In a country where over 40% of households include a pet, veterinary nurses are some of society’s most important members – well, in our books anyway! Whether they’re performing life-saving surgery, helping animals give birth, or providing routine check-ups, you know you can always rely on them for the highest level of care.

If you’re considering a career as a veterinary nurse, you’re most certainly an animal lover and an animal protector – and you want that to come across in your CV. Summarising all your incredible experiences on a CV might seem like a tall order. In what order should you write your skills and experience? How can you make it sound sharp? We know you probably have a million questions, which is completely natural at this stage in the CV writing process.

But there’s no need to get bamboozled by the details. Looking for a quick and easy way to write your veterinary nurse CV? You’re in the right place. At myPerfectCV, we’ve got everything you need to build your application – from your ideal veterinary nurse CV example to customisable content. On top of this, the following guide explains how to complete each section, offering plenty of insider tips on content and design.

Ready to land your dream job? Keep reading as we explore:

SEARCH ALL CV EXAMPLES

    Sample veterinary nurse CV

    Veterinary nurse CV Sample

    James Brown

    6 Victory Way
    Edinburgh EH2 09UH
    987654321
    james.brown@example.com

    Professional summary

    Caring veterinary professional accustomed to prepping animals, equipment and treatment rooms for comprehensive veterinary care. Offers emotional support and proactive communication to foster trusting and loyal rapport with animal owners.

    Work history

    July 2023 – Current
    Edinburgh Veterinary Clinic – Edinburgh
    Veterinary Nurse

    • Enhanced customer satisfaction by providing outstanding follow-up care through house calls and follow-up emails,
    • Calculated, prepared and administered medications under veterinarian instruction.
    • Offered steadfast emotional support to animal owners throughout distressing periods.
    • Shared and championed best practices to elevate care delivery.

    January 2020 – June 2023
    Highland Pet Hospital – Edinburgh
    Veterinary Nurse

    • Contributed to holistic planning, delivery and evaluation of high-quality patient care.
    • Mentored placement students and staff to encourage workplace learning and development.
    • Provided animal care information on behaviour and parasite control.
    • Planned and executed animal nutrition programmes, helping pets quickly achieve optimal weight.

    Skills

    Patient monitoring
    Postoperative care
    Veterinary X-rays
    Surgical preparation procedures
    Veterinary anaesthesia
    Instrument sterilisation
    Pet trauma care
    Equipment sterilisation
    Medication administration

    Education

    2018
    Edinburgh Napier University Edinburgh
    Bachelor of Science in Veterinary Nursing

    Certifications

    Registered Veterinary Nurse (RVN) with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS)
    Basic Life Support and CPR Certification for Veterinary Professionals

    Veterinary nurse CV template

    Like your patients’ medical reports, your CV should be clear, well-structured, and easy to read. That means it’s crucial to find a suitable template for your expertise. Below, you can browse our selection of layouts to find the perfect veterinary nurse CV template for your application.

    What is the best format for your veterinary nurse CV?

    The first step to securing an interview is nailing your presentation. How should you organise your content so it’s easy to read and cohesive? Luckily, there’s no need to spend hours creating something brand-new – not when you can save precious time choosing between professional CV formats.

    Most people opt for either the reverse-chronological CV or the skills-based CV, thanks to their popularity with recruiters and hiring managers. The former outlines your employment history, starting from your current or most recent role, whereas the latter focuses on transferable skills, such as “teamwork”, “organisation”, and “communication”.

    So, which is best for a veterinary nurse? Without a doubt, the reverse-chronological structure. Employers prefer candidates with previous experience because the role is highly technical – at the very least, they must have completed apprenticeships or work placements alongside a university qualification. Skills-based CVs are really only suitable for people with minimal experience, which isn’t applicable here.

    As well as choosing the right format, here are a few other tips to make your CV stand out:

    • Only include the most relevant information – your CV should be one to two pages long maximum
    • Keep the overall tone friendly and formal – avoid jargon and clichés
    • Improve readability with sections, headings, and bullet points
    • Type in a clear font like Arial or Calibri in size 11 or bigger
    • Send your CV as a Word or PDF file unless asked otherwise

    How to write a CV for a veterinary nurse

    Learning how to write a CV is easy when you take advantage of the right online resources. Starting from the personal statement and ending with education, the following guide covers everything you need to include to catch the hiring manager’s attention. Who said veterinary nurse CV writing had to be complicated?

