PA062/A/07 Open Afternoon For Veterinary Nursing Courses At Greenmount

Greenmount Campus is holding an open afternoon for anyone interested in veterinary nursing courses on Saturday 10 March 2007 starting at 2.00 pm.  Potential students will be able to meet staff involved with the veterinary nursing programmes and have the opportunity to view the excellent facilities.

Greenmount Campus offers NVQ Level II, Level III and Animal Nursing Assistant (Preveterinary Nursing) courses which are designed to prepare students for a career in veterinary nursing/animal care based within a veterinary practice. The training provides the knowledge required to complement the practical skills acquired through working in a veterinary practice.  It also helps student nurses to become valuable and highly motivated team members.

The Animal Nursing Assistant course is delivered on a day release basis over one academic year, while the Level II and III programme is delivered on a block release basis over two years and involves attending the Campus for a total of 13 one week blocks.  The remainder of the time is spent working in an approved veterinary practice.

Geraldine Fox from Dungannon, Co Tyrone is presently studying on the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) NVQ level III Veterinary Nursing programme at the Greenmount Campus of the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise.

Unlike most other students, Geraldine has come from a less traditional route into Veterinary Nursing having qualified as a school teacher and taught for a number of years. Some time ago, however, she realised that her future lay in Veterinary Nursing and she says: “I was lucky enough to secure a place in a great practice in Dungannon at S O’Kane’s Castle Veterinary Clinic, where many bumps and bruises later I completed my Animal Nursing Assistant Course after attending Greenmount every Tuesday.”

It took a further period of time before she was able to get a place at an approved Training Practice – an ongoing difficulty for many Veterinary Nurses.  She has now been based at Cromlyn House Veterinary Hospital in Hillsborough, Co Down since April 2005, where Geraldine says: “I am lucky to have a very supportive nursing and veterinary team to work with and learn from.”

She also stated that she is really glad to be back at Greenmount to complete her nursing course, having enjoyed the Animal Nursing Assistant course so much.

Geraldine says that she has no regrets about her change of career and would encourage anyone to “chase their dreams”. Finally, she paid tribute to the staff at Greenmount who have had a huge influence not only on her career as a Veterinary Nurse so far but also on the careers of all the other Nurses.

If you want to know more about veterinary nursing courses, come to the open afternoon, contact David Mercer, Tel: 028 9442 6759, or on the Campus Freephone Number 080 0028 4291 or visit the Campus website: www.cafre.ac.uk

All media queries to DARD Press Office on 028 9052 4619.