Profession veterinary nurse

Veterinary nurses support animals undergoing veterinary treatment and give advice to veterinary clients in the promotion of animal health and disease prevention in accordance with national legislation.

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Personality Type

• Realistic / Investigative
• Realistic / Social

Knowledge

• Anatomy of animals

  The study of animal body parts, their structure and dynamic relationships, on a level as demanded by the specific occupation.

• Animal welfare

  Universally recognized animal welfare needs as applied to species, situation and occupation. These are: need for a suitable environment need for a suitable diet need to be able to exhibit normal behaviour patterns need to be housed with, or apart, from other animals need to be protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease.

• Safe work practices in a veterinary setting

  Safe work practices in a veterinary setting in order to identify hazards and associated risks so as to prevent accidents or incidents. This includes injury from animals, zoonotic diseases, chemicals, equipment and working environment.

• Animal welfare legislation

  The legal boundaries, codes of professional conduct, national and EU regulatory frameworks and legal procedures of working with animals and living organisms, ensuring their welfare and health.

• Biosecurity related to animals

  Awareness of hygiene and bio-security measures when working with animals, including causes, transmission and prevention of diseases and use of policies, materials and equipment.

• Hospitalised animal nursing care

  Animal health conditions, disease processes, veterinary treatment and nursing care, as well as nursing care plans, records and communication with owners and other professionals.

• First aid for animals

  Animal emergency treatment, including the principles and aims of the provision of first aid treatment to animals.

• Environmental enrichment for animals

  Types, methods and use of enrichment for animals to allow the expression of natural behaviour, including the provision of environmental stimuli, feeding activities, puzzles, items for manipulation, social and training activities.

• Physiology of animals

  The study of the mechanical, physical, bioelectrical and biochemical functioning of animals, their organs and their cells.

• Animal recovery procedures

  Strategies for supporting animals recovering from anesthesia and/or specific veterinary medical or surgical procedures.

• Animal behaviour

  The natural behavioural patterns of animals, i.e. how normal and abnormal behaviour might be expressed according to species, environment, human-animal interaction and occupation.

• Signs of animal illness

  Physical, behavioural and environmental signs of health and ill health in various animals.

Skills

• Practise veterinary professional codes of conduct

  Adhere to veterinary professional codes of practice and legislation.

• Support veterinary diagnostic imaging procedures

  Prepare the equipment and animal for diagnostic imaging. Conduct or support diagnostic imaging procedures. Provide care for the animal undergoing diagnostic imaging.

• Apply safe work practices in a veterinary setting

  Apply safe work practices in a veterinary setting in order to identify hazards and associated risks so as to prevent accidents or incidents. This includes injury from animals, zoonotic diseases, chemicals, equipment and work environments.

• Manage personal professional development

  Take responsibility for lifelong learning and continuous professional development. Engage in learning to support and update professional competence. Identify priority areas for professional development based on reflection about own practice and through contact with peers and stakeholders.

• Assist in general veterinary medical procedures

  Assist veterinarians by preparing both the animal and the equipment for medical procedures, and providing care and support to the animal undergoing a medical procedure.

• Control animal movement

  Direct, control or restrain some or part of an animal's, or a group of animals', movement.

• Handle veterinary emergencies

  Handle unforeseen incidents concerning animals and circumstances which call for urgent action in an appropriate professional manner.

• Provide first aid to animals

  Administer emergency treatment to prevent deterioration of the condition, suffering and pain until veterinary assistance can be sought. Basic emergency treatment needs to be done by non-veterinarians prior to first-aid provided by a veterinarian. Non-veterinarians providing emergency treatment are expected to seek treatment by a veterinarian as soon as possible.

• Monitor the welfare of animals

  Monitor animals’ physical condition and behaviour and report any concerns or unexpected changes, including signs of health or ill-health, appearance, condition of the animals' accommodation, intake of food and water and environmental conditions.

