動物看護職養成教育の現状と将来
The Present State of Training and Education in the Veterinary Nursing Profession
福所秋雄 日本獣医生命科学大学 獣医学部 獣医保健看護学科 教授
Akio FUKUSHO Professor, Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, Faculty of Veterinary Science,
School of Veterinary Nursing and Technology[Slide 1] My name is Akio Fukusho andinstructions of a veterinarian). [Slide 4]

I work for Nippon Veterinary and Life
Science University. Thank you for yourIn 2005, a study committee for small-animal medicine atattendance today. Today, I would likethe Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries

to speak on the theme of “The Presentaddressed the issue of the veterinary nursing profession

State of Training and Education in theand recommended that it would be necessary for

Veterinary Nursing Profession” [Sliderelated organizations to cooperate to equalize

2]. As Dr. Ikemoto mentioned earlier, there is a highly

veterinary nursing education and to unify licensing

developed medical system in human medicine withrequirements among private organizations, [Slide 5].

doctors at the center and more than 20 kinds ofparamedical professions and more than 30 professions

Again in 2008, the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry andspecializing in related fields. These are nationally

Fisheries made a similar answer to the question asked incertified and the professionals take part in treatment

the Budget Committee of the House of Councilors (aunder the instructions of doctors.

question that addressed the introducing of a national
qualiﬁcation / license system for the veterinary nursing

In veterinary medicine, on the other hand, theprofession). As such, we do need to promote theveterinarian is the only professional that is nationallyequalization of veterinary nursing education and thecertiﬁed. Today, many veterinary nurses are working at

unification of licensing requirements among private

animal hospitals, especially at animal hospitals for smallorganizations. Therefore a detailed study of these issues,animals (household animals). However they only holdand how the veterinary nursing profession should be,licenses as ʻveterinary nursesʼ, licenses issued by private

has just been started by a study committee. This hasorganizations since there is no national qualification

been established within the Small- Animals Committee

system for veterinary nurses. They have no legalof the Japan Veterinary Medical Association. [Slide 6~8].

standing and are not allowed to assist veterinarians intreatment and examination, such as blood drawing,Currently, training and education for the veterinarytransfusion, and vital function tests, etc. This is notnursing profession is oﬀered at more than 50 vocational

allowed even if under the direct supervision andschools, one junior college, and three universities. When

instructions of veterinarians. The only jobs they are

we think of the future of veterinary nursing education

allowed to perform are those similar to what nursing

we, the educational institutions, need to promoteaids are allowed to perform in human medicine. In othercooperation with one another. As for cooperation

words, veterinary nurses cannot do what they areamong universities, ʻThe Japan University Association of

expected to do as veterinary nurses. [Slide 3]

Veterinary Nursingand Technologyʼ to teach Veterinary Health andAs such, it is absolutely necessary to introduce a national

Veterinary Nursing was established in April, 2008

qualiﬁcation (licensing) system for veterinary nurses as

between Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University,

professionals who can assume responsibility for part ofTeikyo University of Science, Kurashiki University ofthe treatment performed in veterinary medicine, (tasksScience and the Arts, and Yamazaki College of Animal

which they can carry out exclusively under theHealth Technology. As for cooperation among

Workshop Ⅴ Animal Care ̶ Role of Animal Hospitals and Nurses

47

vocational schools, The Japanese Association of Animal
Education has been established. Also a vocationalorganization of veterinary nurses, the Japanese
Veterinary Nursing Association, was founded in May
2009. This has been working to improve the knowledge
and skills of veterinary nurses and to introduce anational qualiﬁcation system. [Slide 9 and 10].
The working range of the veterinary nursing profession(tasks that are legally approved to be performed
exclusively by veterinary nurses) should mainly cover䇼Slide 㪈䇽

clinical nursing tasks (general nursing tasks plus blooddrawing, injection, transfusion, and anestheticmanagement, etc.) and clinical examination (generalexamination plus vital function tests and radiographicexamination, etc.). Animals they are allowed to deal
with should be the same as those that veterinarians candeal with (i.e. household animals and industrial animals
as stipulated under Article 17 of the Veterinary LicenseLaw).
[Slide 11] Currently, the veterinary nursing education is䇼Slide 㪉䇽not uniform. It is being provided by vocational schools,
junior colleges, and universities, each of which oﬀers adiﬀerent type of curriculum. With a view to introducing
the national qualification (licensing) system, it isnecessary to establish a core curriculum for veterinary
nursing education that will be commonly taught atuniversities and vocational schools. It is also importantthat people who have received veterinary nursing
education should be teaching it, although it is currently
taught by veterinarians. Graduate school education will
also be imperative in order to develop veterinary
nursing teachers. [Slides 12~14].

䇼Slide 㪊䇽As veterinary medical care becomes more diversified
and more sophisticated, I suppose that veterinarians arehaving diﬃculties in providing veterinary medical carealone. It is expected for the future that an advanced
veterinary medical system will be established withveterinary medicine and veterinary nursing being twowheels of a vehicle.
I rushed some parts, [Slides 15~16], but that concludes
my presentation. [Slide 17] Thank you very much.

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Workshop Ⅴ Animal Care ̶ Role of Animal Hospitals and Nurses

䇼Slide 㪋䇽䇼Slide 㪌䇽䇼䉴䊤䉟䊄 㪐䇽䇼䉴䊤䉟䊄 㪍䇽䇼䉴䊤䉟䊄 㪈㪇䇽䇼䉴䊤䉟䊄 㪎䇽䇼䉴䊤䉟䊄 㪈㪈䇽䇼䉴䊤䉟䊄 㪏䇽䇼䉴䊤䉟䊄 㪈㪉䇽

Workshop Ⅴ Animal Care ̶ Role of Animal Hospitals and Nurses49䇼䉴䊤䉟䊄 㪈㪊䇽䇼䉴䊤䉟䊄 㪈㪋䇽䇼䉴䊤䉟䊄 㪈㪌䇽䇼䉴䊤䉟䊄 㪈㪍䇽

50

Workshop Ⅴ Animal Care ̶ Role of Animal Hospitals and Nurses䇼䉴䊤䉟䊄 㪈㪎䇽