Latest news and updates on BVNA campaigns

The Protect the Title campaign seeks statutory ( legal ) protection for the professional title of ‘ veterinary nurse ’ in the UK .

Surprisingly , 48 % of the veterinary professionals who responded knew someone calling themselves a veterinary nurse who had not been through the training needed to be registered as such .

“ It diminishes our hard work when other people refer to themselves as veterinary nurses when they ' re not ,” said a VN in her survey response . “ Protecting the title will give a much needed boost to the profession .”

Another VN responded with a similar sentiment : “ A lot of hard work and study goes into becoming a VN . Clients should know the difference between the staff looking after their animals , as they would in a human hospital .”

The survey statistic seems to have sparked conversations in some veterinary practices about how they refer to members of staff , which may lead to staff being enrolled in VN training courses . This would be fantastic , as their skills and experience are vital assets to their practice . Qualification would be an excellent way to develop their careers , support the veterinary nursing profession and reassure owners of animals in their care .

The survey results indicate misunderstandings about the title ‘ veterinary nurse ’ both within and outside the profession , as 91 % of members of the public who responded to the survey assumed that someone calling themselves a veterinary nurse would be fully qualified and regulated . Similarly , 3,581 respondents felt it was very important that their pet was cared for by a registered veterinary nurse ( RVN ).

“ I ' d hope the person advising me on the care of my pets has received training that enables them to be registered ,” said a member of the public in their survey response .

“ The term ‘ registered ’ makes me feel more secure in their ability and knowledge .”

It is hoped that protecting the title will have a positive impact on the retention of VNs in practice . While not all respondents felt that this would persuade people to stay in the profession , many felt it could pave the way for talks about salary .

“ Recognition of the qualification would help us feel valued and appreciated ,” a VN responded . “ It could support structured pay scales and improve wages for VNs , which may help us stay in the profession longer .”

BVNA has written an interim report on the survey results and next steps , which will be sent to major stakeholders to maintain pressure . Read more here https :// bvna . org . uk / project / bvna-protect-the-title-campaign .

Thanks to everyone who has been supporting and participating in the campaign . More surveys are planned to explore the themes highlighted so far . Please keep up the support – people talking about the campaign enables BVNA to shout even louder about it .

Benefits of protecting the title ‘ veterinary nurse ’

• Formal recognition of the dedication it takes to train and qualify as a veterinary nurse .

• The potential to introduce a grading system , to facilitate structured career paths and salaries .

• Certainty that all veterinary nurses are fully accountable and working to the same standards and professional code of practice .

• Clearer recruitment processes for practices and transferable career paths for veterinary nurses .

• Improved job satisfaction , confidence and empowerment for veterinary nurses .

• Reassurance for owners that the person looking after their pet is properly trained and regulated .

10 Veterinary Nursing Journal