The New Zealand Diploma in Veterinary Nursing at UCOL equips students with comprehensive technical veterinary nursing skills for clinical environments. The programme includes theory and significant practical experience, including work placements in veterinary clinics and animal care facilities. It covers anaesthesia, diagnostics, surgery, medical and patient care, and the management of veterinary nursing services. Graduates are prepared to manage patients and clients, follow clinical protocols, and work effectively as members of multidisciplinary veterinary teams.

Course Content

• Anaesthesia and Surgery: Monitoring and intervention during anaesthesia and surgery, dental care.

• Diagnostics A: Hematology, biochemistry, bacteriology, cytology.

• Diagnostics B: Diagnostic testing in bacteriology, mycology, virology, cytology, parasitology, clinical pathology, radiography, ultrasonography, blood gas analysis, capnography.

• Medical Nursing: Fluid therapy, medical records, pharmacology, feeding techniques, recumbent patient care, wound care, bandaging, analgesia, pathophysiology, patient assessment.

• Management of Veterinary Nursing Services A: Interpersonal relations, weight management, behaviour, complementary medicine, dentistry, chronic disease management.

• Management of Veterinary Nursing Services B: Triage, animal welfare, preventative health, reproduction, parturition, animal density, chronic disease management.