Certificate in Avian Wildlife Healthcare (Veterinary Nurses) (Level 6)

About the programme

Are you a qualified Veterinary Nurse who is increasingly being presented with injured or sick avian wildlife during your daily practice?

This course, offered in collaboration with the Dunedin Wildlife Hospital, is the only one of its kind in New Zealand aimed at Veterinary Nurses and offers a unique professional development opportunity.

Learning mainly online, you’ll be able to gain skills and knowledge in avian wildlife healthcare, with a focus on patient support and management. Content will include avian anatomy and physiology, trauma procedures and supportive care, imaging, and contextual aspects of law and ethics.

A five-day practical placement at the Dunedin Wildlife Hospital, one of New Zealand’s only avian healthcare providers, will enable you to get some fantastic hands-on practice.

Graduates will have the skills, knowledge and capabilities to:

• Ensure optimal standards of welfare and outcomes for avian wildlife patients
• Manage nursing care for avian wildlife patients with medical diseases
• Perform, or assist veterinarians with diagnostics and diagnostic imaging for avian wildlife patients
• Assist veterinarians in the management of avian wildlife anaesthesia.

Entry

Entry requirements

• New Zealand Diploma in Veterinary Nursing (Level 6) or equivalent.

English Language requirements

• New Zealand University Entrance OR
• Overall Academic IELTS 6.0 with no individual band score lower than 5.5 (achieved in one test completed in the last two years), OR
• Acceptable alternative evidence of the required IELTS (see here for NZQA proficiency table and here for list of recognised proficiency tests).

If you need to improve your English Language skills, we offer a wide range of English programmes.

Prior learning

If you have extensive knowledge and skills due to practical experience in this area, enquire about our recognition of prior learning process at [email protected]. You may have already gained credits towards this qualification.  

Selection process

If the number of applicants exceeds the available places, a waitlist will be used to ensure preference is given to applicants in order of application.