    Let’s run through:

    How to add contact details to your veterinary nurse CV

    On average, hiring managers only spend around six seconds on each CV. As such, you must include the most important information near the top of the page, starting with your contact details. While it might sound obvious, you’d be surprised how many candidates forget – and then wonder why they never hear back! We advise using a slightly larger and bolder font for maximum visibility. Remember to note:

    • Full name – first name and surname
    • Address – so employers can anticipate your travel time
    • Phone number – the best one to reach you on
    • Email address – keep it professional

    Example of contact section for a veterinary nurse CV

    Angela Lombardo,
    82 Boleyn Road,
    London, N1 2JG,
    079123456789,
    lombardo.a@example-example.co.uk

    How to write a personal statement for your veterinary nurse CV

    If you want to make an excellent first impression, you must write a persuasive personal statement outlining your proudest experience, skills, and achievements. When done right, this punchy three to four sentence introduction sparks the hiring manager’s interest and encourages them to read on. We know what you’re thinking – how do I cover the most important points within such a limited word count? The formula below should help.

    Sentence one states who you are, including years of experience and career focus, such as farm animals. Sentence two explains what you can achieve, backed up by a showstopping statistic. For example, you might have “performed over 1000 successful surgeries” or “introduced a new administration system that boosted productivity by 23%”. Finally, sentences three and four reiterate your unique skills. Think about what makes you different from the competition – perhaps you specialise in sought-after areas like dermatology or cardiology.

    What else do you need to know?

    • Write in the third person to sound more professional
    • Place your personal statement at the top of the CV
    • Keep information fluff-free, factual, and around 100 words
    • Convey confidence with statistics and positive descriptors, such as “compassionate”, “calm”, and “organised”
    • Focus on what value you can provide – talk about what you can offer, not what you want (save career goals for the cover letter)

    Example of personal statement for a veterinary nurse CV

    Compassionate veterinary nurse with over 15 years of experience working with farmyard animals. Improved lambing birth rates by 89% across the region. Knowledgeable about best farmyard practices and completed a dissertation on how chemical pesticides impact animal welfare. Highly organised and able to complete call-outs at short notice.

    OR

    Dedicated veterinary nurse highly efficient at undertaking various administrative and programme management tasks. Able to manage complex data with excellent organisation. Motivated to achieve outstanding success through prompt communication and a helpful approach.

    How to present your work history on a veterinary nurse CV

    Work experience is often the most interesting part of any CV, providing employers with the details they need to choose the best candidates. As well as listing daily responsibilities, such as reordering surgical supplies, remember to spotlight your strengths and achievements – not to mention the all-important metrics we discussed earlier in the personal statement section. Hiring managers want to know what you can achieve, not your lengthy to-do list.

    When using a reverse-chronological structure, start from your current or most recent role and work your way back, jotting down three to six duties for each. Always keep the job description in mind so you can tailor information accurately. As a rule, you should cover:

    • Job title
    • Company name
    • Company location
    • Employment start and end dates
    • List of responsibilities
    • Achievements, awards, and promotions

    You can’t sum up the qualities of a veterinary nurse in numbers alone – but if you want to help your CV stand out, always include critical metrics from your previous positions. If you saw an average of 20 patients a week or boosted your practice’s efficiency by 15%, these figures are a great way to help your recruiter quantify your success. Don’t be shy about emphasising your accomplishments because your competition won’t be.

    Next, cover as many different duties as possible. For instance, if you’ve discussed “completing preparatory work for surgical procedures” underneath one position, talk about “maintaining the highest standards of cleanliness” in another. Repetition is one of the biggest problems we see – and it’s bound to bore the reader senseless. Plus, keep content specific and avoid banalities, like “answering telephones” and “photocopying”.

    Last but not least, sound enthusiastic. You can do this by including plenty of positive adjectives and action verbs. The former are self-explanatory – you might be “patient”, “empathetic”, and “trustworthy”. Action verbs are more exciting alternatives to “responsible for”. Some of our favourites for veterinary nurses include “supported”, “monitored”, and “inspected”.

    Example of work experience for a veterinary nurse CV

    Veterinary nurse | Putney Animal Hospital, London | September 2022 – Current

    • Effectively improved animal health and welfare through diagnosis and treatment.
    • Managed emergency and preventative care treatment of 8+ pets daily.
    • Employed time management and communication to improve patient flow, minimising waiting times by 12%.
    • Facilitated smooth practice operations, consistently monitoring and reordering medical and surgical supplies to avoid stockouts.
    • Maximised veterinary surgeon’s productivity, completing preparatory work for surgical procedures.

