Harper Adams University will be offering a new RCVS certificate in advanced veterinary nursing (exotic, zoo and wildlife) from September.
Subject to gaining RCVS accreditation, the course will be offered as a graduate certificate and a postgraduate certificate, allowing RVNs from any academic background to study the course to gain the RCVS Cert AVN.
Developed in collaboration with AZEVN, the certificate has been designed for RVNs interested in nursing, welfare and conservation of non-domestic animal species.
While there is a requirement for nurses to undertake studies covering a range of taxonomic groups, the assessments have been developed to allow nurses to focus on a particular species or range of species.
‘Huge leap forward’
The course will take one academic year and will mainly involve online study, while student finance is available for students applying to study the 60-credit graduate certificate.
Funding is available for a full MSc (180 credits) at postgraduate level, for which the PgC in AVN Exotics, Zoo and Wildlife can make up one-third of the study credits if an MSc is being completed across three years.
AZEVN chair Matt Rendle said: “Finally, we have an RCVS-recognised qualification that will allow RVNs from all academic pathways to show the high level of knowledge and understanding they have.
“The modules allow veterinary nurses taking the qualification to have a focus on the species or area that they are personally passionate about, be that axolotls, aardvarks or adders. This is a huge leap forward for veterinary nurses in the UK.”
Credit to: Exotics nursing certificate to launch this year (Vet Times)
Vet Times. (2023). Exotics nursing certificate to launch this year [online]
Available at: https://www.vettimes.co.uk/news/exotics-nursing-certificate-to-launch-this-year/
