Seven students from VetPartners‘ Equine Nursing School completed two years of studies by proving their knowledge in diagnostic imaging, anaesthesia, theatre nursing and clinical and emergency care. They completed a range of practical tasks to impress the examiners.
As a result of their efforts, they have been awarded a City and Guilds Level 3 Diploma in Equine Veterinary Nursing and have become fully qualified equine veterinary nurses who are eligible to register with the RCVS.
VetPartners Equine Nursing School opened its doors in September 2019 and is based at Liphook Equine Hospital in Hampshire. The school was launched to ensure equine nurses receive the best possible training and equip them with the skills and knowledge that will allow them to make the most of their potential.
Students study for the diploma while working at an equine or mixed veterinary practice and visit Liphook Veterinary Hospital on block release for six weeks each academic year, where they benefit from using the hospital’s state-of-the-art facilities.
Rosina Lillywhite, Liphook Equine Hospital’s head clinic nurse and head of centre at the Equine Nursing School, said she is very proud of the students’ achievements.
Rosina said: “VetPartners Equine Nursing School focuses on training students in the very best practice of equine care and our lecturers are all nurses and vets with up-to-date experience of working in modern equine veterinary practice.
“The fact we have had a 100 percent pass rate is testament to the high quality of teaching the equine nursing school delivers and the levels of support our veterinary practices have offered the students.
“The students have all worked extremely hard to achieve their qualifications and they have had to cope with extra challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, including switching to online learning during lockdowns. I’m so pleased that their dedication and commitment has been rewarded.
“They are now back at their practices full time, fulfilling their dream of being fully fledged equine nurses and I wish them all the best in their future careers.”
Julian Rishworth, VetPartners equine director added: “We are immensely proud of the Equine Nursing School and all that Rosina and her team have achieved. The results are testament to the quality of all-round education the students receive and the feedback from our practices shows the nurses they produce are of the highest quality.”
A further eight students have started their second year of studies and a new intake of 12 students joined the Equine Nursing School in September, with VetSkill becoming the new awarding body of the two-year diploma.
Applications will be invited in March for the academic year beginning in September. Applicants must already work at an equine veterinary practice, which can be within or outside the VetPartners family, and anyone interested in enrolling or finding out more should contact Rosina. More information is available from the School website.
VetPartners also owns the Lynwood School of Veterinary Nursing, a small animal vet nursing college in Dorchester, Dorset.