Veterinary Nursing - Distance Learning, A.A.S.

The Colby Community College Distance Learning Veterinary Nursing Program was developed to meet the needs of students who prefer online education. The Colby Community College Distance Learning Veterinary Nursing Program is based on American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) guidelines. The Distance Learning Veterinary Nursing Program is fully accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities (CVTEA).

Students in the Distance Learning Veterinary Nursing Program gain hands-on experience by working with animals such as dogs, cats, horses, cattle, rabbits, rodents, and birds in veterinary hospitals. Traditional classroom coursework for the program is completed online. Graduates of the program earn an Associate of Applied Science degree in Veterinary Nursing. This program has both a part-time and full-time options.

The Colby Community College Distance Learning Veterinary Nursing Program students are trained to function effectively as x-ray, anesthetic, laboratory, medical, and surgical technicians. The program is directed by a Kansas licensed veterinarian and is taught by licensed veterinarians and credentialed veterinary technicians.

The Distance Learning Veterinary Nursing Program is designed to prepare graduates to become credentialed veterinary nurses. Veterinary nurses are important members of the veterinary health care team who are trained to perform all veterinary tasks allowed by state law except surgery, diagnosis, and prescribing medication, as these tasks are limited to licensed veterinarians.

Veterinary Nursing students are educated in many areas such as animal nursing, anesthesia, surgical nursing, radiology, clinical pathology, microbiology, pharmacology, nutrition, and animal diseases. Students receive hands-on experience in their local veterinary hospital(s) during mentorship and veterinary clinical experience courses.

The knowledge students gain in the online classroom is applied in mentorship courses designed to develop clinical skills. Guiding them along the way is an experienced and recognized team of instructors who care about their students’ success.

Accreditation

The Colby Community College Distance Learning Veterinary Nursing Program is accredited by the AVMA CVTEA as a program for educating veterinary technicians. Being a graduate of an AVMA accredited veterinary nursing program is required by most state regulatory boards and state credentialing agencies in order to take the Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE) and other applicable state examinations. Interested individuals should check their state’s licensing agency for information on specific credentialing requirements. Some states do not offer credentialing for veterinary technicians.

Associate of Applied Science: Veterinary Nursing Program Goals

1. Educate students in many areas including animal nursing, anesthesia, analgesia, pain management, surgical nursing, emergency medicine, dentistry, radiology, clinical pathology, microbiology, pharmacology, nutrition, and animal diseases.
2. Prepare individuals to work in a variety of settings within the veterinary medical field.
3. Establish a strong foundation of knowledge in which graduates can build upon with advanced educational opportunities.
4. Develop a veterinary nurse with compassion for their veterinary patients and their patient’s caretakers.

Admissions Procedure

Applicants are accepted year-round for the Colby Community College Distance Learning Veterinary Nursing Program (CCC DLVNP). Courses begin in January, June, and August. Applications should be completed at least two months prior to the start of the term. This program does not have an enrollment limit. To be accepted into the program, applicants must complete all of the prerequisite courses with a grade of “C” or better in each course and complete 30 hours of observation/work experience in a veterinary hospital.

If you need additional information or have any questions, contact Dr. Jennifer Martin, On-Campus and Distance Learning Veterinary Nursing Program Director, by phone at 785.460.5466 or by email at jennifer.martin@colbycc.edu.

1. Apply to Colby Community College online at www.colbycc.edu. Choose “Undergraduate/Assoc of Applied Sci/Veterinary Nursing Online” as your academic program.
2. Visit the Colby Community College Financial Aid webpage at www.colbycc.edu/students/financial-aid/index for information regarding financial aid. Please feel free to contact a CCC Financial Aid Counselor at financialaid@colbycc.edu or 785.460.4679 with your financial aid questions.
3. Submit all official high school (or GED) and college transcripts, ACT and/or SAT scores, and placement test scores (e.g. Accuplacer test) (if applicable) to the Colby Community College Registrar’s office. By submitting these documents to CCC, you are granting permission to share these documents among the CCC DLVNP, the Registrar, and the Admissions Department.

Technical Standards

The technical standards for enrollment and participation in the Distance Learning Veterinary Nursing Program are available upon request. Students must be able to satisfy the required standards described in this document. Students applying to the program must be computer literate and have a computer with reliable high-speed internet access. A web cam and headset with a microphone are also required. Mentorship courses will also require access to a video camcorder and tripod for use when recording AVMA Essential and Recommended Skills that are hands-on tasks.

