BVNACouncilElections2024
Pleasereadtheresponsesfromoursevencandidatesand ensureyouuseyourvote!
CandidatesQ&A’s
SimoneBennettRVN
WhydidyoudecidetorunforBVNAcouncil,andwhatskillswouldyoubring?
IchosetorunforBVNAelectiontobeabletojointhemonimplementingtheimportanceofcivilitywithin practice,andhowthiscanaffectmentalhealth.Iwouldaimtobeabletoassistthemindeliveringawareness ofcivilitytechniqueswithintheworkplace,andalsohowtospotthewarningsignsoffailingmentalhealth withinourcolleagues.
Iamamentalhealthfirstaider,andIamalsostudyingtobeacounsellor,thesedevelopingskillswithinme,a lotofexperiencewithintheprofessionandaveryfiercepassionforthissubjectaretheskillsthatIhopewill enablemetobeabletohelptheBVNAdrivethisforward.
Whatdoyoufeelthemainconcernsfacingveterinarynursescurrently?Wheredoyoufeelimprovements couldbemade?
Ifeelthatthemainconcernfacingveterinarynursesislongevityintheclinicalrole.Havingspokentostudent nurses,theiraimisnottostaywithintheclinicalsetting,buttodivergetheirskillsintowelfareandoversees charities,orothernon-profitorganisations.Ifeelthattheprofessionhasafeelingofuncertaintyaboutitat themoment,preventingnursesfromseeingalongevitywithinaclinicalposition.
Toaidandimprovethis,thenIhopethereformoftheVeterinarySurgeonsact,isonewhichfairsfavourable tothenursingprofession,enablingmanymoreclinicaldoorstoopen,creatinganadvanceddiversitywithin theroleandretainingthepassionofhowincredibletheveterinarynursingcareeris.
JessicaBoldRVN
Wheredoesyourpassionwithinveterinarynursinglay?
Mypassionwithinveterinarynursinglayspredominantlyintheeducationarea.Iamdedicatedtothe professionandfeelthateducationiscrucialfortheretentionofnursesalreadywithintheprofession,and alsoforencouragingpeopletojoinit.Thenursingrolehassomuchvariationandpotentialforindividualsto exploretheirownkeyareasofinterest,butitisimportantthattheyareawareofthesepossibilitiesand giveneveryopportunitytoexplorethem.
Ialsofeelstronglyaboutbettereducatingthegeneralpublicontherole,andappreciatecompletelythe importanceofsharingthevalueofthenursingprofessionwiththemtoencourageunderstandingand appreciationforthecomplexityoftherole,andalsoforpromotingtheprofessiontopotentialfuturenurses.
HowcanBVNAincreaseawarenessofthevalueofRVNsinnon-clinicalroles?
Ibelievethatthereneedstobemoreinformationmadeavailabletonurseswithintheprofessionaboutnot justprogressionmovesbutalsotheoptionforlateralmoveswithintheprofessiontoo.Betterunderstanding andrespectformovementintonon-clinicalrolescanhelptoencouragenursestoremainwithintheindustry andtocontinueputtingtheirknowledgeandexperiencetogooduse.
Therefore,Ithinkbyequallypromotingthevariousclinicalandnon-clinicaloptionsavailabletonurses,itwill helptoimproveawareness.Therearemanynon-clinicalrolesavailableforveterinarynurses,andthenurses withinthoserolesstillrequiresupportanddevelopmentopportunitiesjustasmuchasthoseinclinicalroles. IbelievethatmoreCPDandlearningopportunitiesfornon-clinicalskillswouldbebeneficialinadditionto highlightingtheimportanceofthenon-clinicalroles.
ChloéCarpenterRVN
Wheredoesyourpassionwithinveterinarynursinglay?
Medicalnursingandeducationaremypassionswithinveterinarynursing.Ilovetousemywholenursing skillsettocareforallpatientsintheveterinaryenvironment,especiallythosehospitalised,aswhilstthe medicationisimportant.Ialwayswanttoensureeverypatientgetsthebestcareandholisticapproach.
Educationiskey,bothimprovingourselvesandsupportingthenewgenerationofnurses.Ifeelthatnonurse shouldbenervousontheirfirstdayasanSVNorRVNandpartofmypassionistoensureeveryonefeels empoweredtoaskquestionsandlearn!
Whatdoyoufeelarethemainconcernsfacingveterinarynursescurrently?Wheredoyoufeel improvementscouldbemade?
Ithinkthemainconcernsfacingnursesatthemomentisincreasingpressureandexpectationsfromclients andtheimpactthishasonmentalhealth.
Educatingownersabouttheroleofanurseandmoreeasilyaccessiblesupportformentalhealthwouldbe whereimprovementsthatmakethebiggestdifference.
HamishMorrinRVN
What'sthemostsignificantchangeyouhavenoticedintheveterinarynursingprofessionduringyour career?
Thereismuchmoreawarenessofhumanfactorsandtheneedforsupport.Theseelementsusedtobe considered‘softskills’orlessimportantthanclinicalskills;nowitseemspeoplearemuchmoremindfulof theneedforasupportiveworkplaceandgoodrelationshipswithclients.Thishasdevelopedalongwith acknowledgementoftheissuesthatcanchallengeourmentalandemotionalhealth,suchasburnout, compassionfatigueandmoralinjury.Itisnotonlyvetnurseswhoareaffectedbythis.Thereisalotwecan dotodeveloptrulyresilientandinclusiveworkplaces.
HowcanBVNAincreaseawarenessofthevalueofRVNsinnon-clinicalroles?
