VetSkill Suitably Qualified Person (SQP) Status for Eligible Veterinary Nurses

As May is Veterinary Nursing Awareness month, with the focus for this year being ‘progression’, VetSkill wanted to share how they are helping their qualified veterinary nurses to gain Suitably Qualified Person (SQP) status.

As many of you will be aware, VetSkill currently embed the Veterinary Medicine Directorate’s (VMD’s) Suitably Qualified Person (SQP) competencies into their Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing qualifications.  Upon successful completion of their veterinary nursing qualification, learners who have achieved the associated SQP elements, are eligible to enter the VetSkill SQP Register.  Those learners who have been unsuccessful, will be provided with the opportunity to re-sit the necessary SQP elements via a new, affordable and flexible Professional Discussion assessment method.

Learners will demonstrate the skills required to safely and appropriately prescribe, supply, and dispense veterinary medications, within the scope and limitations of the SQP via an accessible online platform.

VetSkill are currently welcoming entries from learners who have been certificated within the last 12 months following completion of either the VetSkill VTEC Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing (Companion Animal or Equine) or VetSkill Legacy Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing (Companion Animal or Equine).

Hannah Smith RVN, was one of our first learners to successfully complete the SQP Professional Discussion, and shared her thoughts on the experience….

“VetSkill emailed me shortly after I was registered as an RVN to invite me to re-sit my SQP exam, I accepted as it was something I really wanted to achieve. VetSkill were prompt at sending me all of the relevant documentation and I booked on. My assessor was lovely and was also a familiar face as they had assessed my veterinary nursing professional discussion a few months prior!

The scenario and the questions given were fairly straight forward and the platform given to submit the written prescription task was easy to navigate and communication was spot on. I felt I could email with any questions or queries and they would be answered promptly. 

I would recommend that if you haven't managed to pass the SQP OSCE stations, give the resit a go! It’s a lot less scary than you think!”

Emma Du Beke, Practical Examinations Lead at VetSkill shared, “ Congratulations to Hannah, for successfully completing the SQP Professional Discussion. Moving the SQP re-sit assessment to an online platform has enabled more qualified veterinary nurses to progress onto the SQP register; given the assessment is now remote and more accessible. VetSkill look forward to supporting more eligible learners on their journey to gaining their SQP status.”

To find out more about how VetSkill support learners during assessments or to share your suggestions please get in touch.