Kate Davies is a student veterinary nurse (SVN), and currently holds one of the student seats on BVNA Council. In this blog, Kate looks back at how she came to join the profession, alongside some of the progression the VN profession has seen in its history. She also discusses the skilled work carried out by veterinary nurses every day, and why it is so important that the VN title should be protected. This year, the BVNA and veterinary nurses around the UK are celebrating 20 years of campaigning to raise awareness of the veterinary nursing profession. The BVNA is the representative body for ve ..read more

Steph MacPherson originally qualified as a Registered Animal Nursing Auxiliary (RANA) in 1984 – at a time just before the title ‘Veterinary Nurse’ could be used in the UK. Originally working in the UK – including the New Forest, Somerset, the Lake District and even the Shetland Islands – her career has since taken her to New Zealand, where she has remained for the past 34 years. There, Steph was one of the founding members of the New Zealand Veterinary Nursing Association (NZVNA) which was established in 1992, and continues her work as an RVN under the AVPRC – New Zealand’s voluntary regulator ..read more

For this year’s Veterinary Nursing Awareness Month (VNAM), we’re celebrating the theme of ‘Progression’. In this article, originally published in VN Times, February 2024, BVNA President Lyndsay Hughes discusses why a new Veterinary Surgeons Act is desperately needed. Legislation which reflects the VN profession of today, and which provides much-needed protection of the VN title. However, there is much that can be done whilst we continue to lobby for legislative change – which means every individual can play a part in our profession’s future. An enormous benefit of being in my position at t ..read more

Today, the British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA) commences its annual Veterinary Nursing Awareness Month (VNAM) in the campaign’s 20th year. A profession-wide survey led by BVNA has also been launched, to capture vital information to support the association’s work including its ongoing mission to protect the ‘veterinary nurse’ title. With 2024 encompassing the theme of ‘Progression’, the purpose of VNAM is to raise awareness of the veterinary nursing profession to the public and pet owners, by: Championing the incredible work that veterinary nurses undertake every day Highlighting th ..read more

Every year during May, the veterinary profession celebrates Veterinary Nursing Awareness Month (VNAM), proudly spearheaded by the British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA). In 2024, BVNA will celebrate 20 years since the campaign began – from its early beginnings as Veterinary Nursing Awareness Day in 2004, and since 2012 BVNA have been leading the campaign for an entire month. The purpose of VNAM is to champion the veterinary nursing profession to the public and pet owners. The vital role of veterinary nurses in upholding animal welfare is highlighted – both in and out of clinical practic ..read more

In 2024, BVNA is celebrating 20 years of campaigning during the month of May, to raise awareness of veterinary nursing. We know that it’s currently a challenging time for the veterinary profession, and when teams are busy and stretched, time and capacity can be very limited. But – we still fundamentally believe that veterinary nurses everywhere deserve to be championed. That’s why this year, we’re inviting you to get involved – with complete flexibility over how. Your #VNAM2024, your way! To enter our competition, simply show us any activities you are carrying out this May to educate the gene ..read more

During May 2023, the veterinary profession celebrated the 12th annual Veterinary Nursing Awareness Month (VNAM), proudly spearheaded by the British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA). This year, our campaign theme was ‘empowerment’ – showcasing the wide-ranging contributions veterinary nurses make within both clinical and non-clinical settings. We invited veterinary teams to enter our VNAM video competition to tell us “What do VNs mean to your practice?”. We were delighted that so many members of the practice team came together to produce some fantastic videos which highlight the vital rol ..read more

In this blog, Caroline Clark shares her experience of working within the profession for the past 40 years and how she has been able to diversify, with opportunities that she wouldn’t have had if she hadn’t been a veterinary nurse. I began my nursing life as a Saturday girl in a mixed first opinion practice way back in the late 70s. I remember vividly being told to ‘think again’ when I told the careers advisor that I wanted to work with animals – fortunately, I didn’t heed their advice as upon leaving school I was offered a permanent post. I completed my nurse training at Berkshire College of ..read more

Becoming an Equine Veterinary Nurse (RVN) is just the beginning of your career; the qualification can take you to places you did not realise were possible as a student. Equine veterinary nursing has progressed hugely in the last few years and continues to progress; this has allowed our role as equine nurses to develop and given us more opportunities within clinical practice. New opportunities are being created within practices, such as ambulatory nursing and nurse clinics. The EVN qualification can take your career further than the UK because the qualification allows the holder to register wit ..read more

Veterinary nurses are… Dreadfully ……… knowledgeable. The veterinary nursing course lasts at least two years, is both theoretical and practical, and covers an enormous amount of information in huge detail and depth over a range of medical and surgical disciplines and species. It genuinely never ceases to amaze me how much veterinary nurses know and they continue to add to this knowledge throughout their careers. Terribly ….. specialist. Once a vet nurse has their qualification, they can then go on to specialise in huge variety of disciplines; from nutrition to physiotherapy, from anaesthesia to ..read more