, and then they'll probably let you in next year. :)


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    #10
    igucre
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1 ✭igucre


    SophieSakura wrote: »
    Yeah St John's is very hard to get into, and you can't get straight into the 2nd year anymore :(

    I just finished a 2 year (level 6) animal science course in Mallow and have a year's work experience with a vet and I got into the first year in St John's, but my friend didn't get in. Even though she did the same course and loads of work experience with a vet all year. :confused: I have no idea why they didn't let her in, since most other people at the interviews had a lot less experience and only a few had level 5 courses done, I don't think anyone else had a level 6 course done.

    So I think for St John's it's useful to have other things too, and really exaggerate things so they're impressed :) Like do a bit of volunteering or whatever. I told them about handrearing kittens, baby rabbits and a baby guinea pig, taking in stray cats and feral kittens, breeding guinea pigs and bunnies, dog grooming, fundraising for rescues, etc. Even if it doesn't seem like a big deal, just mention everything you've done that has anything to do with animals.

    I've just finished level 5 Animal Care in Mallow & I'm wondering if the level 6 will be approved by the VCI, have you heard anything since you are finished level 6?


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