B.Sc. in Veterinary Nursing Applicant information session 20th - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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B.Sc. in Veterinary Nursing Applicant information session 20th - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

B.Sc. in Veterinary Nursing Applicant information session 20th January 2016 Welcome to veterinary nursing at DkIT Todays presentation Application routes The ideal applicant Common application weaknesses How to address these


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SLIDE 1

B.Sc. in Veterinary Nursing

Applicant information session

20th January 2016

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SLIDE 2

Welcome to veterinary nursing at DkIT

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SLIDE 3

Today’s presentation

  • Application routes
  • The ideal applicant
  • Common application

weaknesses

  • How to address

these

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SLIDE 4

Diarmuid Cahill

DkIT School Liaison Officer

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SLIDE 5

Application routes

  • Leaving cert (20 places)
  • C3 (Hons) in biology or Ag science
  • CAO points, ~400
  • FETAC level 5 animal care (5 places)
  • Lottery once you have eight distinctions
  • Mature applicants (5 places)
  • Apply via CAO then interview
  • You can apply via >1 route
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SLIDE 6

The course

  • It’s a science degree
  • Goes (far!) beyond basic rote learning &

recall

  • You must understand the information & be

able to do something useful with it

  • Lectures are just a starting point for your
  • wn further study
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SLIDE 7

Vet nursing experience

  • Spend time in practice
  • bserving what a registered

veterinary nurse actually does

  • Be aware of the realities of

the job

  • The veterinary industry is

made up of hard working & dedicated professionals Vet Ireland survey 2014: the average vet spends 105 hours per week working and on call

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SLIDE 8

Education

  • An interest in learning
  • The dedication to complete a course
  • Good basic writing & communication skills
  • Be willing to learn to think!
  • Be open to learning about a range of animal

species (farm animals, pets, exotics & horses)

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SLIDE 9

Key attributes

  • Personal responsibility
  • Practical skills
  • Writing skills
  • Maths skills
  • People skills
  • Physical fitness
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Personal responsibility

  • We cannot teach you to be a veterinary

nurse...

  • But we can help you to learn to be a

veterinary nurse

  • Ultimately it’s up to you, nobody else can

do it for you

  • You must take on this responsibility, no

excuses!

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SLIDE 11

Physical fitness

  • Nursing animals is a physically demanding job
  • On your feet constantly, lots of manual

handling, it’s not 9-5.

  • Working when tired/cold/hungry/injured
  • You need to be able for this
  • Running, cycling, team sports, horse riding,

swimming etc.

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SLIDE 12

People skills

  • Good communication skills are absolutely

vital in this career

  • Clients must feel they can trust you
  • Colleagues must feel you are a genuine

team player

  • (Loving animals is not enough)
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SLIDE 13

Practical skills

  • You need to be able to make

your hands do what you want them to do

  • You also need to be
  • bservant
  • Gardening, sewing, cooking,

playing sports, fixing things all help!

  • Can you wire a plug, sharpen

a knife, change a tyre, replace a fuse, groom an animal?!

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Writing skills

  • Vet nurses work as part of a professional

animal care team

  • Accurate and detailed case notes are vital
  • Legal records
  • Patient discharge instructions, reports etc.
  • You must be able to write well
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SLIDE 15

Maths

  • You must be competent in practical maths
  • Drug doses - give 1.1mg/kg of a 50mg/ml

solution to a 12kg dog

  • Disinfectant dilutions - make up a 1:200

solution

  • Lab test results - how many dl in a l?

An

  • verdose

will kill me..

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SLIDE 16

Do not apply for this course if:

  • You think it will be a nice easy job with lots
  • f cute animals to play with
  • You hate studying and want to work outside/

with your hands all the time

  • You don’t like working with people
  • You want to be a vet
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“Success implies endeavour”

You must be prepared to work hard!

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Common mature application weaknesses

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SLIDE 19

You need experience of what a vet nurse actually does

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Incomplete/late applications

  • Get completed applications in to the

CAO before Feb 1st

  • Ensure you have included ALL requested

documentation, including academic results and references

  • Course is

VERY popular so late applications have not been considered to date

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SLIDE 21

Lack of references

  • A FETAC work placement report from a

veterinary practice is not a reference

  • A reference must be written by a practice

member specifically for the purpose of applying to the course

NEVER falsify references!

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Inform yourself

  • Use your initiative to research the job &

the course www.ivna.ie

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Commitment to learning

  • “Sure the course will be no bother, I love

animals”

  • Have you really considered the realities of

going back to college?

  • What have you done to prepare yourself?
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SLIDE 24

Interviews

  • Informal but look smart and be on time!
  • If you plan not to attend please let us know
  • Why do you want to be a vet nurse?
  • How prepared are you?
  • Are you informed about the course &

career?

  • Realistic enthusiasm
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SLIDE 25

Competition

  • In 2015 we received 108 applications for 5

mature applicant places

  • Short listing and interview of 12-15

candidates

  • The process starts from scratch every year

(like a job interview)

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SLIDE 26

Advice for applicants (the take home message)

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SLIDE 27

Do your research

  • Spend as much time as possible in practice,

ideally with RVNs

  • Inform yourself about the course
  • Inform yourself about the profession
  • Ensure your application is complete &

accurate

  • Get experience with a range of animal

species

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SLIDE 28

The best of luck!

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Any questions?

Thank you for your attention