BVNA and RCVS to hold joint interactive VN Futures sessions at online event

The British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA) and the RCVS will be working together to deliver a programme of VN Futures-related content at October’s BVNA This Is Us 2020 event.

The online event takes place from 9 to 11 October and will be a weekend celebration of veterinary nursing and veterinary nurses, and will include interactive sessions from VN Futures, the joint BVNA and RCVS project launched in 2016 which seeks to ensure that veterinary nursing is a vibrant, rewarding and sustainable profession – now and into the future.

As part of the proceedings the VN Futures project is holding a series of discussion sessions on key topics that affect the veterinary nursing profession, including the impact of COVID-19, environmental sustainability in the profession, the value of the student/coach relationship, the impact of potential legislative change, and role recognition and the value of veterinary nurses.

Each session will include a short introductory presentation provided by the Chair, and four breakout discussion rooms supported by facilitators, to gain views and ideas from contributors. Spaces will be limited, and delegates will need to register for the session/s they wish to attend prior to the event.

The sessions are as follows:

• Friday 9 October, 6.20pm: Nicola Ackerman RVN will chair a session on Covid-19 considering both the monumental challenges it has posed, but also the positive situations that have developed from it.
• Saturday 10 October, 2.05pm: Zoe Halfacree MRCVS will chair a session on environmental sustainability asking what approaches delegate's practices have utilised to reduce environmental impact and increase sustainability, and what changes they think could be embraced for the future?
• Saturday 10 October, 6.05pm: Samantha Morgan RVN will chair a session on the relationship between student veterinary nurses and clinical coaches with a consideration of the factors that make the coach and student an effective team.
• Sunday 11 October, 1.10pm: RCVS Veterinary Nurses Council member Liz Cox will chair a session on the potential impact of legislative change to the veterinary nursing professions and how they could work to enhance the VN role and benefit the profession as a whole. 
• Sunday 11 October, 4.10pm: VN Futures Project Manager Jill Macdonald will host a session on role recognition, looking at what activities and initiatives might feed into increasing the 'value of veterinary nursing' and lead to greater recognition from the public. 

Josephine Oakden, BVNA Junior Vice-President and current Chair of the VN Futures Board says: “The VN Futures project has achieved many positive changes within the profession over the past four years.

“VN Futures is a two-way process, and we need engagement from the profession to achieve the most from the project. We are listening, and wish to gather opinion and input on what veterinary nurses feel are the key challenges and opportunities in the profession, and generate areas of focus for the next phase of VN Futures."

Jill Macdonald, VN Futures project manager adds: “We hope to identify VNs keen to contribute to advancing the profession through the future work of the project, via these sessions and through additional engagement events.

“We are also including three short presentations in addition to the discussion sessions, which will highlight a ‘timeline’ for VN Futures over the past four years, the achievements we have made, and potential ideas for future focus of the project.”

BVNA members are able to sign up to This Is Us 2020 (including the VN Futures sessions) for free via the Webinar Vet, while the cost for non-members is £56 plus VAT.

Speaking about the online format for This Is Us 2020, Jo Hinde, BVNA President and VN Futures Board member added: “I am so thrilled that we are providing an online event which invites all veterinary professionals to join us in celebrating the veterinary nursing profession.

“This unique weekend will be packed full of inspiration and fun – just what we need to lift our spirits during these difficult times. I know just how important our normal Congress is for the BVNA ‘family’ to get together with old friends and new, and we really wanted to try to capture this party spirit to go hand-in-hand with providing some excellent interactive CPD, the chance to hear from some of our industries most revered individuals, and of course, the glittering Awards Night where we will be highlighting an array of amazing individuals that go above and beyond.”