Veterinary Nurses
AMTRA and Harper Adams University College have introduced a system to allow qualified VNs to "add on" to their VN qualification and to become an AMTRA SQP who can prescribe VPS medicines for companion animals - termed a C-SQP. Since qualified VNs already have been assessed on some of the relevant material in this qualification they can be given credit for this and just have to be assessed on the "new" material and the working understanding of their other knowledge checked. |
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A potential SQP must register with AMTRA as the body holding the professional register (just as the RCVS does for the VN qualification) but Harper Adams will conduct the assessment and will award the necessary academic credits, whether the assessment is at Harper Adams or at another centre.
The assessment will be in an exam format and will contain a case study with a description of a scenario. An example might be: Non client X comes into surgery with young dog Y just obtained from a rescue kennel. It has been vaccinated but the new owner has been told to get the dog wormed. Describe the procedure an SQP vet nurse would go through, including questions asked, advice given, products sold and data recorded. There would also be some short answer questions to cover knowledge of other areas of the medicines legislation relevant to SQPs. e.g. legal aspects of medicine storage. A VN will be required to bring their original VN certificate and a photocopy of it with them as proof of achievement in the areas for which they have already been given credit.
Enrolment and Assessment
Veterinary Nurses enrolling with AMTRA will be provided with written course material. Revision courses are offered by some examination centres. Check the AMTRA website (www.amtra.org.uk) for full details.
The AMTRA enrolment fee includes the examination fee (provided the exam is sat within 13 months of enrolment), the AMTRA assessment fee, the price of the training material, the Harper Adams assessment/credit rating/quality control fee, and for successful candidates, a free NOAH Compendium containing data sheets of those medicines which qualified SQPs can prescribe, free inclusion on the AMTRA VN SQP Register for the remainder of the calendar year of the examination, access to AMTRA services and to Continuing Professional Development.
Once enrolled with AMTRA and in receipt of the training manual, veterinary nurses may book their examination with AMTRA.
Non-qualified nurses and receptionists can also become SQPs but they will have to enrol as a new student, and then study a base module and a companion animal module and be assessed upon, i.e. more study and assessment as they do not have a formal relevant qualification which can be accredited.
If the right to dispense medicines to horses and/or farm animals is wanted or needed by a practice then the appropriate modules can be assessed and added on to the C-SQP qualification.
AMTRA Veterinary Nurse Enrolment fee: £250 (including the examination fee and a full copy of the manual)
What the examination looks like
The VN Top Up module examination is made up of two sections: the first is an essay question - a client and companion animal parasite scenario. The potential SQP is expected to ask the potential client the relevant questions, give advice and supply appropriate medication within the scope of their intended SQP qualification if required.
Multiple choice and short answer questions form the second half of the paper, covering current legislation and relevant companion animal health areas.
After the written examination, candidates are assessed for their professional competence as SQPs, which is undertaken by an AMTRA Assessor appointed for that purpose in a one-to-one 10-15 minute oral (“viva”) examination. The specific purpose of the assessment is to establish that the candidate has competence in knowledge, understanding and interpretation of the legal and professional responsibilities of SQPs, of the relevant parts of the Veterinary Medicines Regulations and the Code of Practice or of other germane legal and professional requirements.
Examination Centres and Taught Courses
Current AMTRA Examination centres also offering training courses are listed below, with the timetable of courses and examinations currently on offer. Further examination centres and courses will be added to this list as they become available. Check the AMTRA website (www.amtra.org.uk) for the most up to date information.
Please note: while most of the exam centres are suitable for access by wheelchair and others with mobility difficulties, not all do. If this may cause problems for you, please contact us to seek advice before booking your exam.
VNs should enrol with AMTRA, but book any training/revision directly with the college concerned.
- Veterinary Nurse SQP enrolment form
- examination application form for Veterinary Nurse C-SQP
- Rules & Regulations for AMTRA Exams
ABBEYDALE VETLINK
VN Revision Courses:
21 & 28 February 2012
10 & 17 July 2012
VN conversion examinations:
6 March 2012
24 July 2012
Abbeydale Vetlink Veterinary Training, Wyastone Business Park, Wyastone Leys, Monmouth, NP25 3SX
Contact: Kirsty Gwynne, kirsty_gwynne@yahoo.co.uk, 01600 892682
or John Corsan, john.corsan@vetlink.co.uk, 01458 210818
ASKHAM BRYAN COLLEGE, YORK
VN conversion examinations:
18 July 2012
12 December 2012
Askham Bryan College, Askham Bryan, York YO23 3FR
Contact: Sarah Wickham
Email: shortcourses@askham-bryan.ac.uk
Telephone: 01904 772200
BETA - British Equestrian Trade Association
Exams to be held at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire.
