Dear Sir or Madam

RE: LETTER OF INTRODUCTION

Otago Polytechnic student is seeking work placement as part of New Zealand Certificate in Animal
Technology (Veterinary Nursing Assistant) Level 5 programme

This letter is to introduce and demonstrate to you that this is a perspective student applying for the Otago
Polytechnic NZCAT VNA programme and they are currently working through the application and enrolment
process.

The student who has approached you is enrolling in the New Zealand Certificate in Animal Technology
(Veterinary Nursing Assistant ) Level 5 at Otago Polytechnic More information about this programme can be
found at http://www.op.ac.nz/study/natural-sciences/veterinary-nursing/new-zealand-certificate-in-animal-
technology-level-5-veterinary-nursing-assistant/ or by visiting the NZQA website, or by contacting us.

The national entry criteria for NZCAT VNA requires all prospective students to undertake 240 compulsory
work placement: including a minimum of 40 hours in animal related facilities and a minimum of 200 hours’
work placement in a companion animal veterinary clinic.

Any prospective student approaching you to discuss the possibility of securing a supervised veterinary clinic
work placement is required to present you with a current copy of their Criminal Convictions Declaration (even
if they have no convictions) and this letter of Introduction.

Thank you for taking the time to consider having a work placement student in your veterinary clinic. In
careers where a large amount of practical skill is required, work placement is a vital component of the
education and development of highly trained para-professionals. This is especially true with veterinary
nursing education and particularly with distance or blended study where a strong emphasis is placed on the
application of theoretical knowledge within the work place. We are grateful that you are willing to take the
time to assist with training by providing a supportive working environment where knowledge can be applied
and skills can be developed throughout the programme.

The student is required to start work their veterinary clinic work placement after they have completed the first
course, Introduction to Veterinary Nursing Assistant (15 credits.) This course introduces and assesses
professionalism, health and safety including basic restraint and hygiene. We also recommend the student
has completed their 40 hours’ work placement in an animal related facility prior to starting veterinary clinic
work placement but this is not essential.

We have provided you with a list of the “key points for prospective veterinary clinic work place supervisors”
and a “practical skills list”.

To confirm your veterinary clinic is willing to supervise and mentor this student during the course of their
studies, please review and tick the tasks you are able to provide and sign the attached form. This form must
be returned by the student to enable them to be fully enrolled before the start date of their programme.
This agreement is one of goodwill. If for any reason your veterinary clinic decides, at your sole
discretion, that it is not beneficial for your veterinary clinic to host a student and/or it is not providing a
mutually beneficial relationship and this is impacting on what your veterinary clinic can provide or the
student can learn, then please advise us as soon as possible, so we can guide the student in finding
alternative veterinary clinic work placement.

.To support you and the student throughout the programme, the programme coordinator will send out
periodic emails to alert you to specific programme requirements and send you documents that may be
of assistance to you while you host a work experience student.

Please do not hesitate to contact us at any time if you have any questions or concerns and as always
we welcome your feedback at any time. Please retain this letter for reference purposes.

Once again we thank you for your time

Yours sincerely

Jeanette O’Fee
Head of School
School of Veterinary Nursing

School of Veterinary Nursing Private Bag 1910 Freephone 0800 762 786 info@otagopolytechnic.ac.nz
Dunedin 9054 Phone +64 3 477 3014 www.otagopolytechnic.ac.nz
Fax +64 3 470 7790