To retain your enrolment, please ensure you do the following before the start date of the programme:
Confirm your animal related facility and veterinary clinic work placements
By accepting an enrolment in this programme, you accept responsibility to secure all required work placements yourself. Depending on local availability, this may require you to travel. If you are based in Dunedin, you must be prepared to travel outside of the wider Dunedin area to complete your vet clinic placements.
Print off and read each of the following Work Placement documents.
o Finding and Keeping Work Placements
o Work Placement Confirmation Form
If you need support finding a suitable placement, please contact the School of Animal Health by emailing Katie.Prasad@op.ac.nz - Katie is our work placement co-ordinator.
Read the Programme Information sheet
Please read the following programme information which explains more about work placement hours requirements and programme information.
o Programme Information for new students
Vaccinations
Tetanus vaccination is strongly recommended: If you do not have a current tetanus vaccination, please seek advice from your healthcare provider before starting your work placements.
Block Course Dates
Block courses are compulsory for this programme and are offered in four different locations across the country. Please note the dates of your nearest venue and make the necessary time off/travel arrangements. If you are not able to attend, you must let us know before the start date of the programme.
o Full time students block course dates
o Part time students block course dates
Compulsory Uniform, Textbook and Equipment:
Click here to order your uniform: Uniform Shop and click here for the Uniform pricelist. You need:
o Polo shirt
o Scrub top
o Name badge
(Scrub pants are optional)
Equipment:
o Nurses fob watch (about $6-$12 from Trade Me, Medisave or Medshop)
o Stethoscope – many options depending on your budget, e.g.
- Prestige Dual Head Stethoscope - $38.69 h
Textbook:
o BSAVA Textbook of Veterinary Nursing 6th Edition Author: Cooper, B. et al, ISBN: 9781910443392
If the textbook is unavailable at Unibooks, you may find other suppliers online. Note that with some international sellers there can be a 3-week shipping delay.
Optional extras:
Saunders Comprehensive Veterinary Dictionary 5th Edition. Author: Virginia Studdert, Clive Gay, Kenneth W Hinchcliff, ISBN: 0702074632
Mosby’s Veterinary PDQ Fourth Edition. Author: Holtgrew-Bohling. ISBN
0323881491
Bandage scissors (ListerMate 5.5” - try Medshop.co.nz or Medisave.co.nz)
Scrub pants (from the Uniform shop above, or try Kmart).
Buy Sell and Exchange:
We have set up two buy/sell/swap Facebook pages to buy and sell used uniforms, equipment and textbooks.
Click here for the Otago Polytechnic page
Click here for the Te Pūkenga page
You can also try the Vet Nurses and Students NZ Facebook page which often has items for sale.
Further programme information
You will be assigned a learning advisor (academic support person) at the start of your study who will contact you prior to the start of your programme with instructions on joining your online Teams classroom and getting started.
In the meantime, if you have any questions please contact us on 0800 762 786 or email animalhealth@op.ac.nz and your enquiry will be directed to a learning advisor.
