The Advanced Anaesthesia Program is designed for veterinary nurses and techs ready to deepen their expertise and take on more complex anaesthesia cases with confidence. It builds on the foundational knowledge covered in our Nursing Anaesthesia Program.
This in-depth program covers advanced topics including high-risk and emergent patient populations, patient safety, and specialised modules such as advanced respiratory anaesthesia. Each component is designed to build your clinical knowledge and refine your practical skills—ensuring you’re prepared for even the most challenging scenarios in practice.
Delivered across 8 modules, this program covers topics like in-depth respiratory management, the association between anaesthetic choices and surgical site infections, and ethical considerations in anaesthesia. You’ll also learn about managing additional complications, techniques for overcoming challenges in obese patients, and considerations for specific cardiovascular conditions.
Monthly mentoring sessions also foster a sense of community within the veterinary anaesthesia field, enhancing expertise and building valuable networks for addressing complex challenges in practice.
Whether you’re in general or referral practice, this collaborative program will empower you to become a leader in veterinary anaesthesia nursing.
This program is accredited with the International School of Veterinary Postgraduate Studies (ISVPS) meaning you can achieve an Advanced Nurse Certificate or Advanced Vet Tech Certificate (NAdvCert/VTAdvCert) while you study.
Please note that ISVPS registration and examination fees are not included in the course fees.
For all enquiries about ISVPS requirements, contact [email protected].
Although no prerequisite is required to join the Nurse Advanced Certificate program and achieve its associated ISVPS qualification, it is strongly recommended that delegates considering enrolling in the program:
*Please note – a key component of this global program is the build of connections within the veterinary anaesthesia community, through bi-monthly mentoring sessions. Delegates will also be required to identify a mentor who has additional anaesthesia training (either within the practice, corporate group, or at another institution) and arrange a virtual or in-person meeting with them every other month.
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July 2026
Speaker: Nicola Grint BVSc PhD CertVA DVA DiplECVAA MRCVS
Module 1: Emergent populations and current guidelines
Key Learning Objectives:
At the end of this module delegates should be able to:
Live Stream: 11 August 2026
Speaker: Nicola Grint BVSc PhD CertVA DVA DiplECVAA MRCVS
Within this live stream session, delegates will have the opportunity to refresh and revisit all anaesthesia calculations.
September 2026
Speaker: Nicola Grint BVSc PhD CertVA DVA DiplECVAA MRCVS
Module 2: Farther reaching consequences of our anaesthetic choices
Key Learning Objectives:
At the end of this module, delegates should be able to:
Live Stream: 8 October 2026
Speaker: Nicola Grint BVSc PhD CertVA DVA DiplECVAA MRCVS
Delegates will be asked to contribute to two journal clubs in order to critically evaluate recent articles within the subject area.
November 2026
Speaker: Pamela Murison BVMS CertVA,DipECVAA,DVA,PhD MRCVS
Module 5: Patient safety and problem solving
Key Learning Objectives:
At the end of this module delegates should be able to:
Live Stream: 14 December 2026
Speaker: Pamela Murison BVMS CertVA,DipECVAA,DVA,PhD MRCVS
Delegates will be asked to contribute to two journal clubs in order to critically evaluate recent articles within the subject area.
January 2026
Speaker: Pamela Murison BVMS CertVA,DipECVAA,DVA,PhD MRCVS
Module 7: Advanced respiratory anaesthesia
Key Learning Objectives
At the end of this module, delegates should be able to:
Live Stream: 15 February 2027
Speaker: Pamela Murison BVMS CertVA,DipECVAA,DVA,PhD MRCVS
At the end of this live session, delegate should be confident in interpreting & explaining normal and abnormal ECG traces.
Pamela Murison is Professor of Veterinary Anaesthesia at the University of Glasgow School of Veterinary Medicine, where she is head of the anaesthesia service. After working in practice, Pamela has worked in veterinary schools since 1996 so has many years of teaching experience both with veterinary and veterinary nursing students. Her research interests include assessing efficacy of novel analgesics and factors which might affect ventilation during anaesthesia.
Full Payment Upfront: Total payable AU$5,100 inc GST.
ISVPS registration & examination fees are not included in this price.
AU $500 initial deposit will secure your place. The full balance of fees ($4,600) must be paid prior to the program start date (no program access will be granted until full payment is received).
All prices are inclusive of compulsory 10% GST.
ISVPS registration & examination fees are not included in this price.
Terms and Conditions apply to all bookings.
Please find the terms and conditions here.
The advanced nursing programs are the ‘next-step’ for experienced veterinary nurses who want to feel confident with more complex nursing cases and procedures.