IthinkthefirststepistoemphasisetheimportanceofRVNstothefutureofOneHealthandOneWelfare initiatives.TherearesomanypossibilitiesforRVNstoworkinbroaderareas,suchasconservation,policy, humansupport,human-animalinteractions,sciencecommunicationandmanymore.Iforeseeagreater numberofrolesthathaveclinicalandnon-clinicalcomponents,sothedividewillbeblurred.BVNAcan highlightvariedopportunitiesforRVNsandpublishcasestudiesofRVNswithdifferentroles.Wecouldalso havenetworkingevents;forexample,setasideanareaatCongress,wherevolunteerscansitwithan‘ask meanything’signandtalkabouttheircareerjourney.
AmberSmithRVN
Wheredoesyourpassionwithinveterinarynursinglay?
Havingworkedinmostareasofveterinarynursing,Ifoundarealloveforemergencyandcriticalcare.I’ve workedinanemergencyroleforthelastyearandfindthistobeanareainwhichnursescantrulythrive!I lovetheteamworkandhandsonnatureofemergencyveterinarycarewhereanurse’sskillscanbefully utilisedanddespiteallthechallenges,itcanbeextremelyrewarding.I’malsoverypassionateaboutfurther learningandeducation,andlovetosupportotherswhowanttobuildontheirknowledgeoraddtotheir skillset.Veterinarynursesbringawealthofexperience,value,expertiseandeducationtotheirpracticesand I’dlovetoseemorenursesfullyembracingtheirpassionandmaximisingtheirpotential.I’mveryexcited abouttheBVNAandRCVSVNFuturesinitiativeandthepossibilityofnewleadershippathwaysanda reformationofschedule3inthefuture.
Whatdoyoufeelarethemainconcernsfacingveterinarynursescurrently?Wheredoyoufeel improvementscouldbemade?
Veterinarynursingisanamazingvocationfulloftalented,skilledprofessionalswhoarefacingamyriadof challenges.Wehavestruggledwithstaffshortagesasmoreveterinarynursesleavetheprofession,with mentalhealth,withnursesalary’sstrainingagainstariseinthecostofliving,withlackofaprotectedtitle andnomeaningful,clinicalroutesofprogressionfornurseswhowanttocontinuetogrowanddevelop withintheirrole.Currently,evenifveterinarynursesundertakepostgraduatequalificationsorhold advancednursingstatus,theyareunabletotakeonadditionalresponsibilityorspecialiseinawaythatis formallyrecognised.IthinkveterinarynursinghasevolvedsomuchandI’mexcitedfornewpathwaysthat mightopeninthefutureandperhapsthedevelopmentofanadvancedveterinarynursingpractitionerrole.I thinktheBVNA’s‘ProtecttheTitle’campaignisavitalfirststepinestablishingastrongerprofessional identity,inrecognisingtheimportantroleofRVNsaswellasprotectingthepublicandtheirpets.
HelenStewartRVN
WhydidyoudecidetorunforBVNAcouncilandwhatskillswouldyoubring?
RunningforBVNAcouncilissomethingIhavewantedtodosincebecomingaveterinarynurse,butithas neverfeltliketherighttimetobeabletocommitcompletelyuntilnow.Iampassionateaboutour profession,andifIwouldliketoseethingschangeforthebetter,Ineedtobepartoftheentitythatistrying tomakethathappen.
Iamverymotivatedandtrustthatmyenthusiasmfortheprofessionwillgivemethedrivetohelpobtain results.Ihaveanabilitytoworkwellwithothersandcommunicateconfidently.Asanindividual,Iam proactivebutbelievethatteamworkandpositiveworkingrelationshipscanprovidesolutionstoproblems.
WhatisyourunderstandingoftheproposedreformoftheVeterinarySurgeonsactandhowthisshould benefitVeterinarynurses?
Therecommendationsforfutureveterinarylegislationshowimprovementstotheveterinarynurse’srole thatwillprovideuswiththeabilitytocarryoutproceduresthatnotonlyutiliseourtimeandskillsbutwill alsogiveusjobsatisfaction.OneofthekeyrecommendationsisProtectingourprofessionaltitle.Thiswill notonlyprovideownerswithclarityandassurancebutgiveustherecognitionwedesire.
Trainingtobearegisteredveterinarynursetakeshardworkanddeterminationanditisimportantweare allowedtobatheinthegloryofouraccomplishments.TheRCVSarealsolookingintothepossibilitiesofa rolethatcouldallowRVNstoprescribe.ThiswouldbeindeedbeneficialbutifIweresuccessfulinbeing electedontoBVNAcouncilIwouldliketoexplorethepossibilityofanursepractitionerroleequivalentto ourNHScounterparts.
LeanneWalshRVN
WhydidyoudecidetorunforBVNAcouncil,andwhatskillswouldyoubring?
IhavealwayswantedtorunforcouncilandIfeelthatIamnowatapointinmycareerwhereIcangivethe mosttoit.TheskillsthatIwouldbringareafocusanddedicationtoallareasofwork,adrivetomakea differenceandaconfidencetoinputmyideasalongsideothers.
Whatdoyoufeelarethemainconcernsfacingveterinarynursescurrently?Wheredoyoufeel improvementscouldbemade?
Ifeelthemainconcernsfacingveterinarynursingcurrentlyaretheretentionofnurses,duetomentalhealth andunsustainableworkinghours.Ifeelimprovementscouldbemadebyaddinginadditionalsupportto teamsaswellasmoreoptionsforworkinghourstoreducethestrainonpeopletoo.