Veterinary Nurses

ANZSCO ID 3613

Overview

Snapshot

Employed
10,700
Future Growth
15.4%
Weekly Earnings
$1,026
Full-Time Share
51%
Female Share
97%
Average age
29

Summary

Veterinary Nurses care for animals under treatment and in temporary residence at veterinary facilities and assist Veterinarians to perform procedures and operations.

Also known as: Animal Nurse, or Veterinary Assistant.

A certificate III or IV in veterinary nursing is usually needed to work as a Veterinary Nurse. Some workers complete a traineeship.

Tasks

  • holding animals to allow examination and treatment by Veterinarians

  • cleaning and sterilising examination tables and equipment

  • preparing instruments and handing them to the Veterinarian

  • assisting Veterinarians to administer anaesthetics and oxygen during operations

  • placing animals in cages for recovery from operations and monitoring their condition

  • giving medications to animals

  • maintaining stock control and records

  • providing animal care advice, and preparing, delivering, and reviewing animal care education programs

  • may perform diagnostic laboratory tests

  • may act as receptionist, accept payments and undertake clerical work

Characteristics

Job Type
Technicians And Trades Workers
Skill Level
Medium skill
ANZSCO Occupation group
Unemployment Rate
Below average
Industries
Pathway(s)
  • Vocational Education and Training (VET)
Interests
  • Practical
  • Analytical
  • Helping
Physical Demand
  • Light
  • Medium
  • Heavy

Outlook

Employment Outlook

JSA produces employment projections to show where likely future job opportunities may be. The latest data are for the five years from November 2021 to November 2026. Over this period, the number of workers:

  • is expected to grow very strongly
  • is likely to reach 17,800 by 2026.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.

Notes: The number employed includes people who work in this occupation as their main job. People who work in more than one job are counted against the occupation they work the most hours in.

Employment projections figures are rounded to the nearest 100. Calculations based on these rounded figures may result in differences to the numbers that are displayed on this page. Employment projections data (including occupations) can be downloaded from the Employment Projections page.

Projected Change
15.4%
(or 2,400 jobs)
From
15,400
in 2021
To
17,800
in 2026

Number of Workers

Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, ABS seasonally adjusted data to November 2021 and Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.
Year Employment
2011 10,000
2012 13,200
2013 10,200
2014 8,100
2015 9,700
2016 9,700
2017 13,800
2018 9,600
2019 18,000
2020 11,400
2021 15,400
2026 17,800

Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, ABS seasonally adjusted data to November 2021 and Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.


Earnings and hours

Working arrangements

  • Around 49% of people employed as Veterinary Nurses work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 17 percentage points below the all jobs average (66%).

    Full-time workers work an average of 40 hours per week in their main job. This is 4 hours less than the all jobs average (44 hours per week).

    Median full-time earnings are $1,026 per week, this is much lower than the all jobs median ($1,593):

    • 3 in 4 workers earn more than $978
    • 1 in 4 earn more than $1,160

    Median hourly earnings are $27, this is lower than the all jobs median ($41 per hour).

    Sources: Full-time share and full-time hours: ABS, 2016 Census, customised report. Compared to the all jobs average. Full-time median earnings and median hourly earnings: ABS, Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2021. Compared to all jobs median.

Weekly Earnings (Before Tax)

Source: Based on ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2021, Customised Report. Median weekly total cash earnings for full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate. Earnings are before tax and include amounts salary sacrificed. Earnings can vary greatly depending on the skills and experience of the worker and the demands of the role. These figures should be used as a guide only, not to determine a wage rate.
Earnings Veterinary Nurses All Jobs Average
Full-Time Earnings 1,026 1,593
Total Earnings 0 0

Source: Based on ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2021, Customised Report. Median weekly total cash earnings for full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate. Earnings are before tax and include amounts salary sacrificed. Earnings can vary greatly depending on the skills and experience of the worker and the demands of the role. These figures should be used as a guide only, not to determine a wage rate.


Industries

Main industries

1
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
98.4%
2
Arts and Recreation Services
0.8%
3
Other Services
0.8%

Regions

Employment across Australia

NSW

29.5% All occupations: 31.6%

VIC

24.7% All occupations: 25.6%

QLD

22.0% All occupations: 20.0%

SA

8.5% All occupations: 7.0%

WA

10.8% All occupations: 10.8%

TAS

2.3% All occupations: 2.0%

NT

0.7% All occupations: 1.0%

ACT

1.5% All occupations: 1.9%

Employment by State and Territory (% Share)

State Veterinary Nurses All Jobs Average
NSW 29.5 31.6
VIC 24.7 25.6
QLD 22.0 20.0
SA 8.5 7.0
WA 10.8 10.8
TAS 2.3 2.0
NT 0.7 1.0
ACT 1.5 1.9



Worker profile

Age and gender

Age In Years
29
All Jobs Average is 40
Female Share
97%
All Jobs Average is 48%
  • The median age of Veterinary Nurses is 29 years. This is younger than the all jobs average of 40 years.

