FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Do I need to show proof of clinical hours in order to get an annual practicing certificate?

No. You do not need to submit proof of clinical hours to stay on the register with a current annual practicing certificate (APC). To get your APC, you will need to declare that you are fit to practice in whatever area you are practicing in. If you are using your veterinary/animal healthcare qualification in your work, you are considered to be a practicing AVP.

What is fitness to practice, and how does it compare to registration?

Registration is the process of getting onto the register by proving your identity, qualification, and residency in New Zealand. Once on the register, you must demonstrate fitness to practice each year to keep your registration current. This is achieved with an Annual Practicing Certificate (APC) - a form that is completed annually declaring you have met conditions that ensure you are fit to practice. A small fee will be applied to the APC to cover administrative costs of processing and maintaining these records. More details about the APC requirements can be found here.

I am retiring and do not need to be registered anymore. Is there anything I need to do to discontinue my registration?

If you are retiring and leaving the industry permanently, you can email us and let us know so we can set your registration to ‘retired’. This will ensure we do not send you reminders to renew your APC. if you would still like to receive communications from us, you can request to be set to ‘inactive’.

I am leaving the industry to work as an accountant. I’m not sure if I will work as a vet nurse again. If I don’t apply for an APC will I lose my registration?

If you are going to purposefully leave the industry, please contact us to let us know your plans so we can record it in your file. We will set your registration to ‘inactive’. If you do not contact us, and you do not apply for an APC, your registration will roll over to the ‘expired’ status and we will send you reminders to renew.

I’m on the register and currently studying toward an advanced qualification (bachelor of veterinary nursing). As a part time student, do I have to do reflective CPD to stay registered?

Students studying at least part time toward a veterinary/animal healthcare related qualification do not have to do additional CPD to maintain fitness to practice. However, you will need to upload evidence of your enrolment and completion as proof in order to waive the CPD requirements.

I work in industry, for a pet food company, what sort of CPD do I need to complete for my Annual Practicing Certificate?

You should aim to get CPD that ensures you are fit to practice in the role where you are using your veterinary/animal healthcare qualification. This could be CPD from a range of diverse areas relating to leadership, interpersonal skills, clinical and therapeutic nutrition, and other clinical topics for the species that you specialise in.

I am in postgraduate study (a masters degree). Am I exempt from CPD requirements as a postgraduate student?

Technically, you are able to use your postgraduate study toward your CPD requirements; however, keep in mind that if you are studying for many years and not participating in clinical CPD topics, this could decrease your overall fitness to practice, depending on the field in which you intend to work. It would be good to complete at last some CPD on top of your postgraduate studies if there is a risk that you will lose touch with your field.

I am speaking at a veterinary conference. Can I get CPD hours for this activity?

Yes! To record this activity, upload proof to your portfolio including the conference itinerary with your name on it, your conference presentation, and a written reflection discussing what you have learned from the experience and why this experience was beneficial to your practice as a veterinary nurse/AVP.

I’ve been working overtime as we are short on staff and I haven’t been able to get much CPD. Are there any exemption criteria?

Registrants may be eligible for a CPD hours reduction for various reasons like career breaks or family commitments. However, being overworked or working outside the veterinary field does not qualify for an exemption. Even with a CPD exemption, all members must maintain competence under the Code of Conduct and complete the Annual Practicing Certificate for registration renewal. If you have no CPD hours, write “0”. Keep in mind, many collegial activities are eligible for CPD so even if you are working overtime, you will be participating in some activities that are eligible.

How do I know that I’ve met CPD requirements?

As long as you are completing a wide range of activities including some formal/structured PD like conferences or seminars or webinars, then the rest of the CPD can be made up of what suits you and is relevant to your role, including writing articles, or participating in collegial activities like meetings, and clinical rounds. The number of hours that you participate should aim to acknowledge the number of hours that you were actively learning. Always focus on fitness to practice as a means to keep your patients safe so cheating the system is not a benefit in that regard.

I am a veterinarian from overseas (Philippines) and am not able to register and work as a veterinarian in NZ. I would like to register and work as a veterinary nurse. How can I do this?

If you would like to become a Registered Veterinary Nurse, you need to have a veterinary nursing qualification from the list of approved qualifications. Studying as a veterinarian in another country is not the same as studying veterinary nursing. These are different job roles and they have different skills. You can contact an education provider such as Otago Polytechnic (a business division of Te Pukenga) and they can tell you how to cross credit some of your veterinary degree toward obtaining a veterinary nursing qualification.