The Consulting Veterinary Nurse Dry-lab NZ (September 2025)

This in-person workshop on veterinary nursing consults was designed to enhance participants’ skills and confidence in the consulting room. The hands-on session equipped attendees with essential communication techniques to effectively gather patient histories, explain findings, and educate clients. Participants gained practical experience with common vet nursing consults such as dental checks, nutrition, and palliative care, to name just a few, through interactive role-playing scenarios, preparing them for real-world situations.

Wendy Jarnet

RVNS, BVN, VTS (SAIM), Dip. FN (ISFM), GDTE GCertBusv

Wendy Jarnet is a Registered Veterinary Nurse Specialist and Veterinary Technician Specialist in Small Animal Internal Medicine. She is the creator of The Free-range Vet Nurse, a Senior Lecturer at Otago Polytech in the School of Animal Health, an executive committee member for the New Zealand Veterinary Nursing Association (NZVNA), and a trust board member for Healthy Pets New Zealand.

Since beginning her career in 2008, Wendy has worked in various roles, including veterinary receptionist, head veterinary nurse, lead consulting nurse, clinical coach, large animal vet tech, and specialist veterinary nurse. She has gained diverse experience in companion animal first opinion practices, mixed practice, emergency vet hospitals, and specialist referral hospitals across New Zealand. Wendy has also volunteered for desexing charities in NZ and at Te Aru Manu vet clinic in Rarotonga. In 2015, she was awarded New Zealand Vet Nurse of the Year. Wendy has also contributed to the veterinary nursing literature, with published articles in both the NZ Vet Nursing Journal and the UK Vet Nurse journal.