Who is Caring for Your Pet?
by Anna Tilley RVN SQP, Ryedale Vets
Veterinary Nursing as a profession is often misunderstood and underestimated. Every May a group of highly skilled, qualified and passionate professionals embark on a mission to educate the public on just how much we do and what is involved.
Did you know we train for between 2 and 4 years and have to pass several written, oral and practical exams to be entitled to enter the register of Veterinary Nurses held by the RCVS and to use the post nominals RVN, yet our title is still unprotected?
We are accountable for our actions and must undertake a minimum of 15 hours CPD a year, yet our qualification is not yet protected. This is something the profession continues to fight for. Patient Care Assistants, Animal Nursing Assistants, Veterinary Care Assistants and Auxillary Nurses are all skilled staff who support vets and nurses, but unfortunately anybody can call themselves a Veterinary Nurse without being qualified as such. Look out for the badge to be sure.
Veterinary Nurses are key to the running of a Veterinary Practice and to the care of our patients. Just some of the things we are trained and qualified to do include: admitting and discharging patients, collecting and running of blood samples, placing of intravenous catheters and fluid therapy, administering of medications by all routes, radiography, theatre and surgery prep, monitoring of anaesthesia, minor surgical procedures including lump removals, non invasive dental work, post operative monitoring and care, inpatient care, emergency and critical care, training and mentoring students, customer care, stock control, insurance claims, and running clinics (in house and as district nursing calls) varying from claw clips, microchips, repeat vaccinations, monthly injections such as for arthritis and allergies, to emptying anal glands, diet advice and much more besides.
At Ryedale Vets we encourage our nurses to find their niche and expand on their learning, knowledge and delivery of this in practice. This can be anything from behaviour to diabetic advisor, nutrition, seniors or the training of student nurses.
We are a registered training centre for Veterinary Nurses, and, as such, are incredibly proud to train many of our own nurses in house, on the job, as part of our team and work family. This ensures our highest of standards continue to be met.
Rest assured that, at Ryedale Vets, your pets are always in the best of hands.