The role of a veterinary nurse in practice has come a long way since its beginnings. Many peoples’ perceptions is of a person that is there for the more “fluffy” side of things or for answering the phone and cleaning. This is no longer true as nurses are now fast becoming a very integral part of practices across the country, being encouraged to use all their knowledge and skills to best care for their patients.

Veterinary nursing is a very satisfying and rewarding career and veterinary nurses can have many roles within a practice. At Valley Farm Animal Hospital we are fortunate enough to be able to carry out most of them! A day at our surgery is always busy! We get opportunities to see interesting cases and to learn something new which I think is vital if we want to stay up to date with the latest theory and techniques.

Valley Farm is a very busy practice with heavy surgical and medicine case loads. We have 60 hospital cages and at times these are at capacity so you can see why we need eleven nursing sisters to take care of your pets! In fact we employ the most nurses of any private practice in Pretoria.



Our most important responsibility is to provide care for our sick and injured patients. Being in hospital can be a scary experience for some and we are here to minimize that stress and help reduce recovery times. On a daily basis we are responsible for feeding, medicating and making sure every patient is clean, warm, dry and comfortable at all times.

All our nurses are qualified and have completed the two year course at Onderstepoort. This means that we understand the theory behind procedures and diseases and can anticipate what will need to be done for our patients. We have a team of Kennel men to assist us with our work, by keeping the hospital clean and tidy, assisting us with procedures and holding the patients. This allows us to get on with the “nursing” work.

Client care is another important role of nurses in practice. Some people may have concerns about a surgical procedure or just about the progress of their pet in the hospital. A telephonic update or a simple chat at visiting times can help calm nerves and reassure clients. We all own pets ourselves so we know what anxiety and stress can be involved when a family pet is ill.

Various clinics are available and nurses are available for puppy, kitten, dental and geriatric clinics. Geriatric clinics are a vital step in keeping your elderly pet healthy and to pick up any issues early on. These are consultations are free of charge and appointments can be made with the reception staff.

Valley Farm is a very well equipped hospital with equipment that helps us monitor and care for our patients at a higher standard. Our theatre, which is run by two theatre sisters, is equipped with a ventilator if needed for thoracic surgery or trauma, an apalert that monitors respiration rate and a pulse oximeter, blood pressure and Oxygen saturation monitor. This helps us monitor a patients vital signs under anaesthesia so we can pick up any changes. We also have an Ultrasound machine and a digital xray machine that helps our Doctors to do rapid diagnostics and a well equipped laboratory as well.

I am the head nurse here and take responsibility for the nursing team, the kennel men that assist us and the overall running of the hospital and in-patient care. It is a very challenging job with never a dull moment!! I enjoy my job because I never know what to expect and every day I get to learn something new.



Above, left: This is me, Sister Rene with a tiny puppy patient
Above, middle: The nursing staff induce and maintain the patient anaesthetics. This dog is having a tube placed so he can breath in the anaesthic gases
Above, right: As head nurse much of my day is spent doing paperwork to ensure the hospital runs smoothly

I was trained to care for animals, caring for staff and equipment is a new role and very often brings with it a completely new set of problems!! I am here to give the nursing team the training, the back up and support they need so they can concentrate on the important job of looking after the patients.

Over the next few months other members of the nursing team will be introducing themselves and telling you about their roles at Valley Farm.

So next time you pop into Valley Farm you are welcome to chat to one of us and tour the hospital to see what we are all about! See you soon!

Rene Swart
Head Nurse at Valley Farm Animal Hospital