Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing traineeship
ACM40418
Nationally accredited qualification
18 months
Traineeship
Government-subsidised places
Gain clinical skills and industry knowledge with the Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing ACM40418 traineeship.
This industry-based, nationally recognised qualification will provide you with the clinical skills to care for animals, as well as a foundational knowledge of veterinary practice procedures.
You’ll learn how to:
- support hospitalised animals
- perform clinical pathology procedures
- assist with surgery
- prepare equipment and animals for x-rays
- carry out veterinary dental nursing procedures.
How you'll learn
Join the growing animal care industry by completing your studies through the Queensland Government’s traineeship program.
Traineeships combine training with working a real job, with a real boss, for a real wage. As a trainee, you’ll work towards the completion of this qualification while learning valuable skills at work and under the guidance of our UQ Skills team.
UQ Skills offers a blended model, combining online learning with workplace-integrated learning within industry.
On average, a traineeship takes place over 18 months.
You can also complete this program online.
Optional training workshops
You can attend optional residential workshop training blocks at our UQ Gatton campus if you want to supplement any gaps in your workplace experience for training and assessment purposes, or if you just want some extra practical experience.
The workshops will immerse you in practical training for a wide variety of animals, equipping you with industry-leading skills.
Assessment
You’ll be assessed through written assessments, skills portfolios, online quizzes and practical demonstrations.
Start dates
You can start this online program anytime.
On completion of this qualification, you will be able to apply workplace health-and-safety and quality-assurance practices to industry standards and be able to perform the duties of a veterinary nurse working under minimal supervision.
You may find employment as:
- veterinary nurse
- equine veterinary nurse
- equine dental service provider.
To achieve this qualification, you will need to complete these units over 18 months.
| Study period 1: Professional practice A | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Communicate effectively with clients and team members | ACMGAS308 | ||
| Study period 2: Animal Science and work ready nursing | |||
| Identify animal anatomy and physiology for animal care work | ACMGAS307 | ||
| Contribute to workplace health and safety processes | ACMWHS301 | ||
| Study period 3: Animal care and nursing - cats and dogs | |||
| Provide general care of domestic dogs | ACMSPE304 | ||
| Provide general care of domestic cats | ACMSPE305 | ||
| Study period 4: Animal care and nursing - mammals | |||
| Provide general care of mammals | ACMSPE310 | ||
| Study period 5: Provide animal care - wildlife (choose one elective) | |||
| Provide basic care of birds | ACMSPE302 | ||
| Provide basic care of non-venomous reptiles | ACMSPE311 | ||
| Study period 6: Clinical testing and screening | |||
| Comply with infection control policies and procedures in animal care work | ACMINF301 | ||
| Apply imaging routines | ACMVET402 | ||
| Perform clinical pathology procedures | ACMVET403 | ||
| Study period 7: Advanced veterinary nursing | |||
| Nurse animals | ACMVET406 | ||
| Carry out medical nursing routines | ACMVET407 | ||
| Assist with the preparation of veterinary drugs and poisons | ACMVET416 | ||
| Carry out veterinary dental nursing procedures | ACMVET410 | ||
| Carry out daily practice routines | ACMVET202 | ||
| Study period 8: Clinical and surgical nursing | |||
| Assist with the preparation of veterinary drugs and poisons | ACMVET416 | ||
| Coordinate and perform surgical nursing routines | ACMVET405 | ||
| Prepare for anaesthesia and monitor animal anaesthesia and analgesia | ACMVET413 | ||
| Study period 9A: Advanced nutrition and care | |||
| Provide specific animal care advice | ACMVET409 | ||
| Provide nutritional advice and support for animals | ACMVET408 | ||
| Study period 9B: Professional practice B | |||
| Coordinate veterinary reception duties | ACMVET401 | ||
| Perform practice office procedures | ACMVET404 | ||
Credit transfers: Our Study periods are made up of units of competency so you can apply what you’ve learned in a real-world context. If we approve your credit transfer for one unit within a study period, we will waive your fee for that unit. In your assessment for the study period, you’ll have the opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills you’ve previously acquired. If we approve credit transfers for all your units within a study period, you won’t need to complete the study period. We do this so you can transfer your credits and successfully learn and be assessed in this program.
Entry requirements
You must hold either of the following qualifications, or be able to demonstrate equivalent skill and knowledge in a relevant animal science discipline:
- Certificate II or III in Animal Care Services
- A relevant Certificate.
You must also be employed as a trainee in a veterinary clinic or animal hospital.
Vaccination requirements
As you'll be exposed to animals and agricultural environments as part of your learning, immunisations against tetanus are mandatory. You'll need to provide evidence of immunisation when you start your program.
You may also require vaccination against Q fever, lyssavirus, rabies or influenza (flu), depending on the work and environment within which you interact with animals.
If you fail to complete mandatory requirements, this may affect your ability to fulfil the inherent requirements of your program.
For more information visit UQ’s student immunisation requirements webpage.
Recognition of Prior Learning
If you have recent work experience you may be eligible to apply for Recognition of Prior Learning.
Create your USI
You must provide a Unique Student Identifier (USI) before we can accept your enrolment.
Resources
2024 UQ Skills Student Handbook (PDF, 2.7 MB) (includes student support and policy information)
Read our blog post on finding an animal care or vet nurse work placement.
You'll need to contribute to the cost of your training through a co-contribution fee.
Fees are reflective of subject choice and will vary depending on units chosen.
- School-based trainees: free
- Concessional fee: $857.60
- Non-concessional fee: $2,144
- Full fee without funding: $7,865
The fee you pay will depend on your eligibility to receive funding under the traineeship User Choice funding model offered by the Queensland Government’s Department of Employment, Small Business and Training.
Payment plans
Payment plans are available for this program. They incur a 10 per cent processing fee.
Contact us to find out more about fees.
Disclaimer
Details are correct at the time of upload and are subject to change. UQ Skills reserves the right to change programs, subjects or costs or to cancel a program based on consideration of student numbers and resource allocation. Ensure that you understand the program, subjects, associated costs and fee liability prior to signing an enrolment form.
