Plus-Hex CLINICAL
Having reviewed the EBVM, the next step is to contextualise the findings into veterinary nursing to meet the requirements of the NPL skill. As an example, here is an investigation into the use of pain medication in rabbits, written from a student ' s perspective.
1. Ask. Are we using appropriate pain relief in rabbits in our practice by using meloxicam alone?
2. Acquire. Upon researching, I was able to find the evaluation of several peer-reviewed research articles, in the form of a literature review [ 12 ]. This article was published in the journal Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia, which is the official journal of the Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists, the American College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia, and the European College of Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia.
3. Appraise. The strengths of the study included the use of longitudinal data focused on perceptions of pain from various viewpoints, to include pain assessment and types of pain relief available. In terms of medication, there are several types that are used in cats and dogs that have not yet been formally tested in rabbits. The article highlights a gap in research into pet rabbits, as laboratory rabbits are commonly used in studies. In conclusion, the Rabbit Grimace Scale, which is used to assess pain in rabbits, has some limitations, and future research is needed to improve rabbit welfare and assessment.
4. Apply. The answers gathered have helped me to understand the limitations of the Rabbit Grimace Scale, with the assessment of pain being an ongoing challenge in rabbits. I will look to research into specific pain medications and consider the team ' s current use of pain scales.
5. Assess. The information was gathered from an article published in 2019, so it would be good to understand if there has been any further research in this area. In terms of disseminating findings with the team, I will look to discuss the Rabbit Grimace Scale and multimodal pain relief as an option, but need to further my research to discuss specific medication protocols in more detail.
This example could be used to illustrate how SVNs could tackle this skill on the NPL. The best way to ignite their interest in research is to pick an area of practice they enjoy. In addition to furthering their knowledge, the dissemination of research helps students integrate into the practice team and creates a sense of belonging [ 13 ].
Conclusions
Providing NPL support to SVNs is a vital role of a clinical supervisor. Searching for reliable research can be daunting for students, but it does not need to be. Having an understanding of what is required of the‘ Review and discuss evidence-based nursing’ skill will help them feel less intimidated and more confident in reviewing an area of practice that interests them. Ultimately, they will also gain competency in a Day One skill, which will also help boost their confidence.
REFERENCES
1 RCVS Knowledge. Evidence-based veterinary medicine( EBVM): an introduction. 2024. Available from: https:// www. rcvsknowledge. org / approach / evidence-based-veterinary-medicine / evidencebased-veterinary-medicine-ebvm-an-introduction / [ Accessed 19 June 2025 ].
2 Mosedale P. Quality improvement frameworks for veterinary practice: getting started. Companion Animal. 2025. Available from: https:// www. ukvetcompanionanimal. com / content / review / quality-improvement-frameworks-for-veterinary-practicegetting-started [ accessed 14 January 2026 ].
3 Sackett DL. Evidence-based medicine. Seminars in Perinatology. 1997; 21( 1): 3 – 5. Available from: https:// doi. org / 10.1016 / S0146- 0005( 97) 80013-4.
4 Gewal A, Kataria H, Dhawan I. Literature search for research planning and identification of research problem. Indian Journal of Anaesthesia. 2016; 60( 9): 635 – 639. Available from: https:// doi. org / 10.4103 / 0019-5049.190618.
5 Macdonald J, Buckley L, Mann A. Evidence-based veterinary nursing – it ' s more sexy than you might think! Veterinary Nursing Journal. 2017; 32( 3): 78 – 81. Available from: https:// doi. org / 10.1080 / 1741534 9.2016.1265847.
6 Furtado T, Perkins E, Archer DC. Contributing to evidence-based veterinary medicine: a qualitative study of veterinary professionals ' views and experiences of client-owned companion animal research. PLoS One. 2025; 20( 5): e0322902. Available from: https:// doi. org / 10.1371 / journal. pone. 0322902.
7 Ahmed I, Ishtiaq S. Reliability and validity: importance in medical research. Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association. 2021; 71( 10): 2401 – 2406. Available from: https:// doi. org / 10.47391 / JPMA. 06-861.
8 Shorten A, Bratches R, Shorten B. What is meta-analysis? Evidence- Based Nursing. 2025; 28( 2): 74 – 76. Available from: https:// doi. org / 10.1136 / ebnurs-2024-104230.
9 George T. Primary research: definition, types and examples. Scribbr. 2024. Available from: https:// www. scribbr. com / methodology / primary-research / [ Accessed 14 January 2026 ].
10 Ross PT, Bibler Zaidi NL. Limited by our limitations. Perspectives on Medical Education. 2019; 8( 4): 261 – 264. Available from: https:// doi. org / 10.1007 / s40037-019-00530-x.
11 RCVS Knowledge. EBVM Toolkit. 2024. Available from: https:// knowledge. rcvs. org. uk / evidence-based-veterinary-medicine / ebvm-toolkit / [ Accessed 19 June 2025 ].
12 Benato L, Rooney N, Murrell J. Pain and analgesia in pet rabbits within the veterinary environment: a review. Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia. 2019; 46: 151 – 162. Available from: https:// doi. org / 10.1016 / j. vaa. 2018.10.007.
13 Baixinho CL, Ferreira OR, Medeiros M, Fernandes Oliveira ES. Sense of belonging and evidence learning: a focus group study. Sustainability. 2022; 14( 10): 5793. Available from: https:// doi. org / 10.3390 / su14105793.
Volume 41( 2) • April 2026
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