veterinary nurse
Key facts
Do you have a passion for animal welfare and a desire to contribute to their health and wellbeing? As a veterinary nurse, you’ll be a vital part of a veterinary team, providing essential care and support to animals in need.
Veterinary nurses work alongside veterinarians, providing direct care to animals undergoing treatment. Your role involves assisting with procedures, administering medications, monitoring vital signs, and providing compassionate support to both animals and their owners. You’ll also play a key role in educating clients on preventative healthcare and promoting responsible animal ownership, all within the framework of national legislation.
- • Assisting veterinarians during examinations, surgeries, and other procedures.
- • Administering medications and treatments as directed by the veterinarian.
- • Monitoring animal vital signs and recognizing changes in their condition.
Where this occupation is in demand
Reported labour shortages and surpluses, by year. Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
Deeper colour: reported the same way in more consecutive years.
Figures cover Health associate professionals — 49 jobs including this one.
In shortage: Bulgaria, Denmark, Greece.
Longest-running shortage: Greece, 2 years.
Where it is regulated, your qualification would need formal recognition before you could practise.
Select a place on the map to see its figures.
About this source›
Source: ELA/EURES labour shortages and surpluses. Readings are published at occupation-group level, and cover Europe. Editions differ in annex layout and country coverage, so a change between years does not always mean the labour market changed. Countries in grey were not reported, which is not the same as being in balance.
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Could veterinary nurse fit you?
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Do you enjoy tasks that require Dependability?
Do you enjoy tasks that require Integrity?
Do you enjoy tasks that require Attention to Detail?
Future Outlook for veterinary nurse
The outlook for veterinary nurse reflects a balanced mix of automation exposure and durable, human-led work.
How are these scores calculated?
The Resilience Score (0–100) estimates how structurally protected this occupation is from automation and AI disruption, based on task-level analysis. Higher scores mean more human-judgment-intensive tasks. AI Exposure shows the estimated percentage of task hours that current AI capabilities could affect. These are model-derived structural indicators, not predictions about individual job security.
How could veterinary nurse change as AI adoption grows?
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
How could veterinary nurse change as AI adoption grows?
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
How AI may change this role
Deterministic, model-based interpretation of current role signals — not a guarantee of replacement.
What still depends on people
- treat animals ethically
- practise veterinary professional codes of conduct
- provide support to veterinary clients
Where AI may become a co-pilot
- evaluate information in the field of veterinary nursing
- manage animal biosecurity
- monitor the welfare of animals
Tasks most exposed to automation
- maintain veterinary clinical records
Vital Signs & AI Vectors
AI Exposure Vectors
0-100%Exposure to physical automation, robotics, and sensor-driven task displacement
Exposure to AI-assisted analysis, pattern recognition, and predictive modelling tasks
Exposure to content generation, creative augmentation, and large language model tools
Exposure to workflow automation, decision-support software, and process digitisation
Technical Details
NexFuture v3.0 estimates automation exposure natively from ESCO essential-skill groups, weighted by skill mass and calibrated against expert anchors. Scores are probabilistic estimates, not guarantees. See the NexFuture Methodology White Paper for full details.
Measures automation exposure. It does not measure pay, demand, or how many jobs exist near you.
What people in this role usually do
Agriculture
A typical day as a veterinary nurse
09 09:00 · Morning provide nursing care for hospitalised animals
10 10:30 · Mid-morning assess animal behaviour
12 12:00 · Midday provide nursing care for animals in recovery
14 14:00 · Afternoon administer treatment to animals
15 15:30 · Late afternoon apply safe work practices in a veterinary setting
17 17:00 · Wrap-up assist in administering veterinary anaesthetics
Task order is illustrative. Individual days vary.
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anatomy of animals
The study of animal body parts, their structure and dynamic relationships, on a level as demanded by the specific occupation.
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animal behaviour
The natural behavioural patterns of animals, i.e. how normal and abnormal behaviour might be expressed according to species, environment, human-animal interaction and occupation.
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biosecurity related to animals
Awareness of hygiene and bio-security measures when working with animals, including causes, transmission and prevention of diseases and use of policies, materials and equipment.
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environmental enrichment for animals
Types, methods and use of enrichment for animals to allow the expression of natural behaviour, including the provision of environmental stimuli, feeding activities, puzzles, items for manipulation, social and training activities.
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first aid for animals
Animal emergency treatment, including the principles and aims of the provision of first aid treatment to animals.
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hospitalised animal nursing care
Animal health conditions, disease processes, veterinary treatment and nursing care, as well as nursing care plans, records and communication with owners and other professionals.
- animal welfare
- animal welfare legislation
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provide nursing care for hospitalised animals
'Plan and provide nursing care to hospitalised animals, conducting a range of activities related to areas including fluid and nutrition, hygiene and grooming, comfort and pain management, toileting, positioning and exercise, attention and enrichment, and the nursing environment.'
