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Veterinary Nurse
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Summary
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Veterinary nurses assist veterinarians in the treatment and care of animals needing medical and/or surgical attention.
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Duties & Tasks |
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Veterinary nurses may perform the following tasks:
- assist veterinarians during consultations, examinations and treatments
- restrain animals while the veterinarian examines or treats them
- prepare animals for anaesthesia and surgery by clipping and shaving their fur or hair and disinfecting or swabbing skin
- assist veterinarians in administering and maintaining anaesthesia and, during surgical procedures, by handling instruments, swabbing blood, monitoring anaesthetics, oxygen and intravenous fluids, and applying post-operative dressings
- perform diagnostic laboratory tests, including urine and faecal tests and simple blood tests, and assist veterinarians to produce diagnostic radiographs
- place animals in cages for recovery from operations and monitor their condition
- give medication to animals under direction of a veterinarian
- bathe, brush, feed and exercise hospitalised animals
- monitor surgical and anaesthetic recovery of animals
- clean examination tables with antiseptic between consultations, and clean animal cages, floors, benchtops, consulting rooms, waiting rooms and surgeries
- sterilise instruments, dressings and other equipment
- maintain stock control such as medicines, bandages, cotton wool, syringes, etc.
- maintain equipment in working order
- admit and discharge animals attending the surgery
- perform reception duties including answering the telephone, making appointments, preparing accounts, accepting payments and writing receipts
- provide information on nutrition, parasite control and animal behaviour
- record and maintain clinical and office records of animals attending the surgery, usually on a computer.
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Find Out More About This Career... |
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