Mature Veterinary Nurse Students

Hi,

I'm 23 and on the 15th Jan I applied for 5 different veterinary nursing degrees through UCAS, I left education in 2012 and have been working in the animal industry since in veterinary practices but mainly medical research and I've already been offered an unconditional place at the college of west anglia for the vet nursing and applied behaviour (my second choice) and an interview with middlsex uni for vet nursing (my first choice) and I'm awaiting replies from the other 3.

You have health care experience and that will go down nicely with the colleges/unis. My advice would be to get some hands on animal experience, namely in a practice. Really sell yourself in your personal statement and you'll have no trouble... Good luck!!

Congratulations on your success so far I hope your interview at middlesex goes well!

Great advice. I am going to volunteer at my local rspca shelter and I've applied for a voluntary post with the pdsa. I already volunteer at my local cattery and have for many years.

Thanks again for your reply and good luck!

No problem it's also worth baring in mind you don't have to do a degree to become a nurse, as there are level 3 courses available too but you might have trouble getting the funding.

I would try get in with the vets if the RSPCA site has any, lots of courses want to know if you've seen any operations, and whether you can handle the blood. I worked at a practice once and a student nurse had to quit after 2 weeks because she kept passing out in theatre

Hiya! Starting 2018 too and will be almost 32 when I start I applied now for a deferred entry as I had enough work experience and wanted to get the stress off my heart!
Don't feel old, it's never ever too late.
Have you considered the diploma route as well? it's cheaper and quicker and some practices actually prefer diploma nurses as their studies are more hands-on.
The veterinary industry is really challenging, proper hard core. Make sure you spend lots of time in practice to appreciate what you're getting yourself into
Happy to help with whatever you need, us oldies need to stick together right Good luck!

Hello!

I am considering applying for veterinary nursing for Sept 2018 entry! I am 30 years old

I was wondering if there are any other mature vet nurse students out there with advice?

I feel old hahaha, I have worked in the NHS/Healthcare for years and have finally decided to do what I have always wanted to do! I was considering adult nursing but I think vet nursing is my true calling!

Thanks guys!

Hi im a mature student too hoping to start this October (accepted an offer with middlesex), i'll be 26. You're never too old to do something that you want to do! I am also completing an access course which i am doing through distance learning so that i can still work full time.
With the degree route you get lots of hands on experience! At nottingham, the whole of year 3 you are on placement, and you spend a certain amount of weeks on placement throught year 1 and 2. But also Nottingham have an amazing animal house with lots of different species, and loads of cats roaming about! Thats where you'll spend your practical lessons. You should definitely go to an open day. I much prefered the idea of the degree route because the theory is just as important as the practical and it opens so many gateways if you want to progress on to other things. Obviously with the diploma, you dont get paid for it and no loan, so you'll be working full time with no wage unless you find an apprenticeship which then it will be apprenticeship wage.
If you are looking at the diploma route then try medivet, i know they arent a great brand but its somewhere to do your training. Hope this helps

Thank you so much for all the information

Out of interest who are you doing your long distance access course through? Im pretty set on doing the access course at Nottingham Trent Uni but it will be a struggle financially because I won't be able to work full time plus paying rent. My plan is to save up what I can until then and just be poor haha. I can work bank shifts at the hospital for some income but I don't want to over do it because I will need to focus on the course.

Good luck to you getting in at Middlesex

P.S Middlesex for vet. nursing is very popular! Im guessing it has a good reputation and facilities? It has 3 different bases you can study at as well?

I'm doing it through the distance learning centre, you can't get funded for it unfortunately but I pay monthly which works out well and affordable! You can do it in as little time or long time as you want, I'm aiming to complete by June, which will be a year overall! Take a look on their website. Yea that's my issue too, I have bills etc to pay so I still need an income. Will you be commuting to uni?
Nottingham is amazing, the facilities and campus is lovely, that definitely would have been my next choice if I didn't get an offer from Middlesex.

