RCVS gets animated about veterinary nursing with new short film

Today we have launched a short film animation to help raise awareness among the general public of the vital role played by veterinary nurses in animal care and treatment.

The video has been released to coincide with the British Veterinary Nursing Association’s (BVNA) National VN Awareness Month which is particularly significant this year as it is not only the organisation’s 50th anniversary, but also coincides with our new Royal Charter recognising veterinary nursing as a fully regulated profession.

It is important that the public understand that veterinary nurses are not ‘junior vets’ but that they complement the work of veterinary surgeons and enhance animal health and welfare in different ways.

Kathy Kissick

The animation aims to explain to the general public what registered veterinary nurses do, the education and training that they go through to gain their status and what it means to be part of a regulated profession which abides by a Code of Professional Conduct.

The video also tackles the fact that, currently, ‘veterinary nurse’ is not a protected title, meaning that it is not illegal for someone to call themselves a veterinary nurse even if they do not have the requisite training and qualifications and are not registered with us.

This is something which we, in partnership with the BVNA and British Veterinary Association (BVA), will be raising with MPs and Peers when Parliament reconvenes after the General Election.

Kathy Kissick RVN, Chair of VN Council, welcomed the new video, saying: “It is important that the public understand that veterinary nurses are not ‘junior vets’ but that they complement the work of veterinary surgeons and enhance animal health and welfare in different ways.

“The video, for example, sets out the role that veterinary nurses play in providing care, in educating pet owners on issues such as diet and welfare and in carrying out medical treatment and minor surgery delegated to them by a veterinary surgeon.

“I would encourage all veterinary nurses, as well as vets and other veterinary professionals, to share this video on social media and with their clients so that they can find out more about the profession and understand how crucial it is that we secure protection of the title.

"Having untrained and unqualified people calling themselves veterinary nurses is not only misleading but potentially detrimental to animal health and welfare.”

The video can be found on our YouTube channel and Facebook page. It can also be found on twitter via the hashtag #vntitle.

More details can also be found online for what the BVNA will be doing for National VN Awareness Month.