Battle Flatts Veterinary Clinic is an RCVS approved Training Practice. We provide work placements for students enroled on the Veterinary Nurse training course at local colleges, we don't however, provide placements for employed students at this moment in time. If you are interested in training as a veterinary nurse, then please contact your local college in the first instance.

To become a qualified veterinary nurse you must be over 17 years old, and the training takes two years. To be accepted onto the course you need to have gained five GCSEs at Grade C or above, including English and two sciences, one of which can be Maths. Alternatively, if you haven’t got these qualifications, there is now an Animal Nursing Assistant qualification, which once you have completed, allows to you enrol as a student veterinary nurse without any other qualifications.

Student nurses at Battle Flatts work full time at the practice, learning the practical side of being a veterinary nurse, and also attend Myerscough College, near Preston, for six two-week blocks. While they are working at the practice the nurses have to build up a portfolio of case studies for each year of their training, which goes off for assessment by our external assessors. In the case studies they have to show evidence of all aspects of their work, from dispensing drugs, communicating with clients, admitting pets for operations, radiography, medical and surgical nursing – and everything else in-between.

At the end of the first year of training, student nurses have two written exams which, with their portfolio, must be passed before they can move on to their second year.

The second year of training involves more case studies for the portfolio and a more varied workload as the knowledge of the students increases. They are now able to assist with anaesthetics and perform other routine procedures. This year also culminates in exams, both written and practical. Successful students then become qualified veterinary nurses and are able to wear their badges with pride.

Further Education

At Battle Flatts, training does not stop with qualification, and all the nurses are encouraged to further their studies. For example Diana has the Diploma in Advance Veterinary Nursing (Surgical) and Certificate in Exotic Nursing, Dawn has the Diploma in Advanced Veterinary Nursing (Medical) and the Certificate in Small Animal Nutrition and Leeanne also successfully completed her Certificate in Exotic Nursing, as well as being a trained Pets as Therapy assessor. Nurses also train to be Hill’s pet nutrition advisors.