Published: 24 Oct 2022 | Last Updated: 24 Oct 2022 13:58:49

The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) has received accreditation from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) for its new Postgraduate and Graduate Certificates in Advanced Veterinary Medical Nursing.

This new designation pathway complements the RVC’s existing post-registration qualifications in Emergency & Critical Care and Anaesthesia & Analgesia. The qualification provides further opportunity for professional progression for Registered Veterinary Nurses (RVNs) at all stages of their education and career.

The course is aimed at applicants who are looking to develop more specialised clinical and professional knowledge, with a particular focus on clinical patient care in Medical Nursing.

Alongside other various pathways, the new Advanced Veterinary Medical Nursing certification aligns with the RCVS and VN Futures visions by preparing RVNs for future opportunities within their careers. Encouraging RVNs’ ambition and confidence, the course provides the foundations for strong leadership skills which are essential to proactively engage in all aspects of work as a modern, dynamic veterinary nurse.

The post-registration courses are distance learning programmes delivered virtually via the RVC’s online education platform, allowing students to gain new knowledge and develop their professional skills in a flexible and accessible manner.

Students will also be offered optional clinical enhancement days where they will have the opportunity to work alongside the team in the RVC’s Queen Mother Hospital for Animals. This is a unique opportunity to share practice, network and learn from a wide range of specialists in one of the largest and most advanced veterinary hospitals in the world.

Dr Barbara Glanemann, Designation Pathway Leader for Medical Nursing, said:

“Medicine is such a fascinating subject – understanding physiology and pathology of underlying medical conditions not only helps our RVN students provide the best possible care for the individual patient but also helps them apply those principles to wider use within the practice.” 

Perdi Welsh, Course Director for Certificates in Advanced Veterinary Nursing at the Royal Veterinary College, said:

“We’re absolutely delighted that the RCVS has accredited our new Advanced Veterinary Medical Nursing certification. It’s great to be able to offer more professional development opportunities to RVNs. Our current ECC and Anaesthesia and Analgesia CertAVN students are becoming trailblazers in clinical governance activities and in the delivery of enhanced patient care. This makes us even more excited to welcome our first cohort of students alongside them.”

For any Registered Veterinary Nurses who are interested in applying for the course, more information can be found here: https://www.rvc.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/certificates-in-advanced-veterinary-nursing

Notes to Editors

For more information please contact:

• Jasmin De Vivo jasmin.devivo@plmr.co.uk or rvc@plmr.co.uk
• Press Line: 0800 368 9520

About the RVC

• The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) is the UK's largest and longest established independent veterinary school and is a Member Institution of the University of London.
• It is one of the few veterinary schools in the world that hold accreditations from the RCVS in the UK (with reciprocal recognition from the AVBC for Australasia, the VCI for Ireland and the SAVC for South Africa), the EAEVE in the EU, and the AVMA in the USA and Canada.
• The RVC is ranked as the top veterinary school in the world in the QS World University Rankings by subject, 2022.
• The RVC offers undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in veterinary medicine, veterinary nursing and biological sciences.  
• The RVC is a research led institution with 88% of its research rated as internationally excellent or world class in the Research Excellence Framework 2021.
• The RVC provides animal owners and the veterinary profession with access to expert veterinary care and advice through its teaching hospitals and first opinion practices in London and Hertfordshire.