Being a student vet nurse is an exciting challenge, and you will be given a whole variety of daily tasks to take on. In this blog, we explore the roles and responsibilities of a student veterinary nurse so you can get an idea of what the position entails.
What is a student veterinary nurse?
The position of a student veterinary nurse is fairly similar to that of a vet nurse, but involves training for the qualification on the job. To become a qualified veterinary nurse, you will either study full-time for the RCVS level three diploma in veterinary nursing or study part-time alongside having a part-time job at a veterinary practice.
In either situation, you must enrol as a student veterinary nurse with the RCVS while you are training and complete a minimum of 60 full-time weeks of practical experience within an RCVS registered training practice.
What are the roles and responsibilities of a student vet nurse?
Below are just some of the roles and responsibilities of a student vet nurse. It’s important to note that students are vet nurses in training so will be supervised when carrying out some of these tasks, especially in the early stages.
Administering medications, anaesthetics and injections
A key part of any student veterinary nurse’s position is being able to give patients medications and injections as required to keep them healthy and ensure they are prepared for any surgery or procedures they have to undertake.
Preparing animals for surgery
A common feature of working in a veterinary practice is surgery on sick or injured animals. The vet surgeon will require the assistance of a veterinary nurse to get the animal ready for surgery, administering any anesthetics (as mentioned above) but also making sure they are comfortable, hydrated and in the correct position.
Holding and monitoring animals during operations
A veterinary nurse will also be required throughout the surgery or operation to hold animals in the correct position, supply implements as needed and generally monitor the health and wellbeing of the animal while the surgeon carries out the procedure.
Maintaining, sterilising and laying out surgical equipment
As mentioned above, a student veterinary nurse will also be required to sterilise and supply the appropriate surgical equipment for a particular procedure.
Cleaning up after surgery
Following the preparation for and assistance during the surgery, a student veterinary nurse might also be required to clean and sterilise the room after a procedure has taken place.
Undertaking diagnostic tests
Outside of the realm of surgery, veterinary nurses will also be required to carry out diagnostic tests, such as blood tests, urine tests, x-rays and perhaps some basic physical examinations. They may also need to bring the results to the vet responsible for the patient once they are ready.
Preparing and sending off laboratory samples
On a similar note, when samples need to be sent to a laboratory for testing, it will be the responsibility of the vet nurse to prepare and send those off in a safe and timely manner (as well as tracking progress and waiting for the results).
Take notes during consultations
A student vet nurse may be asked to take notes for the vet while they are in consultation with a client and their animal. This helps the vet to keep a record of the visit, and will also help the student in their practical training.
So, there you have some of the main roles and responsibilities of a student vet nurse! It is an exciting and unpredictable job, however, so you may find yourself doing other tasks as well. It’s a job that changes on a daily basis!
If you are currently looking for a part-time or full-time position as a veterinary nurse, you can browse our vet nurse vacancies.