The Stress Free Pets professional veterinary certification program will provide you with the skills and knowledge to create environments and experiences for pets that are free from stress and fear while providing exceptional patient care.
Your investment will include the Stress Free Pets e-learning course. Your annual membership benefits include access to a network of Stress Free Pets professionals, closed facebook group, ongoing CE and tools to implement and market your certification.
THE COURSE
Stress Free Pets for Vet Professionals is a certification course that consists of 10 modules for veterinary nurses. Each module concludes with a 10 question quiz to ensure understanding and certification standards are met. Focusing on best practice, this self-paced course has been developed in collaboration with and is presented by Veterinary behaviour specialists and internationally recognised experts.
On successful completion of all 10 modules you will obtain certification as a Stress Free Veterinary Professional. A title only available to qualified Veterinary Nurses and Veterinarians.
Continual professional development:
We are continually improving our courses and adding professional CE and tools for our members. To ensure our education programs maintain the highest professional standard, our advisory board of Veterinary Behaviour Specialists regularly reviews all Stress Free Pets courses.
Each year you will be required to maintain your professional certification with 4 hours of CE. These 4 hours of professional CE are included in your annual membership. Future topics of CE and modules include:
- Industry specific such as Stress Free approaches to veterinary emergencies.
- Environment specific such as Veterinary emergency centers, shelters and day care.
- Species specific such as reptile and equine.
- Advanced techniques including advanced cooperative care techniques.
- Understanding canine body language: Canine communication
- Understanding feline body language: Feline communication
- Cooperative Care: Learning theory & training for the clinical environment
- Creating a Stress Free clinic environment
- Recognising and reducing stress, fear and anxiety in the hospital environment
- Stress Free handling techniques #1
- Stress Free handling techniques #2: Our canine patients
- Stress Free handling techniques #3: Our feline patients
- Prevention of stress, fear and anxiety prior to arrival at the clinic
- Implementation and maintaining momentum of the ‘Stress Free’ Program
Veterinary Professional. A title only available to qualified Veterinary Nurses and Veterinarians.
The Stress Free Veterinary Professionals course is RACE approved and registered for 10 hours of professional CE.
Stress Free Pets recognises professional Veterinary Nursing qualifications from the following:
- Australia, Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing
- International qualifications recognised as equivalent to the Australian Certificate IV in veterinary Nursing or higher
- Bachelor degrees from Australian universities in the areas of Veterinary Technology and Veterinary Nursing and those formally known as Bachelor of Applied Science majoring in Veterinary Technology and Management
- New Zealand, Diploma of Veterinary Nursing or higher
- UK, RVN Diploma of Veterinary Nursing (Level 3) or higher
Stress Free Pets recognises that some Veterinary Nurses are highly skilled and knowledgeable professionals but may not have the formal nationally recognised qualification of a Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing.
Experienced veterinary nurse certification guidelines have been established to ensure that dedicated professionals are able to obtain ‘Stress Free Pets Veterinary Professionals’ certification while upholding the Stress Free Pets Veterinary Professionals standards.
Veterinary nurses without formal qualifications and who do not meet the experienced veterinary nurse certification guidelines will receive the title of Stress Free Pet Professional.
Experienced veterinary nurse certification guidelines:
Veterinary Nurses who do not hold formal Veterinary Nursing qualifications but meet the following criteria may apply for Veterinary professional certification:
- Have the skills and knowledge equivalent to a qualified Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing graduate
- Have the position and job description of and have worked for a minimum of 12 months as a level 4 Veterinary Nurse
- Dedicated to upholding the professional standard of the industry and the Veterinary Nursing profession
Applications for Veterinary professional certification will be considered by completing the statement of veterinary nursing skills and experience and uploading the statement to the qualification module.
Veterinary Nurses who are currently studying the Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing (or equivalent) and are currently working as a level 4 Veterinary Nurse may also apply for Veterinary professional certification using the statement of veterinary nurse skills and experience.
Veterinary Nurses who are currently studying the Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing (or equivalent) but are not working as a level 4 Veterinary Nurse may apply for Veterinary professional certification on completion of their qualification.
Veterinary nurses without formal qualifications and who do not meet the experienced veterinary nurse certification guidelines will receive the title of Stress Free Pet Professional.