Glossary

Accredited education institutions (AEIs):
An Awarding Organisation or Higher Education Institution, accredited by the RCVS. An AEI may be an institution, or part of an institution, or combination of institutions that works in partnership with practice placement and work placed learning providers. AEIs will have provided us with assurance that they are accountable and capable of delivering Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Veterinary Nursing accredited licence to practise educational programmes.

Assessment blueprint:
A table that lays out the aims of the examination (i.e learning outcomes, domains or RCVS Day One Skills) mapped this against the content of the examination. The blueprint can be used to document that the examination tests a range of skills/knowledge described in the aims.

Assessment validation:
A systematic review of the assessment tools, processes, practices and outcomes to ensure that assessments and examinations are valid, reliable and fair.

Assessment validation reports:
A formal report outlining the process undertaken to evaluate the appropriateness of the assessment. The report details the mechanism used to determine if the assessment discriminates between students who have met the minimum standards to achieve the qualification and join the register of veterinary nurses and those who have not. Useful validation frameworks have been published by described by Michael Kane, Samuel Messick and others. Other resources include an approach to understanding validation arguments published by Ofqual.

Auxiliary training practice (aTP):
in cases where a prospective training practice does not have all of the specified resources necessary to meet full TP approval, but nevertheless could provide a good learning environment for a substantial part of the practical training, a centre could approve it as an “auxiliary training practice” (aTP).

Awarding Organisations (AOs):
Organisations approved by a national regulatory authority and the RCVS.

Bias:
Favouring one group of students over another sitting a similar or same test. Assessment bias can occur because of the way test materials are written, the conditions of administration, and the interpretations of the results especially where the tutor and those involved in the production and marking of the assessment are known to the student.

Centre:
An institution approved in accordance with standards set by the Veterinary Nurses Council to deliver a programme of veterinary nurse Education; a University, College or Private Training Provider. Also referred to as a Delivery Site.

Clinical Placement:
employed or voluntary placement in a veterinary practice which meets RCVS standards for the approval of training practices for veterinary nursing training.

Clinical Supervisor:
The person (MRCVS/RVN) appointed to recognise competence and make judgements about student performance and competence for example clinical coach, assessor.

Compensation:
pass by compensation is the award of credit for a failed module/unit on the basis that overall performance elsewhere in the part is sufficient to merit the passing of that part and the learning outcomes of the programme as a whole will be met.

Day One skills recording tool:
addresses the RCVS day one skills and RCVS Day One Competences for veterinary nurses and which has been designed to support a process of clinical mentorship and learning in addition to recording competence achievement.

Delivery site:
the site where the veterinary nursing programme(s) is delivered which may be separate to the AEI
26 RCVS Standards Framework for veterinary nurse education and training. Also referred to as the Centre.

Educators:
in the context of the RCVS Veterinary Nursing Standards for education and training are those who deliver, support, supervise and assess theory, practice or workplace learning.

Equalities and human rights legislation:
prohibit unlawful discrimination on the basis of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation and other characteristics.

External advisor:
is someone with appropriate knowledge who undertakes a quality or standards review (of any kind) as part of a team or alone and who is external to the programme or institution being reviewed.

External Examiner:
A required part of the HE quality assurance process, an external examiner will be external to and independent of the Institution and who has relevant subject expertise and appropriate qualification in order to provide feedback and guidance on all aspects of the programme.

Head of Centre (HOC):
A senior member of Centre staff, the official correspondent and signatory, responsible for liaising with the RCVS. This person must be an RVN or UK Practising MRCVS.

Higher Education Institution (HEI):
Higher Education Institutions (Universities) recognised by QAA and RCVS.

Learning environments:
includes any environment in terms of physical location where learning takes place as well as the system of shared values, beliefs and behaviours within these places.

Primary affiliation:
an affiliation with a training practice approved by a Centre for the purpose of offering clinical placement / employment to students.

Programme Lead:
A Registered Veterinary Nurse must be appointed as a senior member of staff accountable for the overall delivery of the veterinary nursing qualification and is responsible for leadership of the programme team, development of the curriculum and assessments.

Quality assurance:
Processes for making sure all AEIs continue to meet our requirements and their accredited education programmes comply with our standards.

RCVS Codes of Professional Conduct (CoPC):
Details the professional responsibilities of Veterinary Surgeons and Registered Veterinary Nurses, as regulated by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.

RCVS Day One Competences, Skills and Professional Behaviours for Veterinary Nurses (DOC/DOS/PB):
The minimum essential requirement that is expected of all student veterinary nurses to have met in order to join the RCVS Register of Veterinary Nurses. This requirement ensures they are safe and competent to practise on Day One.

RCVS Registration Rules:
The required criteria for entry on to the RCVS Register of Veterinary Nurses made by the Council of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.

Reasonable Adjustments:
where a student requires reasonable adjustments related to a disability or adjustments relating to any protected characteristics as set out in equalities and human rights legislation.

Recognition of prior learning (RPL):
a process that enables previous certificated or experiential learning to be recognised and accepted as meeting some programme outcomes and requirements; this means it includes both theory and practice achievement.

Schedule 3:
Specific section of the Veterinary Surgeons Act (1966) defining allowances for Registered Veterinary Nurses and Student Veterinary Nurses.

Secondary affiliation:
an affiliation with a training practice approved by another Centre offering clinical placement to students.

Self-assessment reports (SAR):
A detailed breakdown of programme outcomes, provided to the RCVS every year by every AEI. Each delivery site must be separately reported.

Stakeholder:
any person, group or organisation that has an interest or concern in the situation in question, and may affect or is affected by its actions, objectives or policies. In the context of the RCVS Veterinary Nursing Standards for education and training this includes students, educators, partner organisations, service users, clients, employers, other professionals, other regulators and educationalists.

Standard setting:
Process used to distinguish between a competent student and one that is not yet competent. This is achieved by determining the cut score / mark associated with the minimal level of skill or knowledge required to reach a certain level of achievement. Common methods include Borderline regression, Angoff and Ebel.

Student:
any individual enrolled onto an RCVS VN-accredited programme whether full time or less than full time.

Training Practice (TP):
A veterinary practice which meets RCVS standards for the approval of training practices for veterinary nursing training. Where a TP does not fully meet the required criteria, they may be defined as an auxiliary Training Practice (aTP).

Unseen examination:
Assessment where the student does not know what questions will be asked (closed book) lA table that lays out the aims of the examination (i.e learning outcomes, domains or RCVS Day One Skills) mapped this against the content of the examination. The blueprint can be used to document that the examination tests a range of skills/knowledge described in the aims.

Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD):
The government body responsible for ensuring the safe and effective use of veterinary medicines. The VMD provides guidance for prescribing and supplying veterinary medicines, including requirements for registration and inspection of premises. Where AEIs utilise Prescription Only Medicine – Veterinarian (POM-V), this must comply with the VMD regulations.

Veterinary Nurse Registration Rules:
The required criteria for entry on to the RCVS Register of Veterinary Nurses made by the Council of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.