Veterinary Nurses
Veterinary Nurses at Isabelle Vets have undergone extensive training to provide a high level of care for your pets. They provide a complementary level of care to our veterinary services and provide the Practice with skills unique to themselves. Veterinary Nurses come under their own arm of The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and provide many essential services to the Practice. They are highly skilled in intensive nursing of hospitalized pets, provide major support in the operating theatre, prepare the pets and the facilities for surgery and undertake many essential tasks in the practice.
We are now offering a 'Veterinary Nurse Clinic every weekday afternoon where they can help assist with your pet and provide a multitude of services, some of them free of charge, others at a fee substantially lower than that charged by a vet in a consultation. Many of the services are unique to the nursing profession and their care and attention is widely prized by the Practice.
Veterinary Nurses Services include:
New animal health checks and general health checks, aimed at educating the client.
The nurses will discuss subjects such as:
- Vaccination
- Worming
- Flea control and treatments
- Diet
- Preventative dental care
- Insurance
- Microchipping
- Neutering
- Behaviour and training
- Breed and species problems and solutions
This health check is aimed at owners that have a newly acquired animal and wish to learn about care for their pet. Whether it be a new 8 week old puppy or a 5 year old rescued rabbit, the client has the opportunity for a one-on-one consultation with a nurse to have answered any questions and to ensure that the client is doing everything possible to care for their pet. This may be combined with a veterinary consultation and or vaccination.
Dental Check
A general health check, concentrating on teeth and gums, allowing the Veterinary Nurse to discuss preventative dental care and to demonstrate brushing and other dental care procedures. If they believe that dental disease exists they will refer you to a veterinary surgeon. This is a Free of Charge Service.
Clip Nails Teeth and Beaks
Clipping the nails of any species, teeth of small mammals and rabbits and trimming of bird's beaks.
Senior Pet Health Check
We believe that dogs over 8 years of age and cats over 10 years should be seen as 'senior citizens' and will benefit from regular veterinary health checks. The Veterinary Nurse 'Senior Pet Health Checks' provide an opportunity to discuss appropriate diets, weight with relation to arthritis, dieting, dental care, exercise, general health etc. If there is any indication of health problems veterinary referral will be provided and in many cases these clinics work best with a veterinary clinical examination along side a nursing general health appraisal. The Senior Clinic is Free of Charge for our clients.
Microchip Implantation
Microchipping is becoming seen as an essential and efficient way of ensuring that your pet doesn't get lost. A relatively small one off payment provides lifelong identification through the small (size of a grain of rice) microchip placed under your pet's skin. The nurse can undertake this procedure.
Medication administration
Our nurses are qualified to undertake at a veterinary surgeons instruction administration of worm/flea treatment and ongoing drug therapy whether it be daily or weekly. Again, this can help reduce veterinary costs and provide you with a rapid, efficient service..
Removal of Sutures or Staples
Simple routine removal of sutures/staples. This will also give the nurse the opportunity to check the operation wound and the general post-operation condition of the animal.
Dressing Changes
The nurses are fully trained in bandage and dressing techniques and will change or remove dressings and assess wound healing
Weight Clinic
Obesity is a major problem with our pets and in serious cases dietary control is essential. Successful dieting requires careful planning and suitable nutrients Our nurses run 'Weight Clinics' with a first consultation to explain weight loss the setting up of a diet/exercise plan and follow up consultations for weighing and assessment of animals progress. This is a Free of Charge service.
Tick Removal
Ticks are common causes of localized skin disease. Removal is not always easy. Our nurses will remove ticks, clean the wounds and discuss preventative measures.
Veterinary Nurse Training at Isabelle Vets
Many clients may wonder what training a Veterinary Nurse has undertaken at the Practice. We are proud of our staff and it is important that our clients recognise the skills, abilities and dedication that they possess.
Isabelle Vets is a well-established and successful Training Practice (TP) for Veterinary Nurses. Our pass rate so far is 100% and this can be attributed to dedicated, hard-working Student Nurses and supportive staff.
There are currently 1,289 TPs in the United Kingdom & Channel Islands and Isabelle Vets is considered to be in the top 5% - based on Student support, training facilities and examination results.
What us a TP (Training Practice)?
The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) and the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA, a governmental body) dictate certain strict criteria that have to be met to become a registered Training Practice within the NVQ (National Vocational Qualification) system. Once registered, the TPs are inspected by the RCVS twice a year to ensure standards are maintained. Also, each TP must have qualified NVQ Assessors.
Isabelle Vets currently has five assessors, lead by David Chamberlain, who have undergone the lengthy process of training and are now qualified to assess student veterinary nurses (SVNs).
How to Become a Qualified and Listed V.N.
Student Veterinary Nurses (SVNs) must undergo a period of training of no less than two years. To enroll as a student nurse with the RCVS, you must have five GCSEs (grade C or above) in English Language, Mathematics, Science (or double Science if no Maths), and two others.
The alternative is the 'Animal Nursing Auxiliary' qualification (a '5 GCSE' equivalent) - this is a one-year BVNA (British Veterinary Nursing Association) course with a small portfolio to complete at work and a 'four-section' external examination taken in the UK which is accepted in the place of the GCSE requirements for RCVS, SVN enrolment.
Once a student has been officially enrolled with the RCVS, they must complete a portfolio of Veterinary
case logs on a variety of subjects, which include: patient care, pharmacology, reception skills, nutrition, fluid therapy, intensive/barrier nursing, surgical nursing, medical nursing, laboratory techniques, radiology, microbiology & parasitology. They must also attend a 'block-release' course in the UK of four, two week periods, complete an in-Practice portfolio and external UK written and practical examinations, each year.
Success in all of these sections will qualify the trainee as a 'Listed Veterinary Nurse' who will be registered with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. The qualification is highly regarded and allows the holder to work not just as a veterinary nurse in Practice but will open many doors in jobs in research facilities, Universities, pharmaceutical companies and pet insurance. It is also recognized in many countries around the world.
What is a 'Listed V.N.'?
A 'Listed' V.N. is a qualified Veterinary Nurse whose name is entered onto a list maintained by the RCVS who may undertake a number of tasks under the direction of the Veterinary Surgeon, including:
? Nurse consultations - suture/staple removal, nail clipping, repeat doses of medication, weight monitoring
and diet advice, senior pet clinics, etc.
- Dressing changes
- Administering medication
- Nursing of in-patients (general, intensive, barrier)
- Laboratory test procedures
- Taking blood samples
- Radiography
- Anaesthesia monitoring (with a Veterinary Surgeon present)
- Theatre assistance (during surgical procedures)
ALSO: "They may administer any medical treatment or minor surgery (not entering into a body cavity) under the direction of a Veterinary Surgeon", (as quoted from 'Veterinary Surgeon's Act 1966 - advice on Schedule 3).
When a student nurse is training, they may perform any of the above
procedures, providing a Veterinary Surgeon and/or Listed V.N. directly supervise them.
The Directors of Isabelle Vets ensures that the training of its nursing staff is to a high standard, ensuring that the Practice provides clients and patients with a professional and caring service.
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Veterinary Nurses - March 2004
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'Veterinary Nurses' from Isabelle Vets
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