B.Sc. in Veterinary Nursing

Applicant information session

20th January 2016

Welcome to veterinary nursing at DkIT

Today’s presentation

• Application routes

• The ideal applicant

• Common application weaknesses

• How to address these

Diarmuid CahillDkIT School Liaison Officer

Application routes• Leaving cert (20 places)

• C3 (Hons) in biology or Ag science

• CAO points, ~400

• FETAC level 5 animal care (5 places)

• Lottery once you have eight distinctions

• Mature applicants (5 places)

• Apply via CAO then interview

• You can apply via >1 route

The course

• It’s a science degree

• Goes (far!) beyond basic rote learning & recall

• You must understand the information & be able to do something useful with it

• Lectures are just a starting point for your own further study

Vet nursing experience

• Spend time in practice observing what a registered veterinary nurse actually does

• Be aware of the realities of the job

• The veterinary industry is made up of hard working & dedicated professionals

Vet Ireland survey 2014: the average vet spends 105 hours per week working and on call

Education

• An interest in learning

• The dedication to complete a course

• Good basic writing & communication skills

• Be willing to learn to think!

• Be open to learning about a range of animal species (farm animals, pets, exotics & horses)

Key attributes

• Personal responsibility

• Practical skills

• Writing skills

• Maths skills

• People skills

• Physical fitness

Personal responsibility

• We cannot teach you to be a veterinary nurse...

• But we can help you to learn to be a veterinary nurse

• Ultimately it’s up to you, nobody else can do it for you

• You must take on this responsibility, no excuses!

Physical fitness

• Nursing animals is a physically demanding job

• On your feet constantly, lots of manual handling, it’s not 9-5.

• Working when tired/cold/hungry/injured

• You need to be able for this

• Running, cycling, team sports, horse riding, swimming etc.

People skills

• Good communication skills are absolutely vital in this career

• Clients must feel they can trust you

• Colleagues must feel you are a genuine team player

• (Loving animals is not enough)

Practical skills• You need to be able to make

your hands do what you want them to do

• You also need to be observant

• Gardening, sewing, cooking, playing sports, fixing things all help!

• Can you wire a plug, sharpen a knife, change a tyre, replace a fuse, groom an animal?!

Writing skills

• Vet nurses work as part of a professional animal care team

• Accurate and detailed case notes are vital

• Legal records

• Patient discharge instructions, reports etc.

• You must be able to write well

Maths

• You must be competent in practical maths

• Drug doses - give 1.1mg/kg of a 50mg/ml solution to a 12kg dog

• Disinfectant dilutions - make up a 1:200 solution

• Lab test results - how many dl in a l?

An overdose will kill me..

Do not apply for this course if:

• You think it will be a nice easy job with lots of cute animals to play with

• You hate studying and want to work outside/with your hands all the time

• You don’t like working with people

• You want to be a vet

“Success implies endeavour”

You must be prepared to work hard!

Common mature application weaknesses

You need experience of what a vet nurse actually does

Incomplete/late applications

• Get completed applications in to the CAO before Feb 1st

• Ensure you have included ALL requested documentation, including academic results and references

• Course is VERY popular so late applications have not been considered to date

Lack of references

• A FETAC work placement report from a veterinary practice is not a reference

• A reference must be written by a practice member specifically for the purpose of applying to the course

NEVER falsify references!

Inform yourself

• Use your initiative to research the job & the course

www.ivna.ie

Commitment to learning

• “Sure the course will be no bother, I love animals”

• Have you really considered the realities of going back to college?

• What have you done to prepare yourself?

Interviews

• Informal but look smart and be on time!

• If you plan not to attend please let us know

• Why do you want to be a vet nurse?

• How prepared are you?

• Are you informed about the course & career?

• Realistic enthusiasm

Competition

• In 2015 we received 108 applications for 5 mature applicant places

• Short listing and interview of 12-15 candidates

• The process starts from scratch every year (like a job interview)

Advice for applicants(the take home message)

Do your research

• Spend as much time as possible in practice, ideally with RVNs

• Inform yourself about the course

• Inform yourself about the profession

• Ensure your application is complete & accurate

• Get experience with a range of animal species

The best of luck!

Any questions?

Thank you for your attention