    A large share of workers are aged 25 to 34 years.

    Females make up 97% of the workforce. This is 49 percentage points above the all jobs average of 48%.

    Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile and gender share compared to the all jobs average.

Age Profile (% Share)

Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Age Bracket Veterinary Nurses All Jobs Average
15-19 6.3 5.0
20-24 23.9 9.3
25-34 38.5 22.9
35-44 17.8 22.0
45-54 9.8 21.6
55-59 2.4 9.0
60-64 0.9 6.0
65 and Over 0.5 4.2
Median Age 29 40

Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.


Employment Pathways

Education, training and experience

A certificate III or IV in veterinary nursing is usually needed to work as a Veterinary Nurse. Some workers complete a traineeship.

Registration or licencing may be required.

Visit

  • My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
  • AAPathways website to explore Animal Care and Management VET training pathways.

Highest Level of Education (% Share)

Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.
Type of Qualification Veterinary Nurses All Jobs Average
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate 1.1 10.1
Bachelor degree 11.2 21.8
Advanced Diploma/Diploma 13.1 11.6
Certificate III/IV 44.8 21.1
Year 12 21.0 18.1
Year 11 3.8 4.8
Year 10 and below 4.9 12.5

Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.


Skills and Knowledge

Employers look for Veterinary Nurses who are caring, compassionate, empathetic and who can communicate clearly.

Skills

Skills can be improved through training or experience.

  • 46%

    Active listening

    Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.

  • 45%

    Critical thinking

    Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.

  • 45%

    Monitoring

    Keeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.

  • 45%

    Reading comprehension

    Reading work related information.

  • 45%

    Social perceptiveness

    Understanding why people react the way they do.

  • 43%

    Active learning

    Being able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.

  • 43%

    Serving others

    Looking for ways to help people.

  • 43%

    Speaking

    Talking to others.

  • 43%

    Writing

    Writing things for co-workers or customers.

  • 39%

    Coordination with others

    Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.

  • 39%

    Mathematics

    Using maths to solve problems.

  • 37%

    Instructing

    Teaching people how to do something.

  • 37%

    Science

    Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.

  • 36%

    Judgment and decision making

    Figuring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.

  • 34%

    Complex problem solving

    Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.

  • 34%

    Time management

    Managing your own and other peoples' time to get work done.

  • 34%

    Learning strategies

    Figuring out the best way to teach or learn something new.

  • 30%

    Negotiation

    Bringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.

  • 30%

    Persuasion

    Talking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.

  • 30%

    Management of personnel resources

    Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, and choosing the best people for the job.


Knowledge

These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.

  • 59%

    Customer and personal service

    Understanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.

  • 46%

    Biology

    Plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, how they rely on and work with each other and the environment.

  • 45%

    English language

    English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

  • 43%

    Mathematics

    Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.

  • 43%

    Sales and marketing

    Showing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

  • 41%

    Clerical

    Word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.

  • 41%

    Computers and electronics

    Circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

  • 39%

    Education and training

    Curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

  • 39%

    Chemistry

    Chemical composition, structure, and properties. How chemicals are made, used, mixed, and can change.

  • 32%

    Medicine and dentistry

    Diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities, including preventive health-care measures.

  • 25%

    Mechanical

    Machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

  • 24%

    Production and processing

    Raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and ways of making and distributing goods.

  • 22%

    Communications and media

    Media production, communication, and dissemination. Includes written, spoken, and visual media.

  • 22%

    Public safety and security

    Use of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.

  • 21%

    Psychology

    Human behaviour; differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; research methods; assessing and treating disorders.

  • 20%

    Administration and management

    Business principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.

  • 19%

    Therapy and counselling

    Diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and career counselling and guidance.

  • 17%

    Law and government

    How our laws and courts work. Government rules and regulations, and the political system.

  • 15%

    Economics and accounting

    Economics and accounting, the financial markets, banking and checking and reporting of financial data.

  • 12%

    Telecommunications

    Transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.


Abilities

Workers use these physical and mental abilities..

  • 54%

    Oral comprehension

    Listen to and understand what people say.

  • 54%

    Problem spotting

    Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.

  • 46%

    Oral expression

    Communicate by speaking.

  • 45%

    Arm-hand steadiness

    Keep your hand or arm steady.

  • 45%

    Near vision

    See details that are up-close (within a few feet).

  • 45%

    Speech recognition

    Identify and understand the speech of another person.

  • 45%

    Written comprehension

    Read and understand written information.

  • 43%

    Deductive reasoning

    Use general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.

  • 43%

    Inductive reasoning

    Use lots of detailed information to come up with answers or make general rules.

  • 43%

    Sorting or ordering

    Order or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

  • 43%

    Speech clarity

    Speak clearly so others can understand you.

  • 43%

    Trunk strength

    Use your abdominal and lower back muscles a number of times without 'giving out' or fatiguing.

  • 43%

    Written expression

    Write in a way that people can understand.

  • 41%

    Far vision

    See details that are far away.

