Evie Yon, Teaching Fellow in Veterinary Nursing

In May 2021, the RVC welcomed the first cohort of 25 registered veterinary nurses (RVNs) onto our newly launched Graduate and Postgraduate Certificates in Advanced Veterinary Nursing.

The CertAVN is designed for registered veterinary nurses* with the aim of furthering their knowledge and skills within a designated pathway of their choice. The courses provide an exciting opportunity to advance RVNs’ skillsets and pursue specialism in a discipline of interest.

RVNs who chose to undertake the CertAVN can expect to develop their academic skills, gain advanced knowledge and understanding in advanced clinical practice and apply these skills to enhance patient care and benefit the wider veterinary team.

The CertAVN offers:

• The ability to specialise in clinical patient care and either Emergency and Critical Care or Anaesthesia and Analgesia
• Progression options for Registered Veterinary Nurses qualifying from all existing level qualifications (from Level 3 Diploma through to BSc)
• A University of London and Royal Veterinary College qualification (Graduate Certificate or Postgraduate Certificate)
• Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons accreditation for Emergency & Critical Care and Anaesthesia & Analgesia pathways
• Flexible, accessible, part-time online distance-learning

To achieve the CertAVN, students will undertake five modules to be completed within 16 months. These include Contemporary Study Skills and Fundamentals in Advanced Veterinary Nursing Practice followed by three designation modules in either Anaesthesia and Analgesia or Emergency and Critical Care.

Contemporary Study Skills is a nine-week module preparing learners for study at university using online technologies and focussing on developing the academic skills they will need throughout the rest of their course. The module hones academic writing skills in addition to developing students’ critical ability when considering research and academic papers. Students will be encouraged to consider publishing their work, helping to address the gap in veterinary nursing specific literature and contribute to raising the profile of veterinary nursing.

Innovative teaching and assessment activities in the Fundamentals in Advanced Veterinary Nursing Practice module encourage students to explore their professional identity and learn how to engage in all aspects of clinical governance, ultimately with the goal of improving clinical practice and patient care. Students are encouraged to communicate their learning with their practices with the view to improving clinical effectiveness and increasing their abilities to carry out valuable quality assurance tasks within their workplaces. Students will be introduced to leadership, emphasising essential qualities, and prompting them to consider how they can take on leadership roles within the practice.

The designation pathways in Anaesthesia and Analgesia and Emergency and Critical Care will equip students with advanced knowledge of pathophysiological disorders, their presentation, diagnostic techniques, and treatment plans to enable them to deliver high quality nursing care that is evidence-based and appropriate to individual patients’ needs. Graduates will gain the skills necessary to take on higher levels of responsibility within practice, particularly with respect to clinical judgment and decision-making.

Through online collaborative activities with teachers and peers, students will gain greater knowledge of leadership and management strategies to improve the running of their clinical practices.

The flexibility of this programme means that the course is accessible and achievable alongside the demands of full-time work. There are many support systems available and students undertaking our certificates are encouraged to make full use of for the duration of their studies.

These Certificates are managed and taught by our wonderful team of leading veterinary nurses and veterinarians who are recognised by employers both within the UK and internationally.

The CertAVN offers an exciting opportunity for RVNs of all levels of experience and education to gain new professional skills in a flexible and accessible manner.

RVNs interested in undertaking the course are encouraged to visit our website https://www.rvc.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/certificates-in-advanced-veterinary-nursing.

*subject to entry requirements