    Veterinary assistant | Putney Animal Hospital, London | November 2019 – September 2022

    • Interacted with clients regarding animal health, questions and concerns, education on treatment protocol, and general procedures.
    • Prepared estimates for care, presented invoices, and collected payments from clients.
    • Ensured patient safety by maintaining the highest standards of cleanliness and hygiene across all tasks.
    • Made visits to farms to assist with animal emergencies, such as injury, disease, and birthing.

    Top skills for your veterinary nurse CV

    There are many CV skills and qualities needed to be a veterinary nurse, from effective communication to expert medical knowledge. Knowing which to use isn’t rocket science – simply balance technical hard skills and transferable soft skills to dazzle the employer.

    So, what’s the difference? Hard skills are specialised and learnt through formal channels like college, university, or on-the-job training schemes. In contrast, soft skills reveal more of your character. While often overlooked, they’re equally important because veterinary nurses must have the right personality to succeed. As this role is people-oriented, you should pay special attention to your communication and interpersonal skills.

    Need more help? Keep reading to discover the must-have skills for your veterinary nurse CV:

    Essential skills for a veterinary nurse

    • Communication (written and verbal)
    • Practical, hands-on knowledge
    • Problem-solving
    • Administration
    • Operation of medical machinery

    Desirable aptitudes to set you apart

    • Customer service
    • Computer and software skills
    • Animal first aid
    • Time management
    • Leadership

    How to add education to your veterinary nurse CV

    Education is the foundation of experience, proving you have the fundamental knowledge to hit the ground running. You can talk about academic qualifications, additional training programmes, and memberships to governing bodies. Basically, anything that cements your credentials and demonstrates you’re an expert in your field!

    Above all else, only include your most relevant qualifications. For example, you don’t need to list GCSEs after completing a university degree. Similarly, you can note individual modules if applicable to the role you’re applying for – otherwise, leave them out. The work experience section should be the longest, so it’s best to be frugal with words at this point.

    How do you become a veterinary nurse? You’ll need to complete a foundation degree or degree in Veterinary Nursing. To be accepted onto a university course, you must have two or three A levels, including Biology.

    Here’s an idea of how this section should look:

    • Name of school, college, university, or other awarding body
    • Study start and end dates
    • Subject title
    • Qualification level – e.g. GCSE or Diploma
    • Qualification result – not essential but desirable

    Example of education for a veterinary nurse CV

    The Royal Veterinary College, London | September 2022 – Current
    Veterinary Medicine (Bachelor of Science): First-class honours

    Southbank Sixth Form, London | September 2020 – July 2022
    3 A levels: Biology (A), Chemistry (B), and Maths (C)

    brand-image

    Your veterinary nurse CV questions answered

    How to become a veterinary nurse?

    There are three potential qualifications needed to become a veterinary nurse in the UK: an undergraduate degree from an accredited university, a college course, or an apprenticeship. Many applicants complete work experience at a veterinary practice before applying for their choice. Work placement complements compulsory work experience modules they will undertake during your degree, which help you gain the qualifications required to be a veterinary nurse.

    What qualifications do you need to be a veterinary nurse?

    In addition to your university, college, or apprenticeship qualification, you must complete at least 45 hours of CPD training over three years. This continuing professional development is one of the compulsory qualifications required to become a veterinary nurse in the UK. It will provide you with the necessary skills and qualities of a veterinary nurse.

    What does a veterinary nurse do?

    Veterinary nurse roles and responsibilities can vary depending on the practice and whether they have specialised in a particular branch of medicine (for example, farm animals or small pets). Generally, a veterinary nurse will carry out tasks such as preparing animals for treatment, performing check-ups, assisting surgeons during surgery, communicating with owners, cleaning the practice, taking X-rays and scans, administering medication, and looking after in-patient animals.

    How much does a veterinary nurse earn?

    According to the National Careers Service, a veterinary nurse in the UK could earn between £18,000 and £26,000 a year, depending on their experience level and whether they have passed their veterinary nurse qualifications. It’s worth noting that vets don’t always work standard hours, as they may have to respond to medical emergencies during the evenings or weekends.

    Vet your application with our proven CV builder

    As well as the skills and UK qualifications needed to be a veterinary nurse, you’ll need the best CV. Thankfully, you don’t need X-ray machines and blood tests to improve your CV – all you need is myPerfectCV! We make it quick and easy to build your application. Discover our top recruiter CV examples, veterinary nurse CV templates, and trusted CV builder to create your CV today.

    build-cv

    *The names and logos of the companies referred to above are all trademarks of their respective holders. Unless specifically stated otherwise, such references are not intended to imply any affiliation or association with myperfectCV.