Veterinary nursing help

15

Hi. I’m at university studying a life science degree but have always wanted to work with animals. I have been considering applying to a veterinary nursing course after I graduate, and have been looking at practices near me. I live in the outskirts of London so have pretty good transport links, so I use public transport. Also I can’t drive for medical reasons, but the practices near me all have mandatory requirements of holding a full drivers license. If I did manage to pass a driving test it would only be an automatic as I cannot drive manual at all and I don’t think this would be a license they accept.

Is this requirement a common one to be a veterinary nurse? I want to work with animals more than anything and wouldn’t be able to be a vet, which is why I was looking at nursing instead but now don’t know if I wouldn’t be allowed to do this.

Reply 1

Tracey_W

17

Original post by KirstinTMH

Hi. I’m at university studying a life science degree but have always wanted to work with animals. I have been considering applying to a veterinary nursing course after I graduate, and have been looking at practices near me. I live in the outskirts of London so have pretty good transport links, so I use public transport. Also I can’t drive for medical reasons, but the practices near me all have mandatory requirements of holding a full drivers license. If I did manage to pass a driving test it would only be an automatic as I cannot drive manual at all and I don’t think this would be a license they accept.

Is this requirement a common one to be a veterinary nurse? I want to work with animals more than anything and wouldn’t be able to be a vet, which is why I was looking at nursing instead but now don’t know if I wouldn’t be allowed to do this.

No a driving licence isn't necessary as a veterinary nurse although it may be useful incase you are required to assist vet surgeon and other veterinary staff on site in a emergency situation....!!!
Providing you have a excellent public transport system then you will be fine.

Automatic licence is just as good as manual so don't worry about that as most new cars are coming as automatic. But only drawback is if you done your driving licence as automatic you can't drive manual cars although you mentioned that you unable to use manual cars because of medical issues. You would be using your own vehicle unless the veterinary practice has there own fleet of vehicles for usage which would be manual probably but don't let this issue put you of applying.

It's similar to those who wants to be nurses in hospital's as you do not need a driving license but if you work in the community as a district nurse then a driving license is necessary to get out and about to patients.
When I applied for midwifing degree it wasn't a requirement to have a driving license but I had my license by time I done my degree in midwifing. I'm now a qualified registered midwife in hospital, my contract has a clause in it stating that I could be asked to work within the community and a driving license would be necessary just because of having to get to someone fast.

Go and get your application in hunni for veterinary nursing okay and best of luck with things.😀😀

Reply 2

Littleemma98

16

Original post by KirstinTMH

Hi. I’m at university studying a life science degree but have always wanted to work with animals. I have been considering applying to a veterinary nursing course after I graduate, and have been looking at practices near me. I live in the outskirts of London so have pretty good transport links, so I use public transport. Also I can’t drive for medical reasons, but the practices near me all have mandatory requirements of holding a full drivers license. If I did manage to pass a driving test it would only be an automatic as I cannot drive manual at all and I don’t think this would be a license they accept.

Is this requirement a common one to be a veterinary nurse? I want to work with animals more than anything and wouldn’t be able to be a vet, which is why I was looking at nursing instead but now don’t know if I wouldn’t be allowed to do this.

Hello Kristin ☺️

Please go ahead and apply for veterinary nursing as you don't need to have a driving license to go into veterinary nursing okay as not mandatory.

Unfortunately I think that most practices will ask for a driving license just incase required to perhaps assist the vet surgeon out on farms etc.
What you could do is apply to work with your local vet practice and if they ask anything about driving license as part of the condition of the job then you can say that you are in middle of going to do this 🙂 and start some lessons.
I won't think it matters which license you have got but I think having it will be useful to you.

I'm a recent graduate in BSC veterinary nursing (2020 )and I was lucky enough to have had my license before I started my veterinary nursing degree but there's girls who work in the vet practice who doesn't have a driving license but still able to work within the vet practice itself instead of perhaps going out and about doing jobs with the vet surgeon. I'm unfortunately not working permanently in a veterinary practice because I went straight back to university to do adult nursing as this is where I always wanted to be doing but I love animals. I do work the occasionally odd day's in the vet practice when I am on placements and I'm free in the week.

I wouldn't imagine that anyone would hold any discrepancies if you have only a automatic car driving license as you can explain it due to medical reasons okay. As far as I am concerned a driving license is a driving license regardless of whether it's manual or automatic.
If you look around the car showrooms or look up information about the car dealerships cars that they are selling you'll find a lot of the new ones are coming with a automatic gearbox instead of manual.

Main thing you have is plenty of good public transport in and around the London areas where you live.

Anyway go ahead with your application for veterinary nursing degree and also working in one of your local vet practices as I'm sure you'll be a good veterinary nurse on graduation after 3 or 4 years.

Veterinary nursing help

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