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Job Role: Animal Nursing Auxiliary
Jemma, aged 19, started work at Beechwood Veterinary Hospital, Bessacarr, Doncaster, South Yorkshire in July 2006. The job is to cover a period of maternity leave at Beechwood.
Beechwood Veterinary Hospital provides routine veterinary services for local clients and acts as a referral veterinary hospital for the area. As well as general work the vets specialise in particular fields and are able to deal with complex cases referred by other practices.
The hospital also specialises in small animals.
Currently the staff includes 5 vets, 3 receptionists, 10 veterinary nurses (including those in training), a cleaner and general office staff.
Jemma has a temporary job within the hospital as an Animal nursing auxiliary. She lists the following tasks as being part of her daily remit: restraining animals for vets in the consulting room and during treatment, after operation care of animals, care of hospitalised animals, administering medication (including injections, for which she holds a certificate), cleaning cages, laboratory work eg blood analysis, entering data onto records (written and computerised), dispensing medication and ringing clients with information. She also takes her turn on the morning break cake-buying rota!
Her time is organised by the Head Veterinary Nurse who Jemma reports to. She supports all the vets in the delivery of the service to clients.
Jemma explains "It is very much about working in a team but I need to be able to work on my own to complete individual tasks".
Jemma works a 40 hour week, Monday to Friday 8.30 am to 5.30 pm. Each week she can work up to 2 late nights and on those days she works 12.00 to 7.30 pm.
The Hospital, where most of Jemma's working day is spent, is a 'state of the art' veterinary hospital using up to date equipment and technology.
Go to www.beechwoodvet.co.uk to have a closer look at Jemma's workplace.
As there are a relatively small number of job opportunities in this field Jemma had to be willing to look further afield for work. This means she drives approximately 50 miles per day in her round trip to and from work. Jemma's mum and dad have provided access to a car to enable her to travel to work.
Jemma explains: "This makes my travelling to work quite costly, but I was pleased to take this opportunity to make a start and gain additional experience. It will hopefully improve my future employability".
Jemma lives in Messingham and attended Huntcliff School. She knew she wanted to work with animals and in Y10 at Huntcliff undertook a week's work experience at Elsham Hall Country and Wildlife Park, which gave her some experience of working with animals.
She completed Y11 gaining 4 Bs, 3 Cs and 2 Ds at GCSE but wanted to improve her Maths and English GCSE grades before starting a National Diploma in Animal Management. Jemma joined John Leggott College after Year 11, achieving C and B grades in Maths and English GCSEs in her first year, together with AS passes in Business Studies, Biology and General Studies.
While Jemma was at John Leggott she began a regular work experience placement at Ashby Road Veterinary Surgery in Scunthorpe (2 hours per week and additional time in holidays). Jemma secured this placement herself by making a request when taking animals in for treatment. She then had to make a written application before she was accepted.
Following her year at John Leggott, Jemma started a 2 year course leading to a Level 3 National Diploma in Animal Management at the Lincolnshire School of Agriculture. Alongside this she continued her work experience placement, completing over 500 hours during the 2 years in college term time and additional voluntary work in holidays. Jemma successfully completed the course and was awarded a triple Distinction.
Jemma wrote to over 20 vet practices during her second year at College, sending a copy of her CV with a covering letter, looking for job opportunities (preferably including training to NVQ 3 in Veterinary Nursing).
Initially there did not seem to be any openings but she was then contacted by Beechwood who needed to cover a period of maternity leave. After attending an interview and a full day trial Jemma was offered a temporary post at Beechwood. Although this job does not include formal training Jemma was pleased to accept it as it provided an ideal opportunity for her to gain further experience and hopefully increase her chances of a formal training post in the future. Jemma hopes to become a fully trained veterinary nurse.
Jemma has recently secured a permanent post, with the formal training she hoped for, at a neighbouring veterinary practice on the outskirts of Doncaster and is looking forward to starting her new job in January 07.