  • 41%

    Finger dexterity

    Put together small parts with your fingers.

  • 41%

    Flexibility of closure

    See a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) hidden in other distracting material.

  • 41%

    Static strength

    Lift, push, pull, or carry things.

  • 39%

    Manual dexterity

    Quickly move your hand to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.

  • 34%

    Selective attention

    Pay attention to something without being distracted.

  • 34%

    Working with numbers

    Add, subtract, multiply, or divide.


Activities

These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.

  • 73%

    Monitoring people, processes and things

    Checking objects, actions, or events, and keeping an eye out for problems.

  • 69%

    Looking for changes over time

    Comparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.

  • 66%

    Helping and caring for others

    Providing personal assistance, medical attention, or emotional support.

  • 64%

    Planning and prioritising work

    Deciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.

  • 63%

    Keeping your knowledge up-to-date

    Keeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.

  • 61%

    Handling and moving objects

    Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, moving and manipulating objects.

  • 61%

    Communicating within a team

    Giving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.

  • 59%

    Building good relationships

    Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.

  • 59%

    Making decisions and solving problems

    Using information to work out the best solution and solve problems.

  • 58%

    Documenting or recording information

    Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

  • 56%

    Communicating with the public

    Giving information to the public, business or government by telephone, in writing, or in person.

  • 56%

    Working with the public

    Greeting or serving customers, clients or guests, and public speaking or performing.

  • 53%

    Doing physically active work

    Use your arms, legs and whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling objects.

  • 53%

    Making sense of information and ideas

    Looking at, working with, and understanding data or information.

  • 53%

    Researching and investigating

    Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.

  • 49%

    Collecting and organising information

    Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or checking information or data.

  • 47%

    Working with computers

    Using computers to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.

  • 46%

    Checking for errors or defects

    Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials for errors, problems or defects.

  • 45%

    Explaining things to people

    Helping people to understand and use information.

  • 43%

    Assessing and evaluating things

    Working out the value, importance, or quality of things, services or people.


Interests and demands

Learn about the daily activities, and physical and social demands faced by workers. Explore the values and work styles that workers rate as most important.

Interests

Interests are the style or type of work we prefer to do. All interest areas are shown below.

  • 95%

    Practical

    Practical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.

  • 62%

    Helping

    Working with people. Helping or providing service to others.

  • 57%

    Analytical

    Ideas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.

  • 38%

    Administrative

    Following set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.

  • 29%

    Creative

    Working with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.

  • 29%

    Enterprising

    Starting up and carrying out projects. Leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes require risk taking and often deal with business.


Values

Work values are important to a person’s feeling of satisfaction. All six values are shown below.
  • 76%

    Relationships

    Serve and work with others. Workers usually get along well with each other, do things to help other people, and are rarely pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.

  • 71%

    Support

    Supportive management that stands behind employees. Workers are treated fairly by their company, they are supported by management, and have supervisors who train them well.

  • 38%

    Working conditions

    Job security and good working conditions. There is usually a steady flow of interesting work, and the pay and conditions are generally good.

  • 33%

    Achievement

    Results oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.

  • 33%

    Independence

    Work alone and make decisions. Workers are able to try out their own ideas, make decisions on their own, and work with little or no supervision.

  • 33%

    Recognition

    Advancement and the potential to lead. Workers are recognised for the work that they do, they may give directions and instructions to others, and they are looked up to in their company and their community.


Demands

The physical and social demands that workers face most often are shown below:
  • 100%

    Indoors, heat controlled

    Work indoors with access to heating or cooling.

  • 99%

    Contact with people

    Have contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.

  • 97%

    Face-to-face discussions

    Talk with people face-to-face.

  • 93%

    Contact with the public

    Work with customers or the public.

  • 90%

    Physically close to people

    Work physically close to other people.

  • 90%

    Teamwork

    Work with people in a group or team.

  • 89%

    Disease or infection

    Be exposed to disease or infections.

  • 85%

    Exposure to contaminants

    Be exposed to pollutants, gases, dust or odours.

  • 84%

    Frequent decision making

    Frequently make decisions that impact other people.

  • 83%

    Being exact or accurate

    Be very exact or highly accurate.

  • 83%

    Telephone

    Talk on the telephone.

  • 82%

    Spend time standing

    Spend time standing at work.

  • 81%

    Minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings

    Be exposed to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings.

  • 81%

    Using your hands to handle, control, or feel

    Spend time using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls.

  • 80%

    Impact of decisions

    Make decisions that have a large impact on other people.

  • 78%

    Unstructured work

    Have freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.

  • 76%

    Freedom to make decisions

    Have freedom to make decision on your own.

  • 75%

    Bending or twisting your body

    Spend time bending or twisting your body.

  • 73%

    Consequence of error

    Work where mistakes have serious consequences.

  • 72%

    Radiation

    Be exposed to radiation.

Occupational Information Network
O*NET is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
The skills and importance ratings on this page are derived from the US Department of Labor O*NET Database Version 21.2, 31-9096.00 - Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers.


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