MINIMUM
PRACTISING STANDARDS

All allied professionals and paraprofessionals working in animal healthcare settings within New Zealand must abide by legislation including, but not limited to:

• Veterinarian’s Act 2005

• Animal Welfare Act 1999

• Animal Welfare (Care and Procedures) Amendment Regulations 2020

• Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines Act 1997

• Radiation Safety Act of 2016

• Health and Safety at Work Act 2015

• Biosecurity Act 1993

• Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996

• Misuse of Drugs Act 1975

• Privacy Act 1993

• Resource Management Act 1991

• Employment Relations Act 2000

Allowed Skills

There is no specific list of tasks that veterinary nurses or other allied veterinary professions are allowed to do, but there is legislation in place to help ensure animal welfare. New guidelines for significant surgical procedures performed on animals, is covered under section 183B of the Animal Welfare Act 1999.

New Zealand has no legal regulation of veterinary nurses or other allied veterinary professions, therefore the professional responsibility falls to the veterinarians who are governed by the Veterinarians Act 2005.

Veterinarians are regulated by Veterinary Council New Zealand.

Voluntary guidelines for practice are in place for allied professionals and is enforced by the AVPRC. Allied professionals must comply with legislation above, and related rules outlined here, to maintain registration. 

Guidelines for practice include: 

• Qualifications for registration

• Titles that can be used

• Scope of practice

• Fitness to Practice

• Actions that can or will happen if the allied professional does not follow these guidelines

It is important that allied professionals are always competent and fit to practice when working in a clinical healthcare environment. This includes the following expectations:

1. Recency of practice – if an allied professional has not practiced for more than three consecutive years, or is seeking to work with species or skills that are not of their original qualification, or range of experience, it is recommended that the practitioner seeks additional support and supervision to ensure competency and animal welfare.

2. Competency – the Graduate Competencies outline criteria that graduates of approved allied professional qualifications must meet to qualify. These competencies also provide a good guideline for practitioners to maintain to ensure optimal fitness to practice.

3. Continuing education – continuing professional development (CPD) ensures currency and relevance of clinical practice. There are many ways to achieve ongoing continuing education requirements. For more on CPD for allied professionals, see the NZVNA website here.

4. Professionalism – ensuring that the practitioner considers the following aspects that influence professionalism and fitness to practice:

   • Mental and physical wellbeing

   • Addiction issues

   • Offences under the law, or disciplinary proceedings by any authority