• Treat animals ethically

  Carry out activities according to accepted principles of right and wrong, including transparency in work practices and conduct towards clients and their animals.

• Assist in administering veterinary anaesthetics

  Assist the veterinary surgeon in administering anaesthetics to animals including the maintenance and monitoring of anaesthesia during veterinary procedures.

• Assist the veterinary surgeon as a scrub nurse

  Provide assistance in the handling of equipment and materials in a sterile manner during surgical procedures in operating theatre.'

• Provide nursing care for animals in recovery

  Provide supportive care for animals recovering from anaesthesia and/or a veterinary medical or surgical procedure.

• Assist in veterinary surgery

  Assist the veterinary surgeon during surgical procedures by carrying out the duties of a general theatre assistant.

• Manage animal welfare

  Plan, manage and evaluate the application of the five universally recognised animal welfare needs as appropriate to species, situation and own occupation.

• Provide nursing care for hospitalised animals

  Plan and provide nursing care to hospitalised animals, conducting a range of activities related to areas including fluid and nutrition, hygiene and grooming, comfort and pain management, toileting, positioning and exercise, attention and enrichment, and the nursing environment.

• Provide mentorship

  Guide and support less knowledgeable or less experienced colleagues.

• Evaluate information in the field of veterinary nursing

  Be able to read, understand and utilise the most current research available to justify decisions based on best practice.

• Collaborate with animal related professionals

  Collaborate with veterinary and other animal related professionals through communication of animal details, case records and summary reports orally or via written or electronic transfer.

• Supply veterinary medicine under professional direction

  Supply veterinary medicines under the direction of a veterinary surgeon.

• Support veterinary diagnostic procedures

  Prepare equipment and animals for veterinary diagnostic tests. Conduct or support sample collection. Preserve samples from animals for analysis and communicate the results. Provide care for the animal undergoing examination.

• Prepare animals for anaesthesia

  Prepare animals for anaesthesia, including performing pre-anaesthetic checks and procedures and reporting findings.

• Prepare animals for veterinary surgery

  Prepare animals for minor and major surgical procedures and carry out the correct positioning and use of aseptic skin preparation.

• Protect health and safety when handling animals

  Protect health and welfare of animals and their handlers.

• Prepare veterinary anaesthetic equipment

  Prepare the equipment and materials required for animal anaesthesia.'

• Maintain veterinary clinical records

  Create and maintain clinical records for animals according to national regulatory requirements.

• Prepare environment for veterinary surgery

  Prepare the surgical environment, including preparation rooms, operating theatres, equipment and materials. prior to surgery.

• Manage care of veterinary patients in accommodation

  Manage the care for veterinary patients in accommodation including the preparation, suitability, hygiene, and monitoring of the condition of animals. Monitor and maintain animal accommodation. This includes selecting and preparing the accommodation for animals, cleaning, and maintenance.

• Manage infection control in the facility

  Implement a set of measures to prevent and control infections, formulating and establishing health and safety procedures and policies.

• Assess animal behaviour

  Observe and evaluate the behaviour of animals in order to work with them safely and recognise deviations from normal behaviour that signal compromised health and welfare.

• Administer treatment to animals

  Administer animal medical interventions, including the treatments performed, medicines used, and assessments of the state of health.

• Manage clinical environments

  Ensure that clinical environments, including equipment and materials, are properly prepared and maintained for use. Prepare and maintain working environments and ensure that equipment and materials are available.'

• Manage animal biosecurity

  Plan and use appropriate biosafety measures to prevent transmission of diseases and ensure effective overall biosecurity. Maintain and follow biosecurity procedures and infection control when working with animals, including recognising potential health issues and taking appropriate action, communicating site hygiene control measures and biosecurity procedures, as well as reporting to others.

• Provide support to veterinary clients

  Assist clients seeking veterinary treatment and during the provision of veterinary services. Aid clients with the care of their animals by demonstrating care techniques and use of veterinary products. Provide support during difficult situations.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB