Registered Veterinary Nurses: stand up and be counted!

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons' new non-statutory Register for veterinary nurses (VNs) has officially opened today, with approaching 4,000 veterinary nurses achieving Registered Veterinary Nurse (RVN) status.

Of the 3,838 veterinary nurses who are now entitled to use the postnominals RVN after their name, 554 have opted to voluntarily register and join the 3,284 who have qualified to register automatically (having been listed with the College since 1 January 2003). More VNs are expected to register over the next few weeks.

RVNs agree to keep their skills up to date by means of compulsory continuing professional development (CPD), at a rate of 45 hours over three years, and to maintain standards of professionalism by following the Guide to Professional Conduct for Veterinary Nurses.

From 2010, when the new Register has had time to bed in, a disciplinary system will be introduced for veterinary nurses, similar to that which exists for veterinary surgeons.

To help promote the new status of RVNs, a new eye-catching poster (pictured) has been sent to all newly registered nurses to put up in their workplace. These will help to draw attention to the new VN register and give further assurance to clients as to the professionalism and commitment they can expect from RVNs. Additional promotional material is in the pipeline.

"The Register for veterinary nurses is a major development for the veterinary nursing profession and the RCVS Veterinary Nurses Council has worked hard to get to this point," according to Dr Bob Moore, RCVS President.

"Registered Veterinary Nurses will show colleagues, employers and clients that they are willing to account for their professionalism and keep up to date. We hope that statutory regulation for veterinary nurses will follow any future review of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966," he adds.

Anyone wishing to check if a veterinary nurse is registered will soon be able to do so online, via the Check the VN List service.