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assist in general veterinary medical procedures
Assist veterinarians by preparing both the animal and the equipment for medical procedures, and providing care and support to the animal undergoing a medical procedure.
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assist in administering veterinary anaesthetics
Assist the veterinary surgeon in administering anaesthetics to animals including the maintenance and monitoring of anaesthesia during veterinary procedures.
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prepare environment for veterinary surgery
Prepare the surgical environment, including preparation rooms, operating theatres, equipment and materials. prior to surgery.
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assist the veterinary surgeon as a scrub nurse
Provide assistance in the handling of equipment and materials in a sterile manner during surgical procedures in operating theatre.'
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prepare veterinary anaesthetic equipment
Prepare and turn on all equipment required for animal anaesthesia, such as the anaesthesia machine, breathing circuit, endotracheal tube, intubation tools and anaesthetic monitors. Ensure they function and have undergone appropriate safety checks.
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protect health and safety when handling animals
Protect health and welfare of animals and their handlers.
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apply safe work practices in a veterinary setting
Apply safe work practices in a veterinary setting in order to identify hazards and associated risks so as to prevent accidents or incidents. This includes injury from animals, zoonotic diseases, chemicals, equipment and work environments.
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manage infection control in the facility
Implement a set of measures to prevent and control infections, formulating and establishing health and safety procedures and policies.
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treat animals ethically
Carry out activities according to accepted principles of right and wrong, including transparency in work practices and conduct towards clients and their animals.
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practise veterinary professional codes of conduct
Adhere to veterinary professional codes of practice and legislation.
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manage animal biosecurity
Plan and use appropriate biosafety measures to prevent transmission of diseases and ensure effective overall biosecurity. Maintain and follow biosecurity procedures and infection control when working with animals, including recognising potential health issues and taking appropriate action, communicating site hygiene control measures and biosecurity procedures, as well as reporting to others.
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monitor the welfare of animals
Monitor animals’ physical condition and behaviour and report any concerns or unexpected changes, including signs of health or ill-health, appearance, condition of the animals' accommodation, intake of food and water and environmental conditions.
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provide first aid to animals
Administer emergency treatment to prevent deterioration of the condition, suffering and pain until veterinary assistance can be sought. Basic emergency treatment needs to be done by non-veterinarians prior to first-aid provided by a veterinarian. Non-veterinarians providing emergency treatment are expected to seek treatment by a veterinarian as soon as possible.
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manage animal welfare
Plan, manage and evaluate the application of the five universally recognised animal welfare needs as appropriate to species, situation and own occupation.
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collaborate with animal related professionals
Collaborate with veterinary and other animal related professionals through communication of animal details, case records and summary reports orally or via written or electronic transfer.
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manage clinical environments
Ensure that clinical environments, including equipment and materials, are properly prepared and maintained for use. Prepare and maintain working environments and ensure that equipment and materials are available.'
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control animal movement
Direct, control or restrain some or part of an animal's, or a group of animals', movement.
Skill DNA
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Where does veterinary nurse fit?
Similarity scores based on skill overlap from ESCO data.
Frequently asked questions
- What skills are particularly important for a veterinary nurse?
- Strong observation skills, attention to detail, and the ability to remain calm under pressure are essential. Excellent communication skills are also crucial for interacting with both animals and their owners. A practical, hands-on approach and a genuine empathy for animals are key attributes.
- Is this a career I could transition into from another field?
- Yes! Many individuals transition into veterinary nursing from backgrounds like animal care, science, or healthcare. While formal training is required, transferable skills such as communication, problem-solving, and a dedication to wellbeing are highly valued.
- What are the typical work arrangements for veterinary nurses?
- Veterinary nurses are primarily employed within veterinary clinics and hospitals. However, opportunities also exist in private practice, allowing for greater autonomy and potentially a more varied caseload.
- Veterinary Nurse — is there a shortage in Europe?
- No. In the 2025 ELA/EURES edition, a surplus was reported in 6 of the 9 European countries that assessed this occupation group: Austria, Czechia, Finland, Luxembourg and 2 more. 3 countries reported a shortage. These assessments are published per occupation group rather than per job title.
- Veterinary Nurse — what does it pay in the United States?
- $37,320 a year at the median, as of 2025-05. State medians run from $23,310 to $49,770. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is a United States figure and not a projection for Europe.
- Veterinary Nurse — is it a regulated profession?
- It is listed as a regulated profession in 16 European countries: Denmark, Romania, Switzerland, France and 12 more. The lowest qualification level required among them is EQF 3. Where a profession is regulated, a qualification earned elsewhere has to be formally recognised before you can practise. Source: EU Regulated Professions Database.