I have seen better facilities elsewhere to be honest but Middlesex were the first uni to offer the veterinary nurse degree so I feel they've set the bar for everyone else if that makes sense and it's a 3 year course for a bachelors degree whereas everywhere else it's 4 years for the same degree. You also get a bigger loan being in London which will help me massively with my bills 🙈

I see! Sounds perfect! I have never done distance learning, but I would struggle to afford paying for anything whereas I am entitled to an advanced learning loan for the access course at NTU and it will get me in with the UNI so I am guessing my chances of getting on the foundation degree will be greater as long as I do well.

I will be commuting yes and I don't drive. The NTU campus for the course is quite a way out of the center of Nottingham, about 1 hour+ on 2 buses from my current location but I am not tied to where I am living so would consider moving to a shared flat closer or even the student accommodation on-site but that is more expensive and makes it more difficult for me to get to the hospital to do bank shifts. Will you stay in dorms?

That's the only thing I wish was different I wish it was a full bachelors! I would like to get a full bachelors but it will mean doing a top up degree elsewhere! A lot of placements though which is good too!

Ah fair enough, it's good you get funded for it! Is it part time? That's quite a distance isn't it, are you working in the city centre then? A lot of students get accommodation in the city centre and commute so you might be able to find someone to share a lift with to the uni? Or maybe if your going to be at uni most of the time and only commuting to work once or twice a week it might work out better to move closer to uni? Yea I'll be moving into halls.
Nottingham do the top up degree!

Its 3 days a week! 9:30-15:30 I work outside the city center but its easy to get to on a tram from the city center.

That would be good! I will definitely do some networking on here closer to the time but I am thinking I will move to a flat that is along the bus route to make things simpler both for uni and work! I would love to do dorms onsite but £120 a week is kind of pricey but I need to do some calculations adding travel expenses and such it may work out the same and so be worth staying in the halls!

How much are the dorms in middlesex? How do you feel about going into halls for the first time

So they do! That's very good to know and I would definitely like to do that to get the bachelors just a tiny shame it'll take 4 years but not a huge problem Do you have a backup plan if middlesex doesn't work out?

Yea, work out what the cheaper option will be. There are halls in the city centre where students stay as well, not sure how much they are though, its all on the website, so you kind of get the best of both worlds then.

The dorm im hoping to be staying in is £143 a week, but i guess thats where the bigger loan comes in to it! and also we have alot of placement in the first year which we can do anywere we want, so i can go back to my dads and save on accommodation costs if i want to! I can't wait to move in and get started! I've only spoke to one person who is possibly going to middlesex though, can't find anyone else

Yea i was certain about getting a bachelors, might as well go the whole way! Well i have accepted an offer from middlesex, it just all depends on me passing this course which im sure i will but i also have to redo my science GCSE! which is ridiculous when my access course is the equivialant of 3 A levels which are all science subjects! Doesnt make sense but its one of my conditions in getting on the course. That could be the only thing that doesnt work out as im self learning. Full time working, studying an access course and now redoing my science gcse..... If worst comes to worst then i could go in to clearing but that could leave me with universities im not keen on so i'll probably hold off for another year!
Have you already applied for your access course? Will you move to dorms when your doing the veterinary nursing degree?

I am also a mature (30) wannabe veterinary nurse and it is so stressful looking at training routes. I did gcse's A Levels and the a degree in performance but to get on to a veterinary nurse level 3 diploma course I need to retake my maths and science GCSE. Luckily I can take the level 2 veterinary care assistant course whilst still in my full time job and this means I only need to then resit the maths gcse to get onto the level 3 diploma. But need to find a practice that will allow me to train with them. In the mean time whilst doing the level 2 I am volunteering at a dog shelter, asking around at practices and doing other courses to assist and show a keen interest such as hydrotherapy and animal care etc but all come at a cost.

Fortunately I am at the moment working in the finance industry and have a well paid job....this leads me to my biggest concern. I seriously dont know know how I will afford my house/bills if I leave my job to do a training course. An advanced learning 24+ loan will cover course fees but its my living costs that are never going to be covered and living alone I have no support I dont know whether its worth speaking to head nurses to get any advice about what the best options would be. I have read a few times that some practices so have you on minimum wage whilst training but this would not cover my costs. Once qualified dropping to 18k plus will be a big cut in my salary but i can work this out because id be doing somethinv I am so keen to do but its getting through this initial training that i am struggling with.