If you need to top up your emergency medicine and critical care (ECC) skills, our courses in veterinary emergency medicine are perfect. We’ve got a few options available to you, and they can be confusing, so in this article we’ll help you compare our emergency medicine CPD to find the perfect course for you. To help you navigate your CPD options, we’ve split the courses into:
- Vet Certificate Programmes
- Short, Practical Emergency Medicine CPD Courses for Vets
- Nurse Certificate Programmes
- Short, Practical Vet Nurse Emergency Medicine CPD
Let’s jump in and see if we can help you choose the course for you!
Vet certificate programmes in emergency medicine
If you’re thinking of getting a veterinary postgraduate certificate, and the postnominals and career opportunities that they can bring, we’ve got two fantastic options for you.
Postgraduate Certificate in Emergency Medicine and Surgery (GPCert/PgC)
This programme provides the teaching for both the International School of Veterinary Postgraduate Studies (ISVPS) General Practitioner Certificate (GPCert) and the Postgraduate Certificate (PgC) from Harper Adams University. Our innovative interactive online course covers 14 varied modules that are available 24/7 so you can study at times that suit you. You’ll learn everything from transfusion medicine to neurological emergencies, and how to treat various toxins and traumas. At the end of the course, you can sit the assessments to achieve the GPCert and continue to the PgC, which is eligible for application to RCVS Advanced Practitioner Status. If you think your practical skills are rusty, there are optional practical modules you can add-on, or you could join one of our short courses below. In other words, this emergency medicine certificate is your stepping stone to a career in ECC – or even just to increased confidence.
Find out more about the Certificate in Emergency Medicine and Surgery.
Accelerated Emergency Programme (FCert)
For those taking their first steps in veterinary postgraduate education or who need a quicker certificate course, the Accelerated Emergency Programme is perfect. You can join anytime to access the 15 varied online modules, covering all aspects of ECC. You’ll also be able to join world-renowned speakers in the quarterly global seminars to help cement your learning. At the end of the programme, successful completion of the assessments awards the ISVPS Foundation Certificate in Emergency and Critical Care, and you’ll get to use the postnominals FCert (ECC).
Find out more about the Accelerated Emergency Programme.
Short, practical emergency medicine CPD courses for vets
A certificate isn’t for everyone – sometimes you just need some practical emergency medicine CPD to top up your skills. Whether you want to practice your emergency ultrasound techniques or want to know more about CPR, these short practical ECC courses are perfect.
Emergency Surgery in the Acute Abdomen
This two-day practical CPD course covers the surgical interventions for GDV, peritonitis, urethral obstruction, and more. In small groups, you'll cover the decision making and stabilisation in the classroom, then move into the wet lab to practice essential skills, techniques, and approaches. We're running this practical workshop in Sheffield in March and November 2026, but places are limited so get yourself booked in!
Find out more about the practical course Emergency Surgery in the Acute Abdomen. Or, if you want more surgical CPD, you can see the rest of our short practical courses here.
ECC Practical Boot Camp
Another incredible practical course in veterinary ECC is our Practical Boot Camp. The first day of this two-day practical course is dedicated to surgery – you'll cover stabilisation and treatment of splenic bleeds, GDV, ruptured diaphragms and more in a well-stocked wet lab environment. Then, day two is dedicated to procedures for stabilisation, covering techniques like thoracocentesis, feeding tube placement, and use of central lines. The course is held on a weekend, meaning vets can more easily attend this emergency medicine CPD and come away with new skills to bring into practice on Monday.
Find out more about the ECC Practical Boot Camp
Ultrasound for the Emergency Patient
A one-day ultrasound CPD course perfect for the emergency vet, you’ll practice ultrasound techniques suitable for diagnosing emergencies, including TFAST, AFAST and more. The CPD course is interactive and case-based, helping you learn the indications for point of care ultrasound (POCUS) as well as the practical skills you need to do it effectively. This is always a popular course, so we've got dates in Swindon and Sheffield throughout 2026.
Find out more about the Ultrasound for the Emergency Patient CPD course.
RECOVER CPR BLS and ALS Certification
If you want a short practical ECC CPD course with a certification to show your skills, this course is perfect. First, take your Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Life Support (ALS) online training. Then, the one-day practical course covers all aspects of CPR. We offer you the option to book just the practical, or the BLS/ALS modules too - just choose the right option at checkout, but know you'll have to take both to be a certified RECOVER Rescuer.
This course is suitable for both vets and nurses, and we encourage at least two attendees from each practice so you can work as a team to put what you’ve learned into practice. For 2026, we’re holding the course in March, July, and September, but bookings close early for the online training option and numbers are strictly limited, so you should book now to avoid disappointment.