Students must also be able to work independently and take initiative. Students must work with generally more than one veterinary hospital to complete the mentorship and veterinary clinical experience coursework. Students are required to have a recent version of Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft PowerPoint to access course material.

Use of anti-virus software is strongly recommended. Students are required to have all necessary software and have all equipment operational prior to the beginning of the courses. Students assume responsibility for their own software and/or hardware issues. Students with technical difficulties should obtain technical support as soon as possible.

Entrance Requirements

Demonstrate readiness for MA109 - Math for Veterinary Nurses  through your ACT/SAT scores and/or the Accuplacer placement test scores. One of the following is required to enroll in MA109 - Math for Veterinary Nurses .

1. ACT Math Score: 14 or higher or
2. SAT Math Score: 340-419 or
3. Accuplacer Math Score: 220 or above

Demonstrate readiness for the prerequisite course EN176 - English Composition I  through your ACT/SAT scores and/or the Accuplacer placement test scores. One of the following is required to enroll in EN176 - English Composition I :

1. ACT English Score: 18 or above and
2. ACT Reading Score: 18 and above or
3. SAT Writing Score: 431 or above and
4. SAT Reading Score: 460 or above or
5. Accuplacer Reading and Writing Score: 255 or above

Students who are exempt from placement testing include:

1. A student determining course placement is not accurate may request admission into a higher-level course by contacting the Trojan Advising Center. Students requesting admission into a higher-level course must demonstrate adequate knowledge and provide reasonable proof to receive approval from the Vice President of Academic Affairs.
2. Students who have earned a Bachelors or an Associate’s degree.;
3. Students who have successfully completed (“C” or higher) at another institution and the course is deemed equivalent through Registrar review and students who have followed the development sequence in math, writing, or reading are exempt from their requirement for assessment in that subject only;
4. Students who have successfully completed (“C” or higher) English Composition I or its equivalent are exempt from the requirement for assessment in English and reading;
5. Students who have successfully completed (“C” or higher) a 100-level or above algebra courses are exempt from the requirement for assessment in Math;
6. Students who have taken the ACT/SAT test within two years prior to enrollment and have scores within the acceptable range are exempt from placement testing in that subject area only.

In addition to successfully completing the prerequisite coursework with a grade of “C or better in each course, applicants will also need to complete at least 30 hours of observation/work experience in a veterinary hospital. These hours may be completed while you are enrolled in prerequisite coursework if not completed previously.

Veterinary Nursing Prerequisites for the Part-Time and Full-Time Programs

Students in the Distance Learning Veterinary Nursing Program gain hands-on experience by working with animals such as dogs, cats, horses, cattle, rabbits, rodents, and birds in veterinary hospitals. Traditional classroom coursework for the program is completed online.

During the mentorship courses, students practice and then demonstrate the successful completion of AVMA Essential Skills under the supervision of licensed veterinarians or credentialed veterinary technicians by making video recordings of themselves successfully completing the tasks.

These videos are reviewed by program faculty members to ensure successful completion of each skill. During the veterinary clinical experience courses, students gain additional hands-on experiences in a veterinary hospital.

Prerequisites

Students with at least 12 credit hours of the prerequisite coursework completed with a “C” or better may enroll in First Term (full-time curriculum) or First and Second Term (except VN 137 /VN 138 ) (part-time curriculum), courses with the approval of the Colby Community College On-Campus and Distance Learning Veterinary Nursing Program Director.

*Note:

AG149 - Principles of Animal Science , BI100 - General Biology w/Lab , BI177 - Biology I w/Lab , or BI279 - Biology II w/Lab , and CH176 - Fundamentals of Chemistry w/Lab  or CH177 - Chemistry I w/Lab  are prerequisites for VN122 - Anatomy and Physiology for Vet Nurses . AG149 - Principles of Animal Science  is a prerequisite for VN123 - Basic Nutrition of Domestic Animals  and VN122 - Anatomy and Physiology for Vet Nurses  is a prerequisite or co-requisite for VN123 - Basic Nutrition of Domestic Animals . MA109 - Math for Veterinary Nurses  and VN122 - Anatomy and Physiology for Vet Nurses  is a prerequisite or co-requisite for VN150 - Veterinary Nursing Pharmacology I . VN122 - Anatomy and Physiology for Vet Nurses  is a prerequisite or co-requisite for VN134 - Veterinary Immunology .

Full-Time Pathway  

Part-Time Pathway