Once you have received your veterinary nursing qualification from your college or university, have completed the required training and placement hours and been deemed competent in day one skills, you will be eligible to register as a newly-qualified veterinary nurse.

You must also make a disclosure relevant to good character, this is simply a statement demonstrating you do not have a criminal record that may affect your work as a veterinary nurse.

Registration forms are sent directly to students and should be submitted to the RCVS with the appropriate registration fee.

Once your registration application has been processed, you will receive your Certificate of Registration and your veterinary nurse badge.

It will then be your responsibility to ensure that your entry on the Register of veterinary nurses is kept up-to-date by informing the RCVS immediately of any change of name, address, or employment. See the full information on the RCVS website: https://www.rcvs.org.uk/registration/check-our-registers/about-the-register-of-veterinary-nurses/

Each year you must sign a declaration and pay a retention fee to remain on the register. You must also complete 15 hours of continuing professional development (CPD) each year which is evidenced in a logging system held by the RCVS known as 1CPD.

You cannot practice as a veterinary nurse if you are not on the register. This means you cannot complete certain tasks known as Schedule 3 tasks. These includes jobs such as taking blood samples, inserting intravenous catheters, giving medication and feeding patients through feeding tubes.

Once registered and working as an RVN, your practice usually pays your indemnity insurance, but it is worth checking at the interview process. It is an insurance designed to protect individuals and businesses from the financial consequences of a claim made against them for professional negligence or errors in their work. All vets and VNs are required to work within a set Code of Professional Conduct that is designed to ensure that they work within their areas of competence and in the best interests of the animal under their care (https://www.rcvs.org.uk/setting-standards/advice-and-guidance/code-of-professional-conduct-for-veterinary-nurses/)

Veterinary nurses have professional responsibilities in regard to animals; clients; the profession; the veterinary team; the RCVS; and the public.

As an RVN, you are accountable for your own actions which means that if you work outside of your areas of competence, you would be responsible for the consequences and need to answer to the RCVS. This is not as scary as it sounds, your VN training will cover all aspects of the role and responsibilities of veterinary nurses so you know exactly what you can and can’t do as an RVN.