They are designed for veterinary nurses or techs working in either general or referral practice. You need to have achieved your primary vet nurse (Cert IV) or vet tech (Bach) qualification to be eligible to enrol in the program.
In addition, it is strongly recommended that delegates have an NCert/VTCert (or an academic equivalent) in a related subject, or at least five years’ experience in practice, with a relevant caseload to the Certificate subject. For example; If you are enrolling in the N.Advanced Cert. Surgery you will need a significant surgical caseload.
A background understanding of veterinary anatomy and physiology, and how these impact the pathogenesis and treatment of various conditions, will also be expected.
You can enrol directly via our website, from the program page. Our team will invoice you for the program and once agreed fees are paid, you can join the global program. Please reach out to the team at [email protected] if you have any questions on how to do this.
The Advanced Nurse Anaesthesia Mentoring requirement was introduced with the launch of this program in 2022. A key element of this certificate is the intention to foster connections within the veterinary anaesthesia community through bi-monthly mentoring sessions.
Program delegates are expected to meet with their mentor once a month either by phone or in person to discuss a case that they are working on or to further discussion the anaesthesia topics being covered.
Ideally, they need to source their own mentor but if not then the Team at Improve Veterinary Education UK (who run this global program) may be able to organise one based on their geographical location. The mentor will support them by providing support on discussing any cases they have and or provide guidance around the course topics.
For delegates sourcing their own mentor they will need to ensure the Mentor meets one of the prerequisites below:
Currently working in referral Anaesthesia
As a private education provider, Improve Veterinary Education Australia is not part of the national HECS scheme.
Payment plans are done on a case by case basis and program access is given only after ALL enrolment fees are paid. Please be aware any payment plans incur additional fees.
Yes – there are limited opportunities for late entry. Please contact us directly [email protected] for any specific questions and we can help.
Most delegates complete the program within a 12–18-month time period (depending on course start and assessment dates). Delegates have 3 years access to taught modules from program start date.
Additional self-study is recommended for most of the Advanced Programs, and you will also require access to journals and articles via an internet library service. Candidates will have access to the RCVS Knowledge Library, and you will be required to register via the online learning platform once you are enrolled in the program. Other internet library services are available (e.g. PubMed, Google Scholar), which may incur an additional registration fee.
Any deferral requests are considered on a case by case basis by the UK Improve Veterinary Education Team, who manage the Online Programs. If deferral is agreed, it will include additional administration fees and charges. Specific modules of the program cannot be deferred.
No – the content for the Advanced Nursing Programs covers the global syllabus for the ISVPS Certificates. This means there is material in the program that may be referrable to the UK/Europe and other regions.
Our advanced nursing programs are the accredited training for the Nurse Advanced Certificate (NAdvCert) or Vet Tech Advanced Certificate (VTAdvCert). This is a globally recognised further qualification for veterinary nurses and techs awarded by the International School of Veterinary Postgraduate Studies (ISVPS) and is the highest level of qualification they currently offer.
The NAdvCert/VTAdvCert confers recognition that a nurse and/or veterinary technician has completed a period of postgraduate/post-qualification study and passed an examination and written assignment in their chosen field.
Successful NAdvCert/VTAdvCert holders will be regarded by peers as having had further training in a specific clinical discipline and therefore able to provide high levels of patient care, improve animal welfare, offer nursing advice to colleagues, and become involved with more complicated nursing care within their practice.
For the most up-to-date guidelines, the International School of Veterinary Postgraduate Studies is the best resource to review. Review this link to their guidelines for the Advanced Nursing/Tech qualifications.
In summary, for the NAdvCert or VTAdvCert, delegates will be required to:
Proof of qualification may be required by the International School of Veterinary Postgraduate Studies to sit the exam. It is your responsibility to ensure you meet the eligibility criteria for the program.
For the most up-to-date information on the ISVPS assessments, please contact ISVPS directly at [email protected] or visit the ISVPS website.
Registration and associated assessments with the ISVPS are optional; however, to achieve the Adv. Cert qualifications, this is required.
Delegates who choose NOT to register with ISVPS (to pursue the AdvCert qualification route) will receive an acknowledgement of their ‘Continuing Professional Development’ (CPD) hours from Improve Veterinary Education.
Delegates are NOT eligible to receive the postgraduate qualifications (NAdvCert or VTAdvCert) in their chosen discipline without fulfilling the ISVPS requirements.
Registration is made directly with ISVPS once you are enrolled in the Online Learning Program. ISVPS contact details will be shared so you can complete their registration forms and pay the associated fees directly to ISVPS.