The Call of Veterinary ECC: Is Critical Care Right for Me?

Veterinary emergency and critical care (ECC) is a divisive area of veterinary medicine: much like Marmite, you either love it or you hate it. For me, whether in or out of practice, it will always hold a special place in my heart. 

Most of us spend the first few years in practice finding our feet, worrying about our capabilities when we’re on our own, and learning at an exponential rate. It’s challenging, satisfying, stressful, and definitely not easy. But I think many of us reach a point where, even if we haven’t ‘nailed it,’ we at least feel like we know what we’re doing. You start recognising patterns (for better or worse), anticipating results before running tests, and developing your spiel for common conditions and problems. Before you know it, you’re starting to crave more of a challenge. That was my experience in general practice, and it’s what led me into the world of veterinary ECC.  

What’s veterinary ECC like? 

Veterinary ECC really is its own world; there are many differences from general practice, and it takes a significant transition phase to get accustomed to them. 

The biggest change for me was the team environment. I used to hate working sole charge as a new graduate, but as I gained experience, I began to enjoy being part of a small, close-knit team. Moving from a practice with 20 staff members on a shift to a clinic with just a veterinary nurse, a vet, and (if you’re lucky) a receptionist or veterinary care assistant was a dramatic shift. It definitely has its challenges, but it’s also incredibly satisfying. The bonds you build with your colleagues are unparalleled. Nothing beats finishing an intense, non-stop shift and feeling like you were all part of one unit—anticipating each other’s needs and working seamlessly together. 

As an ECC vet, each shift pushes you, and there is a lot of responsibility to make quick, confident decisions (which is easier said than done!). But without a doubt, it’s the most satisfaction I’ve felt in a clinical role. I can’t speak for the experience of being an ECC vet nurse, but I can vouch for the colleagues I worked with—some of the most talented, capable nurses I’ve ever met. Communication is more challenging, but the support staff’s skill at dealing with stressed and emotional clients was always admirable. 

What was your biggest challenge in becoming an ECC vet? 

As a self-confessed control fanatic (a preferable term!), I had concerns about moving into such an unpredictable environment, but even that surprised me. Unexpectedly, not having a diary and knowing what was awaiting me was liberating. Dealing with cases as they arrived and constantly triaging and reassessing patients was different, but I adjusted quickly once I changed my mindset.  

It took some getting used to; in general practice, I was used to seeing patients in order, on time, with structured consultations and procedures (most of the time). This did have its stressors—when people were late, you were short-staffed, or emergencies presented at peak times. Working in veterinary ECC, I had to let go of the stress of keeping people waiting. I had to shift my mentality from aiming for a diagnosis or final treatment plan to prioritising, stabilising, and keeping the most urgent tasks in mind—triaging procedures and processes as well as patients.  

This approach isn’t for everyone, but for me, adapting to managing cases in parallel and being open to changing the plan as needed was surprisingly rewarding. It satisfied my desire for constant variety and made the shift fly by faster than I ever experienced in general practice! 

Navigating night shifts: a major challenge of veterinary ECC  

For many of us wanting to work in veterinary ECC, night shifts are an unavoidable aspect. This is probably the most divisive part of working in veterinary emergency and critical care and something that can be hard to assess until you start doing it.  

Everyone is different, and in my experience, everyone has different methods of managing their sleep cycle around shifts. I’ve always been a big sleeper, so for me, sleeping in as late as possible before my first shift set me up, and I could easily adjust to sleeping during the day between shifts. Adjusting back to a normal schedule after a run of night shifts was tougher; I’d take a three-hour nap right after finishing, then force myself to wake up and push through the groggy, jetlag-like haze for the rest of the day. It was a struggle, and I had to accept that I wouldn’t accomplish much, but prioritising self-care and knowing it would help me reset my sleep pattern for the night ahead made it worthwhile. You do have more time off to compensate, though, and despite spending over four years as a nocturnal vet, I felt like I spent more time outside during my off time, appreciating it more. 

The power of a supportive community of vets 

Lastly, there is an incredible community within the veterinary ECC world. While this is true for the veterinary profession as a whole, it feels even more intensified in emergency medicine. It may sound like a lonely scenario—2 am, with a nightmare case you’re not confident about, and it’s just the two of you—but you’d be surprised at the level of support available, even in the early hours. Whether it’s from colleagues or friends in other clinics, I never felt alone during those times. 

Summary 

In conclusion, is veterinary ECC right for me? The only way to know is to try. In my experience, once you do, you’ll be hooked. You’ll find yourself in a career that constantly challenges you, is never the same, and where the moments of satisfaction—when you make a difference to those patients and can directly see it—are unparalleled. And your appreciation for your team will be unmatched. 

Think you’d like some veterinary emergency medicine CPD? 

If you think the life of an ECC vet is calling to you, why not take some ECC CPD to improve your clinical confidence and help you get that dream job? 

Our Emergency and Critical Care Certificate is a GPCert/PgC course, delivered in collaboration with RECOVER. This course teaches up-to-date veterinary emergency surgery and medicine and is the perfect mix of online and practical learning. 

Or, if you prefer a 2-day short course, our ECC Practical Boot Camp is perfect. This brand-new course for 2025 gives you 12 CPD hours over two practical days covering emergency surgery and procedures for vets.  

Looking for ECC vet nurse CPD instead? 

Studying for the Emergency and Critical Care Nursing Certificate, you will increase your knowledge and confidence in emergencies, resulting in a positive impact on the outcome of your emergency patients. If you want to take your ECC CPD to the next level, the Advanced Certificate in Emergency and Intensive Care Nursing is designed to help vet nurses with foundational critical care skills learn new techniques and progress to an advanced level. 

Or, for something shorter and more practical, you can take the Ultrasound Triage for the Emergency Patient, a one-day emergency ultrasound training course for veterinary nurses.