Find out more about the CPR Course in Association with RECOVER.
Veterinary nurse certificate programmes in emergency care
Veterinary nurse certificates help nurses develop advanced skills as well as show off their new status to their colleagues and employers. While we offer certificate programmes in a range of disciplines, our vet nurse emergency medicine certificate courses are always popular. Here's what we have available:
Emergency and Critical Care Nursing (VNCert)
The vet nurse certificate in emergency and critical care teaches veterinary nurses the skills and knowledge they need to provide life-saving care in emergency situations. Whether you’re in general practice or referral medicine, the skills you learn in this certificate will help you with triage, monitoring, stabilisation, aiding in surgical procedures, and CPR. After the 9-module programme, you’ll be ready to sit the assessments to achieve the Vet Nurse Certificate (VNCert) in Emegency and Critical Care Nursing from the International School of Veterinary Postgraduate Studies (ISVPS). This vet nurse certificate is held entirely online to make it easier for busy professionals to attend, but there’s an optional practical module covering CPR and key practical techniques for those that want to practice their new skills in a wet lab environment.
Find out more about the Veterinary Nurse Certificate in Emergency and Critical Care Nursing.
Advanced Emergency and Critical Care Nursing (VNAdvCert)
If you’ve already got a certificate in emergency and critical care nursing, or equivalent significant practical experience, the advanced veterinary nurse certificate programme might be what you’re looking for. This emergency nursing CPD course covers new ECC topics as well as topics previously covered in more detail – you'll get to grips with transfusion medicine, toxicology, and setting up a practice for success in emergency cases.
Find out more about the Advanced Emergency and Critical Care Nursing Certificate.
Short veterinary nurse CPD courses in emergency medicine
We’ve also got some great options for vet nurse ECC CPD that’s shorter and practical. Check out these great options below:
Ultrasound Triage for the Emergency Patient
Have you ever been in a situation where the vet is busy and you’re unsure how urgently a patient should be seen? This ultrasound course is aimed at veterinary nurses who want to learn some simple ultrasound triage techniques for when the vet is already tied up. This one-day practical course is always popular, so we've put on dates throughout 2026 in Sheffield and Swindon, making it easier for busy vet nurses to attend.
Find out more about the practical ultrasound triage course for vet nurses.
Wound Management
This wound management CPD course is suitable for nurses as well as vets. It covers the theory and physiology of wound healing before moving onto practical applications of the knowledge, including decision making in veterinary wound care and types of veterinary wound dressings. It’s a one-day course, and for 2026 it's running in April (Swindon) and November (Sheffield). This is a very popular course and numbers are limited, so get booked in now if you think this is for you!
Find out more about the Wound Management CPD Course.
Practical Nursing Skills for Emergency and Critical Care Patients
A one-day crash course in a number of important nursing techniques, this emergency medicine CPD course covers just about everything you need to know about nursing emergency patients. It combines theory with case studies and practical techniques to make a great course for vet nurses in general practice, ECC practice, referral practice, or even those working on their ECC certificate. We’re only running this course once this year, so make sure you get booked in now!
Find out more about the Nursing Skills for the Emergency Patient course.
Nursing the Emergency and Critical Wildlife Patient
Wildlife patients often come in as emergency cases, but knowledge about their needs is sadly often limited. We’re changing that with this one-day online seminar. You’ll learn about legislation, health and safety and ethics, as well as techniques for nursing, stabilisation, handling, and rehabilitation. Worth 6 hours of CPD, this course is running in July for 2026.
Find out more about the Wildlife Nursing CPD Course.
CPR in Association with RECOVER
We’ve already spoken about this course at length in the section for vets, above, but it’s just here as a reminder that this practical veterinary CPR course is also suitable for veterinary nurses. In fact, we encourage people to attend as a team of at least one vet and one nurse from a practice – it helps you take your skills back into clinics and save animal lives. Read more about what you’ll learn (and when) above!
Free veterinary emergency CPD
If you're out of budget or wanting to top up your hours with some background reading, head to our Clinical Library to find free ECC CPD. Webinars, articles, and more - it's all there!
Or, for more help planning your CPD, contact our CPD Advisors, or explore our CPD & Career Hub, which is filled with information to help you succeed in your careers.
After graduating from the University of Nottingham in 2016, Jo moved into small animal practice in the midlands, where she grew a passion for client communication and the subjects that most need it - like geriatrics and dermatology. Since 2020 she has worked as a locum vet in the Channel Islands as well as as a content writer in pet health topics.