VN conversion examinations:
1 February 2012
20 March 2012
2 May 2012
3 July 2012
19 September 2012
31 October 2012
Contact: Tina Rogers, BETA, Stockeld Park, Wetherby, LS22 4AW
Email: tinar@beta-int.com
Telephone: 01937 587062
BICTON COLLEGE, DEVON
VN Revision Courses:
to be confirmed
VN conversion examinations:
11 July 2012
19 July 2012
Bicton College, East Budleigh, Budleigh Salterton, Devon, EX9 7BY
Contact: Lynne House
Email: LKHouse@bicton.ac.uk
Telephone: 01395 562382
Fax: 01395 567502
GREENMOUNT CAMPUS, ANTRIM
VN conversion examinations:
25 April 2012 - exam now full
Contact: Mrs Louise Millsopp
Tel: 028 9442 6634 (10am to 1pm)
Fax: 028 9442 6904
Email: louise.millsopp@dardni.gov.uk
HARPER ADAMS UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, SHROPSHIRE
VN conversion examinations:
20 April 2012
20 July 2012
14 September 2012
tbc April 2013
Harper Adams University College, Newport, Shropshire, TF10 8NB
Contact: Lisa Chapman, Short Course Administrator
Email: shortcourses@harper-adams.ac.uk
Telephone 01952 815300
MOULTON COLLEGE, NORTHAMPTON
VN Conversion courses:
Bespoke provision available by arrangement - individual or group sessions for training or revision.
VN conversion examinations:
30 March 2012
Holcot Centre
Moulton College
Moulton
Northants
NN3 7RR
Contact: Mel Coleman
Tel: 01604 491131 ext 312
Email: mel.coleman@moulton.ac.uk
MYF TRAINING, HAMPSHIRE
VN Conversion revision courses:
22 February 2012
28 May 2012
VN conversion examinations:
23 February 2012
29 May 2012
Vet Nurses may also do any additional modules on the above examination dates
For details of training courses please contact the college direct.
MYF Training, Hippodrome House, Station Road, Aldershot, Hants, GU11 1LZ
Contact: Julie Ouston
Email: myf.training@virgin.net
Telephone: 01252 319636
PET CARE TRADE ASSOCIATION, BEDFORD
VN conversion examinations:
4 May 2012
5 July 2012
Pet Care Trade Association
Bedford Business Centre
170 Mile Road
Bedford
MK42 9TW
SAC (Scottish Agricultural College)
Training course dates:
Dates to be confirmed
VN conversion examinations:
SAC, Craibstone, Aberdeen: 17 February 2012
SAC, Ayr: 16 May 2012
SAC, Craibstone, Aberdeen: 17 August 2012
SAC, Ayr: 18 October 2012
Riverside Campus
University Avenue
Auchincruive
Ayr KA8 0SX
For further details of courses and costs please contact
Jill Offer, phone: 01292 886178, email: jill.offer@sac.ac.uk
Or Lesley Gechie 01292 886169.
SPARSHOLT COLLEGE, HAMPSHIRE
VN Conversion courses:
17-18 February 2012
13-14 July 2012
VN conversion examinations:
28 March 2012
5 September 2012
Sparsholt College
Winchester
Hampshire
SO21 2NF
Contact: Part-time Admissions
Email: courses@sparsholt.ac.uk
Tel: 01962 797213
or Amanda Miller on 01962 797397 / amanda.miller@sparsholt.ac.uk
UNIVERSITY OF LINCOLN
VN conversion examinations:
29 February 2012
6 June 2012
For further details please contact Simon Goodger:
University of Lincoln, Riseholme Hall, Lincoln, LN2 2LG
Email: sgoodger@lincoln.ac.uk
Telephone: 01522 895295
Fax: 01522 545436
WRITTLE COLLEGE, CHELMSFORD
VN conversion examinations:
26 July 2012
Contact: Michelle Williams
Writtle College, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 3RR
michelle.williams@writtle.ac.uk
Tel: 01245 424200 extn 25697
Fax: 01245 420456
VNs should enrol with AMTRA, but book any training/revision directly with the college concerned.
This page last updated 30/01/2012
