Align-ju FEATURE

Veterinary nurse Lauryn Read recalls her experience as a new graduate at a veterinary practice and shares some helpful advice for others at this significant stage in their career .

When I finished my degree and obtained the title of registered veterinary nurse ( RVN ), I had high expectations of myself . After 4 years of studying , I felt as though my safety blanket had been stripped away and imposter syndrome set in , so I had an overwhelming urge to know everything in my field .

In this article , I ' d like to share my experience to reassure other new graduates that competence is a journey , it doesn ' t just magically happen overnight , and it ' s OK to feel slightly nervous as you shed your student status .

During the 2 months between finishing my degree and being awarded the title of RVN I worked as a student veterinary nurse ( SVN ) at the practice where I ' d trained . I ' d been an SVN for 4 years so , although I ' d just completed my degree , I still saw myself as an SVN rather than the fully fledged RVN I was about to become .

In my mind , the day I qualified would be the day I needed to know everything , which was intimidating as I lacked the confidence I thought I should feel at this stage . It became clear to me that , even though studying for my degree had been difficult and I was elated to pass my exams , being a new graduate had its own challenges . I was also about to change jobs and move to a new practice . The move was welcome , but it meant losing the security of being an SVN and working in a practice I knew well , so you can imagine how nervous I felt !

Volume 38 ( 6 ) • December 2023

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