Our Equine Veterinary Nursing micro-credential course aims to provide veterinary nurses with an introduction to the fundamentals of equine nursing. During the course, you will be given the resources and tools to develop a sound knowledge and understanding of how to work effectively in equine veterinary practice.
Are you a qualified vet nurse (newly graduated or experienced), wanting to make the transition from small animal practice to equine practice? Have you recently made the transition and want to better understand the key aspects of vet nursing in an equine veterinary setting? Are you an experienced equine nurse who wants to further solidify your knowledge of working with horses?
Study mode: Online
Study time: Self-paced (6-12 months)
CPD Points: 20 AVNAT Points
Prerequisite: Veterinary Nursing Qualification
About: A comprehensive micro-credential covering 8 subject units
Ann-Marie Moyles, Dip VN RVN: Course Writer
Ann-Marie graduated with a Diploma in veterinary nursing from University College, Dublin, Ireland in 2009. Originally working in mixed practice in Ireland, she perused a passion for equine nursing during her travels in Australia. This journey has continued over the past ten years both in private and referral teaching hospitals in Perth, WA. Spending five of those years as the head equine nurse at ‘The Animal Hospital”, Murdoch University.
She has a passion for empowering fellow equine nurses with knowledge and expanded her skillset to do so by completing Graduate Certificate in Tertiary and Adult Education at Murdoch University in 2019 and RCVS examiner training programme in 2009. Along with presenting at both the VNCA and Bain Fallon conferences, delivering both lectures and workshops.
Liz Woodberry, BscBVMS (Veterinary medicine and Surgery): Trainer and Assessor
Liz graduated in 2007 from Murdoch University with a Bachelor of Science in Veterinary Medicine and Surgery. With a passion for equine practice, she spent 10 years working in a mixed practice (equine and small animal) south of Perth. Developing a special interest in equine reproduction. She is currently working as Head Veterinarian at the largest thoroughbred breeding studs in Western Australia.
Liz has always enjoyed helping the next generation of vets and nurses achieve their potential. As a result, she completed her Certificate IV in Training and Assessing. Between breeding seasons she assists in delivering practical skills classes to the undergraduates at Murdoch Veterinary School along with training and assessing our Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing students at AVT.
The course material is written for students with existing veterinary nursing skills. To enrol in this course you will need to have successfully completed a Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing or equivalent qualification or equivalent skills and knowledge.
You will be required to submit a copy of your Certificate at the time of enrolment.
If you believe you have the equivalent skills or knowledge or equivalent education you will be required to provide supporting documentation of equivalent studies. This includes items such as:
If you are unsure if you meet the entry requirements and would like to discuss your individual situation with us, please don’t hesitate to contact our friendly student support team.
To allow for self-paced learning you will have access to pre-recorded tutorials and practical ‘how to videos’. You will also have access to a discussion forum to engage with Module Tutors.
Each unit will be accompanied with a short multiple choice (MCQ) quiz to confirm your understanding of the topics covered.
You will also be required to purchase the mandatory course reading, Equine vet nursing By Karen M. Coumbe
All learning is completed via home-based online eLearning. This means you can study part time, at your own pace to accommodate your busy life working as a veterinary nurse.
This equine veterinary nursing course is ideal for:
“Huge thanks to AVT for acknowledging the skills imbalance and supply shortages our industry is facing. As education and training play a significant role in labour supply, this course will allow employees to instil more of the specialised knowledge, technical skill and confidence employers are seeking.”
Paul O’Callaghan, Director, Perth Equine Hospital, WA
In this unit, you will learn the following aspects of equine hospital management and nutrition:
In this unit, you will learn the following aspects of general equine nursing:
In this unit, you will learn the following aspects of equine critical care and emergency nursing:
In this unit, you will learn the following aspects of equine laboratory diagnostics:
In this unit, you will learn the following aspects of equine orthopaedic nursing:
In this unit, you will learn the following aspects of medical nursing:
In this unit, you will learn the following aspects of equine surgical nursing:
In this unit, you will learn the following aspects of equine reproduction and neonatal care:
This is a great place to start if you are a small animal veterinary nurse who would like to start working with horses. For more inspiration on working with horses, check out our blog post: Ten Rewarding Careers that Involve Working with Horses.
Whether you’re transitioning into equine veterinary nursing or looking to build your confidence in a current equine role, developing specialist equine nursing skills can help you take the next step. Gain the practical knowledge and confidence to perform more advanced nursing tasks and expand your career opportunities across the veterinary and equine industries. Here’s where this course can take you:
Careers in this area are diverse. You might find yourself working in a role such as:
Opportunities are available in a number of areas. You might find yourself working in a/an:
The Australian Veterinary Nurse and Technician (AVNAT) Regulatory Council has allocated 20 AVNAT CPD points to this continuing education activity.
All course fees include:
Full fee paying student
Total Course Cost: $1,200
$250 enrolment fee payable upfront, plus 4 monthly payments of $237.50
AVT current student or graduate
Total Course Cost: $995
$250 enrolment fee payable upfront, plus 4 monthly payments of $186.25
Enrolling more than 1 employee from your organisation?
Take advantage of our group discount from 10-20% off our total course cost. Contact our student support team for more information.
*Fees, inclusions and payment plan amounts are subject to change. Includes GST. If you decide to withdraw from study for any reason, refunds are not issued. Please see our policies page for full details.
An AVT micro-credential is a short online course that allows you to develop specialised skills that are in high demand by animal care and veterinary employers and organisations. We have created our micro-credentials to be short, manageable, and affordable so you can easily fit them into your schedule and budget.
Key features of an AVT micro-credential include:
Whilst micro-credentials are not nationally recognised units of study, they do cover important skills and knowledge gaps not covered in the formal veterinary nursing qualification.
Yes you can! You do not need to be an AVT graduate to enrol in our micro-credentials.
Our advanced veterinary nursing micro-credentials are open to qualified or experienced veterinary nurses from a range of recognised training organisations including TAFEs across Australia.
Yes – absolutely. If your clinic is covering the cost of your course, we can issue a tax invoice directly in the practice’s name so they can process the payment through their regular accounts system. Just let us know at the time of enrolment so we can adjust your payment details. Some conditions may apply for funded qualifications.
Our Equine Veterinary Nursing short course is theory based allowing you to acquire knowledge in a safe manner. However, if you are not confident around horses, or have no experience with horses, we strongly suggest gaining experience in a practical setting.
If your ambition is to work in an equine veterinary clinic, you will need to demonstrate that you can confidently handle horses and have an understanding of horse behaviour.
No, you do not need to be currently employed in a veterinary practice to complete this course. However, you do need to have a Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing or equivalent.
This course is delivered 100% online. You will not be required to attend our campus in Perth, WA. This means you can complete this short course from any location in Australia.
No, this is a short course and is not nationally recognised. Currently, there is no nationally recognised qualification specifically covering Equine Veterinary Nursing. For this reason, our course writers have developed this course to fill the gap and provide already qualified or experienced veterinary nurses with the skills and knowledge to start working with horses or complement their existing skillset.
As this is a non-accredited course, requests for credit transfers for our nationally recognised courses is not possible.
AVT offers two types of short courses:
View our full list of Short Courses →
For students living outside Australia:
AVT has been training Animal Care and Vet Nursing students for over 25 years. It's safe to say there are no plumbing or hairdressing courses here!
Our qualified Trainers and Assessors have been working in the industry for many years and have extensive knowledge in the equine veterinary and veterinary nursing industry.
Our qualified teaching team have many years of experience as well as extensive backgrounds in the veterinary and equine industry. They are dedicated to helping students succeed.
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