KEY POINTS:
Qualification: Veterinary Nurse.
Where: Vet Nurse Plus, Manukau City.
Course dates: February to November.
Enrolment dates: Preference given to enrolments received before September 26, but applications remain open until places are filled.
Contact: Ph 268 0812, email info@learningcurvenz.co.nz, website www.learningcurvenz.co.nz.
Course cost: $10,125.
Course numbers: Maximum 20.
Prerequisites: Minimum age 17. It is recommended school leavers have passed year 12 with preference for English, biology and maths.
Courses run approx 9.30am to 3.30pm. Students are in class three days a week with clinical experience on the remaining two days.
Salary: Starting from $12/$13 an hour.
Career prospects: Graduates can move into related occupations, such as animal pharmaceutical sales and laboratory work, and progress into management roles.
Vet nursing is an obvious career choice for people who enjoy working with animals, but they must also be able to relate to the human owners.
Krista Nobilo, course co-ordinator at Vet Nurse Plus in Manurewa, says vet nursing is a service-driven job - "There's a lot of contact that nurses have with people; talking to them and educating them."
Vet Nurse Plus started running its year-long vet nurse training course in 2005, covering care of equine, bovine and companion animals.
"We are now NZQA-accredited as a private training establishment. Our classes are small, with a maximum of 20 students."
As well as caring for animals, Nobilo says nurses "have to be practical-minded. Behind the scenes, nurses are often the ones running the clinic: organising the vets, ordering stock and talking to clients.
"You're always on the go, which is what a lot of people like about it. There is a lot of cleaning involved as you have to maintain high standards of hygiene ... It is physical but we are really particular about OSH ... we always get help with [lifting] heavy dogs, etc.
"We include lots of practical, clinical training, as well as theory and case-based learning. We're affiliated with the Pet Doctors group and that involves several clinics - the South Auckland Veterinary Hospital, Chapel Road Vet Clinic, Papatoetoe East Veterinary Centre and the Auckland Cat Practice.
"From week four, the nurses go into the clinics Tuesday and Thursday every week. From mid-year onwards, they have placements at other clinics as well."
Clinical placements give students a foot in the door. "People remember the students who have been through and they get first options on jobs."
The course attracts a wide range of age groups, from school leavers to mothers returning to work and mature students wanting a change.
"That was my situation," says Nobilo. "It was a career change later down the track. You want to do something that doesn't necessarily pay that well but it is satisfying and fulfilling. You feel happy in your job that way."
The course is recognised in Australia and students have also found work in the UK.
THE GRADUATE
Liz Prior, age 19.
Vet nurse
South Auckland Vet Hospital.
Graduated 2007.
I always had animals growing up. I found it so interesting to know about behaviour, training and know how to care for them.
I applied for this job because I had done some of my training for Vet Nurse Plus at South Auckland Vets. I started in January this year. The people in the Manukau vet group were amazing, they know how to welcome a new member into the group and how to handle a new nurse still learning.
The job involves typical nurse things like caring for critical patients to nursing tiny puppies and kittens. We are all well-trained in monitoring patients under anaesthetic and monitoring post-op. We also have a lot to do with educating the community about worming, fleaing, de-sexing, training, exercise and feeding.
We mostly work Monday to Friday. We are open from 8am to 8pm. Also we are open Saturdays and Papatoetoe has an emergency clinic on Sundays, so we are all rostered to cover this.
I wanted to train with Vet Nurse Plus rather than other education providers because I have always lived in Manurewa. Being able to gain a qualification from my own community and then being able to work with my community was a gift.
THE EMPLOYER
Linda Standing
Practice manager, South Auckland Veterinary Hospital
At the time of employing Liz, we already had four qualified Vet Nurse Plus-trained nurses in our clinics.
We were very happy with their training and how the nurses present themselves with good, sound practical knowledge, realistic to today's veterinary clinics' needs.
Important qualities are being keen and willing, and dealing with the daily challenges of the industry. Nurses need to be proactive and passionate, realise continuing education is needed to grow within the industry and be good client advocates who wish to support best medicine. This is not a 9 to 5 job; it has varying rosters, including weekends.
They receive a lot of practical, hands-on training on the course. These student nurses are working in a veterinary clinic twice a week, not stuck in a classroom.
