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Certificate in Client Care ServicesHow to Become a Veterinary Nurse in Australia
~ THE ULTIMUTT GUIDE ~
ACVN CAN GET YOU THERE
If you love animals and want a career that is hands-on, meaningful, and constantly challenging, veterinary nursing can be an excellent choice. Veterinary nurses play an important role in animal care, supporting veterinarians with everything from patient monitoring and surgical assistance through to client communication and scheduling. It is a career that requires compassion and a strong commitment to animal welfare.
If you are wondering how to become a veterinary nurse in Australia, the first step is understanding the typical pathway.
The qualification most employers expect is the Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing.
This is the standard qualification that supports long-term employment and career development, however the ACM40418 Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing requires you to have access to a veterinary clinic, either through employment or placement. Finding a placement clinic can be challenging.
For this reason, the most common pathway into veterinary nursing in Australia is to begin with a Certificate II or Certificate III in Animal Care Studies, as these only need work experience in a clinic. You can then apply for work in a veterinary clinic and progress into the Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing once employed. Best thing is, much of the Certificate III can be credited into the Cert IV, so you are well on your way to getting qualified!
This page explains the typical pathways to becoming a veterinary nurse in Australia, including qualifications, timeframes, and what you can expect along the way.
WHERE DO I START IF I AM NOT WORKING AS A VET NURSE ALREADY?
This is you if you are not currently employed in a vet clinic, or have never worked as a vet nurse before, but know it’s your calling.
Gaining Experience With
Certificate III in Animal Care Services
The ACM30122 Certificate III in Animal Care Services is our recommended starting place if you want vet nursing to be your career.
This course covers a chunk of your first year of ACM40418 Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing, which puts you way ahead of the pack!
Learning more skills makes you more employable.
ACM30122 Certificate III in Animal Care Services
I HAVE A NEW JOB AS A VET NURSE, HOW DO I GET QUALIFIED?
Congratulations!! Welcome to the best career ever! Let’s turn you into the best vet nurse ever!
ACM40418 Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing
So you’ve got a position in a clinic that is encouraging you to become a fully-fledged Veterinary Nurse. It’s time to enrol in the ACM40418 Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing!
This course will equip you with everything you need to succeed.
What about registration?
In Western Australia, veterinary nursing is regulated. To call yourself a veterinary nurse in WA, you must be registered and typically would hold the Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing. Student VNs are also allowed to register as a Student VN.
In all other Australian states and territories, veterinary nursing is not currently regulated in the same way, meaning it is technically possible for someone to work in a veterinary clinic without a formal qualification. However, this is not the usual pathway, and most employers strongly prefer applicants who are trained or actively working towards a recognised veterinary nursing qualification.
There is a voluntary registration scheme which we recommend all new grad VNs join to show their commitment to the profession. AVNAT registration is available to qualified veterinary nurses and provides formal recognition of your skills and professional standing within the veterinary nursing industry.
I HAVE BEEN WORKING AS A VET NURSE FOR YEARS. HOW CAN I GET QUALIFIED?
If you’ve been working as a veterinary nurse already for some time (usually at least 3 to 5 years), then you may wish to consider RPL or recognition of prior learning.
RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) allows you to have your existing skills and workplace experience assessed towards a qualification, which may reduce the amount of study you need to complete.
If you have already worked in animal care or a veterinary clinic, you may be eligible to gain units through RPL. Some nurses will do full study for some units, and RPL others.
The thought of doing something meaningful with my life that would benefit others is what drew me to the veterinary industry. I like the fact that ACVN allows me to work at my own pace, it means I can balance part time work and travel with my studies. I also love how friendly and helpful the ACVN staff are, they make the stress of studying a little easier.
I liked that I didn’t have to move away from the country to study and the ACVN Nurse Educators are so helpful and encouraging.
I’m middle aged with 3 adult kids and a varied work history. I decided when I turned 40 that I really wanted to work with animals. I chose online studying for the convenience of working to my own schedule. From my comparisons with colleagues studying with other RTO’s I think the ACVN course was much more comprehensive. My goal was to end up as a carer in a non-profit/rescue organisation and in March 2017 I accepted a job with the RSPCA client services across adoptions, admissions and clinic.
dip your paw into the world of veterinary nursing
If you want to see how great veterinary nursing can be, and how easy it is to study with us, then enrol in our Introduction to Veterinary Nursing Course.
You’ll graduate from this short course with a solid understanding of how to care for sick and injured animals, while gaining insight into what veterinary nursing involves and what it is like to study with ACVN.
If you decide veterinary nursing is the right path for you, this course can also provide internal credit towards selected ACVN-accredited courses.
enrol today
