Nikki Ruedisueli , RVN | VNJ Editor | nicola @ bvna . co . uk

The Protect the Title campaign is going from strength to strength , with our interim report generating muchneeded conversations in practice . A staggering 48 % of respondents to our survey in 2022 said they knew someone calling themselves a veterinary nurse without having had formal training . We ' ve therefore been highlighting this issue , to encourage practices to think carefully about how they refer to staff and to ensure everyone is trained to specific standards , whether they ' re veterinary care assistants , receptionists or veterinary nurses .

Veterinary Nursing Awareness Month ( VNAM ) in May was a huge success , with lots of practices holding events and competitions to raise awareness of the veterinary nursing profession . It ' s great to see how popular this event has become with veterinary practices .

Our Chronic Illness survey in July generated a lot of useful information and revealed that most people who are experiencing chronic illness are suffering from at least two disorders . In response , BVNA has developed a toolkit full of resources for veterinary practices , to help them better support their staff by making reasonable adjustments to the workplace .

BVNA ' s collaboration with the RCVS on the VN Futures project continues ; our senior vice president , Charlotte Pace , will be leading a campaign to support neurodiverse veterinary nurses .

Our 50th anniversary Congress was a huge success . With more than 1,100 delegates attending , the lectures , workshops and seminars were buzzing and the exhibition hall had a fantastic atmosphere . We were delighted to add a new area this year , called ‘ Makers Market ’, where veterinary nurses with small businesses sold their wares .

We ' re looking forward to 2024 , when we will continue to represent you at important stakeholder groups to ensure the veterinary nursing voice is heard . Watch out for our social media posts as we take the Protect the Title campaign to Parliament .

BVNA ' s new president , Lyndsay Hughes , will lead us in her theme of progression , where she will champion flexible working and leadership . Our new Council members are already joining their more experienced counterparts in progressing our campaigns and projects , to ensure you are heard and represented in all the right places .

A big thank you to all the authors who submitted articles to VNJ in 2023 . Your hard work , expertise , passion and commitment to supporting the development of the veterinary nursing profession are the lifeblood of VNJ . The superb quality of your submissions looks set to continue in 2024 , with forthcoming issues already being filled with some amazing content . We are actively seeking more peer reviewers for VNJ in 2024 , so if you ' d like to volunteer your veterinary nursing expertise to support the development of the profession through this vital role , please get in touch ( details on page 4 ).

As we move into 2024 , we remain committed to our sustainability goals . As part of this , when you next renew your membership with BVNA , you will have the option to receive VNJ in either print or digital format . We are continuing to develop VNJ ' s digital platform , including the addition of bonus content and a feedback facility to enable you to engage with the journal even more easily .

Happy New Year to you all from BVNA . I hope 2024 brings you joy !

Scan the QR code to access the digital version of VNJ with keyword search facility and hyperlinks to websites and references

Volume 38 ( 6 ) • December 2023

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