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BSc Veterinary Nursing
About this course
Veterinary nursing is a regulated health profession concerned with the care and treatment of animals under the direction of a veterinary surgeon. Veterinary nurses perform clinical procedures, assist in surgery, administer anaesthesia, monitor patients, conduct diagnostic tests, and provide nursing care that supports animal recovery and welfare. The profession operates across small animal practice, equine and large animal settings, exotic animal centres, and specialist referral hospitals, requiring both technical competence and a genuine commitment to animal welfare. This four-year full-time degree at Hartpury University is structured to alternate academic study with substantial practice-based learning. In the second year you will complete practice-based learning in an approved RCVS veterinary nursing training practice, currently totalling around 1,800 hours, which develops your clinical skills alongside the theoretical knowledge of the degree programme. Hartpury has excellent partnerships with local and national veterinary practices that support this placement experience. You will study animal anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, surgical nursing, anaesthesia, diagnostic imaging, and the ethical and welfare dimensions of veterinary practice, building the comprehensive knowledge base that modern veterinary nursing requires. Graduating with a veterinary nursing degree makes you eligible to register with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons as a Registered Veterinary Nurse. The RCVS registration is the professional mark of competence in the UK veterinary nursing field and is required for employment in most clinical roles. Registered veterinary nurses work in general practice, specialist hospitals, emergency and critical care, research, the animal pharmaceutical industry, and veterinary education. Many develop specialisms in areas such as anaesthesia, oncology, dentistry, or exotic animal nursing. Some go on to postgraduate study or further qualifications to develop advanced clinical skills or move into management or academic roles.
Syllabus & Modules
Typical curriculumStudent Satisfaction
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