Align-ju STUDENT

Personal reflections , tips and advice

Amber Foote , BSc , RVN

College of Animal Welfare , Cambridgeshire

ENVELOPE amberrosefoote @ gmail . com

Amber qualified in 2017 and is currently practising as a veterinary nurse lecturer at the College of Animal Welfare , while furthering her qualifications to a Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Nursing . She enjoys all aspects of practice but is particularly interested in wildlife , exotic species and medical nursing . Amber is interested in education and standardising patient care across all species .

ABSTRACT The veterinary profession is notoriously competitive and veterinary practice can be inherently challenging and stressful . Student veterinary nurses ( SVNs ) are often expected to learn a wide range of nursing theories , conditions and practical skills alongside working in veterinary practice . All SVNs will be expected to sit practical examinations or objective structured clinical examinations ( OSCEs ) prior to qualifying . This article discusses how to prepare for practical examinations .

Keywords OSCE , practical assessment , revision , video demonstration

Introduction

A veterinary nurse ' s role is multifaceted and includes providing animal care and nursing , assisting veterinary surgeons and educating and supporting owners with the health and wellbeing of their pets . Broadly speaking , there are two routes into the profession : a highereducation qualification or a vocational certificate , both of which lead to a professional registration on the RCVS Register of Veterinary Nurses .

Both routes require student veterinary nurses ( SVNs ) to sit a number of written and practical examinations on a wide range of topics . All SVNs will be expected to sit objective structured clinical examinations ( OSCEs ) prior to qualifying . Preparing for OSCEs while studying and working in veterinary practice can be difficult , so this article aims to help SVNs prepare effectively for mock and final exams .

What are OSCEs and why do we do them ?

The OSCE has been used in both human and veterinary medicine for over 40 years ( Davis , 2006 ). It was first introduced at Dundee Medical School and is now used throughout the UK . An OSCE is designed to test clinical performance and competence in skills that are deemed essential for a day-one competent veterinary nurse as outlined by the RCVS . The Nursing Progress Log or E-portfolio allows SVNs to demonstrate a level of competence , and OSCEs confirm the knowledge and skill prior to qualification ( RCVS , 2015 ; Davidson , 2017 ).

OSCEs do not test real practice with real patients because veterinary patients and practices are unpredictable , but they can facilitate a more reliable and repeatable examination ( May & Head , 2010 ). OSCEs have been shown to be a uniform way of assessing the

Volume 37 ( 4 ) • September 2022

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