New Zealand Certificate in Animal Technology (Level 5) with Veterinary Nursing Assistant Strand

Veterinary nursing assistants support and communicate with vets and vet nurses in the care and treatment of companion animals in clinical environments. This can include reception and front-of-house duties, hospitalised animal patient care, assisting with diagnostic sampling and radiography, and first aid. Veterinary nursing assistants also help prepare animals for surgery and assist vets and vet nurses during and after surgery.

Topics this programme covers include animal husbandry; welfare and behaviour; professional behaviour; introduction to surgery, anaesthesia and diagnostics; caring for hospitalised animal patients. Classes include small practical group tutorials, full class discussions and surgical workshops. You’ll also undertake work placements at local animal facilities and veterinary clinics, giving you a variety of hands-on experience in handling and caring for animals in clinical and surgical environments. Your tutors will help you make the most of the opportunities available to you while assisting you to develop your communication skills.

As part of this programme, you’re required to complete a minimum of 200 hours of practical experience at a veterinary clinic and 40 hours in an animal-related facility. Some hours can be undertaken at Ara, but you’ll be expected to source your own external placements.

You’ll be given full training to minimise all programme-specific risks. Examples of risks associated with this programme include: lifting, animal bites and scratches, zoonotic diseases, computers, radiation from x-rays, anaesthetic gases, chemicals and drugs, UV radiation, sharp instruments, electricity, fire and gas cylinders. We recommend that you maintain a current up-to-date tetanus injection to handle any animals as part of this programme.

Please note: As places are limited on this programme we strongly recommend applying as soon as you know you wish to study with us.

This programme fulfils the educational requirements for you to become a Listed Veterinary Nursing Assistant (LVNA) with the New Zealand Veterinary Nurses Association. It will equip you with the skills and knowledge required for a successful career (here or overseas) in companion animal healthcare, assisting vets and vet nurses in clinical environments. You could also apply your skills in an animal shelter, as an animal health co-ordinator or feline isolation attendant.

As a graduate of this programme you’ll have the academic entry requirements to apply for the New Zealand Diploma in Veterinary Nursing (Level 6) to become a Registered Veterinary Nurse (RVN). This can be followed with a Bachelor of Veterinary Nursing.

Gain the skills and knowledge needed to be an effective part of the veterinary team, assisting veterinarians and veterinary nurses in clinical practice.