EIT Veterinary Nursing Graduates Excel In Workplace

EIT’s Veterinary Nursing graduates are excelling in the workplace environment at VETServices Hawke’s Bay. 

VETServices Hawke’s Bay Clinic Manager & Companion Animal Veterinarian Dr Veronika Pipe says the foundation and knowledge of EIT veterinary nursing graduates is what sets them apart from others. 

“I think they come with a really good theoretical knowledge of problems, anaesthetic monitoring, and general nursing. But I also find that they are well prepared for the day to day running of a vet clinic – the reality of the veterinary industry.” 

In the Napier branch, five of the veterinary nurses in the small animals’ team studied at EIT’s Hawke’s Bay campus in Taradale. 

As well as offering a NZ Diploma in Veterinary Nursing [Level 6], EIT first introduced a Bachelor of Veterinary Nursing in 2020 at its Hawke’s Bay campus in Taradale. The third year of this degree is co-taught with Otago Polytechnic.

Nowadays, Veronika says there is more importance placed on animal welfare and caring for pets, with many regarded as family members. 

“There's always an increasing demand on not only the care we provide but the services and knowledge because I think people are more aware now of what can go wrong with their pets.” 

As a result, vet nurses are more skilled in areas such as collecting blood samples, putting the animals on IV fluids, and taking x-rays – all of which is taught at EIT. 

“We’re only just showing them how it’s done in our clinic and giving them the chance to put all their skills into practice but they’re using the knowledge that they learnt from EIT, and I think that’s fantastic. It does make our job, and the whole induction process much easier, because they’ve got that confidence.”

VETServices is passionate about giving up-and-coming vet nurses the opportunity to succeed in their chosen career. The company offers four scholarships per year for Diploma of Veterinary Nursing or Bachelor of Veterinary Nursing students at EIT. 

Currently, VETServices Napier has five EIT graduates working there. They are Holly Te Ngahue, an EIT certificate graduate who completed her diploma via Otago; Rebecca Dawson, who completed the diploma and is now studying a Bachelor of Veterinary Nursing at EIT, Tegen Willis and Deanna Evans-Jackson, who all have their Veterinary Nursing diplomas and receptionist Letitia Cuckow is also an EIT graduate.

Having already worked at VETServices as a weekend kennel hand, Napier High School 2021 graduate Sophie Freeman-Pointon was awarded this scholarship and will begin studying at EIT this year.

Hafiz Bakri, Animal Care & Vet Nursing Lecturer & Programme Coordinator at EIT’s Centre for Veterinary Nursing says that over the years, EIT has built a strong relationship with local veterinary clinics; VETServices Hawke’s Bay being one of them.

“VETServices have gone over-and-above providing a scholarship to assist our students in becoming qualified veterinary nurses; a highly employable profession. The successful applicant will have a portion of their course fees paid and possible future employment with VETServices.”

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