New Zealand Diploma in Veterinary Nursing (Companion Animal Veterinary Nursing)
Course details
| NZQF Level | 6 |
|---|
About the course
Embark on a rewarding career as a veterinary nursing professional with the two-year New Zealand Diploma in Veterinary Nursing (Level 6) programme. This program focuses on Companion Animal care and includes 750 hours of work placement.
This qualification provides the technical knowledge and clinical/practical skills to work as a veterinary nurse. You will learn the skills needed to help animals attain, maintain or recover optimal health and quality of life. Graduates will also be able to practice sustainably and to engage in on-going learning in the field.
Veterinary nursing is a hands-on, satisfying role if you love animals. You can interact with many companion animals and care for their wellbeing by working with professionals who like animals.
In this two-year programme, you will gain the knowledge, technical skills and attributes needed to help companion animals attain, maintain or recover health and quality of life.
You will graduate with the technical knowledge and skills needed to perform this role and will have a high level of responsibility, allowing you to operate in a wide range of dynamic settings.
Upon graduating you will have the technical knowledge and skills to work as a veterinary nurse in a clinical setting. You will have a high level of responsibility and discretion within their scope of practice, in a wide range of dynamic and often unpredictable situations and following protocols in all aspects of clinical veterinary practice or animal healthcare settings. Graduates may be eligible for registration with the Allied Veterinary Professional Regulatory Council of New Zealand.
Learn skills including:
- Veterinary nursing practice
- Animal husbandry and behaviour
- Anatomy and physiology
- Anaesthesia and analgesia
- Clinical skills
- Medical nursing and diagnostics
- Surgical nursing
- Cultural practice
- Sustainability
- Work placement
Entry requirements
Students should be able to demonstrate previous experience working with animals, and an aptitude for working with the public.
- An aptitude for working with the public which may include a reference from an employer where the prospective student has worked with the public (e.g. retail), reference from a teacher attesting to social skills
For those people entering this qualification the following entry requirements apply:
- 60 NCEA credits at Level 2
- A minimum of 12 NCEA credits in English at Level 2 and 12 credits in Maths at Level 1; and 12 credits of relevant science at Level 1, or
- The equivalent secondary study, or
- Meet the education provider‘s requirements for the equivalent numeracy and literacy standards
- Applicants over the age of 20 years at time of enrolment will be considered where they can demonstrate the ability to succeed in a programme.
Discretionary admission
Any ākonga who is not yet 20 years of age and has not reached the general admission requirements for their intended programme may be eligible for Discretionary Admission. In assessing whether to grant Discretionary Admission, the delegated authority focuses on the applicant’s level of preparedness for their intended programme.
Additional requirements
In addition to meeting the requirements for admission, all applicants must complete a health declaration and declaration of any criminal conviction to ensure fitness to practice prior to acceptance into the programme. Note: Convictions of any offence and/or declaration of health conditions will not necessarily exclude applicants from enrolment. Any decision is made on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of the delegated authority.
English language requirements
Applicants for whom English or te reo Māori is not a first language are required to provide proof of English proficiency.
The required level of proficiency for this programme is IELTS (Academic) score of 6 with no individual band lower than 5.5 from a single test taken in the preceding two years, or an equivalent described in NZQA Rules.
Domestic learners who have completed the majority or all of their education in New Zealand are deemed to have met this requirement.
*This course is not available to international students.
About the provider
Southern Institute of Technology (SIT) provides quality tertiary education and training across a wide range of subjects and qualifications. From certificates to postgraduate studies, we offer NZQA programmes for students to learn at a level and pathway that suits them.
We are home to the Zero Fees Scheme and are the only tertiary provider in New Zealand to offer a no tuition cost education to domestic NZ students for every year of study, at all levels.
We offer SIT programmes at campuses in Invercargill, Queenstown, Gore, and online through SIT2LRN Distance Learning.
We also have a specialised faculty in rural education at Telford in Balclutha, South Otago.