However , the process of failing and resitting the exam – and realising how important it is to stay calm – gave me firsthand experience of the challenges of OSCEs . This insight was also useful recently , when I helped put together the BVNA Student Toolkit .
RVC and beyond
I was a general medicine nurse at the RVC for 3 years before becoming a cardiology nurse at the Queen Mother Hospital . Sadly , within 2 weeks of me starting the job , my husband , Chris , died of heart failure . I became a widow at just 32 years old . I wasn ' t sure what to do with my life but my quest to understand Chris ' s illness deepened my interest in cardiology and I was persuaded by a friend to study for a VTS qualification in cardiology , which I achieved in 2010 .
Over the years , I had also enjoyed teaching students in practice and wanted to develop this aspect of my career further so , while at the RVC , I also undertook and self-funded a postgraduate certificate in Veterinary Education . I went on to do a couple of teaching jobs before returning to veterinary nursing as a locum .
The financial uncertainty of locum life was quite intimidating but I found the work rewarding as the teams were short-staffed and appreciated the extra support . My experience meant I was often asked to help students in the practices , which also appealed to the teacher in me . All was going well until the pandemic hit and , like most locums , I struggled to find work . Eventually , I took on a locum role that led to maternity cover , which then became a part-time vet nurse position .
Mental health matters
My life and career haven ' t been without their challenges , which has affected my mental health on occasions over the years . I ' m now keen to draw on this experience to help others . I ' m passionate about the veterinary nursing profession and , although I will always be an RVN , am hoping to shift the focus of my career slightly in the future .
It took me a long time to talk about my own mental health , but I now recognise the benefits of doing so and want to support other veterinary professionals to do the same . I ' m studying to become a counsellor and , once I ' ve obtained my Level 5 qualification , I ' m aiming to provide counselling services specifically for the profession .
When I joined the Council , Jo became my mentor . She coaxed me into becoming Chair of our Learning and Development meetings where we discuss future plans for CPD courses , strategies for the VNJ , and the BVNA Congress Science Programme . Later , she convinced me to become an officer , which led to me being offered the role of president . It ' s a role I ' m very much looking forward to taking on .
Presidential plans
The theme of my presidential year is ‘ the empowerment of self and others ’. I want to encourage and support veterinary nurses to find their potential , drive the profession forward and enable more veterinary nurses to progress into leadership and management roles , such as practice directors , theatre managers and research leaders .
This theme applies to the whole profession and includes fostering resilience and confidence in student veterinary nurses . As I mentioned earlier , I ' m part of the team creating the BVNA Student Toolkit , which will help SVNs prepare for the role . While working on this , we ' ve also identified the need for more support and mentoring for newly registered veterinary nurses , so the BVNA is now working with the RCVS to develop a mentoring scheme for newly registered veterinary nurses . As a clinical coach , I ' m also aware of the need to improve communication between clinical coaches and SVNs , to better facilitate support .
I am hoping we will be able to put schemes in place to support veterinary nurses at every stage of their career , so that by the time my presidency ends in a year the profession is better and stronger . It is a significant and much-needed undertaking , within the overarching campaign of Protect the Title , which I believe is important to drive our profession forward .
I ' ll conclude by returning to my love of cats : my beautiful cat ( pictured below ) has been with me through so much , and mopped up so many tears . I firmly believe cats are the absolute best and need as many veterinary nurse advocates as possible .
Path to president
I was first introduced to the BVNA Council by former presidents Jo Oakden and Wendy Nevins . Both knew I was a keen advocate for raising the profile and awareness of the veterinary nurse role , and encouraged me to join the Council to take that passion further .
Charlotte ' s much loved cat , Arthur .
6 Veterinary Nursing Journal