Overview
Are you passionate about animal health and well-being? Would you love to gain an insight into exactly what it’s like to work alongside our furry friends every day? This veterinary course is an ideal entry point for those who are interested in learning more about a varied, rewarding, and fulfilling career as a veterinary support assistant.
In this profession, you’d be responsible for a variety of tasks such as administering medication, assisting with x-rays, preparing pets for surgery, and many more. This veterinary assistant course will help you develop the knowledge to diagnose and treat a range of ailments and learn the principles of health and safety, infection control, and surgical preparation. It will also give you the skills to assist with the handling of animals as they receive medical treatment, as well as the basics of veterinary pharmacology.
You can work in your own time, at your own pace, and you don’t need any prior skills or qualifications to enrol. So, what are you waiting for? Prepare for a career working with pets and other animals, today!
What you'll learn
During this unit you’ll be able to identify, and understand the varied clinical roles within a veterinary practice. You’ll be able to recognise the different responsibilities between clinical staff, and be able to identify the legal requirements that are expected of you. To conclude the unit, you’ll understand the veterinary surgeons act and how it affects those roles.
This unit will broaden your understanding of organisation, structure and function of the animal cell, as well as identifying the different body cavities in an animal. You’ll be able to understand structure and function of the digestive, nervous, urinary, respiratory and cardiovascular systems. Whilst also learning the important interpretation of veterinary terminology.
Health and safety can be something that affects everyone on a daily basis. This unit will help you identify the principles of health and safety, as well as learning the principles of RIDDOR regulation. You’ll understand how COSHH regulations have an impact on veterinary practices and you’ll learn the importance of manual handling and how it is implemented in veterinary practice.
Next, you’ll learn how to demonstrate the different requirements to maintain hospitalised patient’s needs, and be able to recognise different types of patient observations. You’ll understand the importance of infection control and how it is maintained in veterinary practice. You’ll be able to correctly dispose of waste, and understand the procedures required before surgical procedures including instruments and equipment used.
This unit will focus on expanding your knowledge of legal aspects of medicine in veterinary practice, helping you identify legal categories, and understand the importance of controlled drugs within practice. You’ll be able to demonstrate the different methods of medicine administration at the end of this unit.
Did you know, it is estimated that at least half of all known species are parasitic? This unit will help you understand the different types of ecto-parasites and endo-parasites and how they can be treated and prevented. By the end of this unit you’ll have completed the study needed for your journey into veterinary nursing.
Extra info
Awarding Body
With a heritage stretching back over 150 years, NCFE is one of the largest awarding bodies in the UK. Last year, NCFE awarded certification to over 340,000 students.
NCFE Customised Qualifications are bespoke, unregulated qualifications developed to meet the specific needs of learners. These courses fit in where there are no other regulated qualifications available. This means you can achieve recognition from a well-respected awarding body, even if there isn’t a pre-existing qualification in a certain subject area.
Course Outcome
Following completion of this course, you will hopefully want to continue your interest in working with animals. If you wish to continue expanding your knowledge of working with animals, then check out our range of animal care qualifications.
Should you wish to pursue a degree in the subject, consider our Access to Higher Education Veterinary course (details released soon) and we'll help get you to where you want to be. If you need further guidance or advice on the progression of this course, get in touch by speaking to one of our experienced learning advisers.
How is this course assessed or examined?
Throughout this course, you may be expected to complete assignments, essays, research projects, posters, leaflets, presentations, video/audio recordings and work-based and practical learning sessions to meet the requirements of your course. This information will be included in your study pack detailing exactly what you need to do to accomplish your goals as a student.
Entry requirements
There are no formal entry requirements for this course, however, it is recommended that you have an intermediate ability to read and write English.
