Author Archives: Alison German

300 People Flock to Careers With Animals Day

People from all ages and parts of the country visited The College of Animal Welfare in Godmanchester on Saturday, for its annual Careers With Animals Day.

With over 300 people coming through the doors, a great day was had by all. Leslie Heaton-Smith, Director at The College of Animal Welfare, commented ‘It was great to see so many people coming along to Careers With Animals Day last Saturday. Working with animals can be so rewarding and there are such a wide range of opportunities to choose from’.

He added ‘We were delighted to see, not only school children and parents come along, but people who were passionate about wanting to work with animals, looking to change career or get back into work with new skills. We are always available to help anyone interested in working with animals get the right advice’.

Careers with Animals Day is an annual event that has been running for over 20 years. This year’s exhibitors included Shepreth Wildlife Park who brought along a skunk, snake and a selection of invertebrates which the visitors enjoyed handling and learning about, and the National Trust who gave visitors the opportunity to discover some mysterious creatures under the microscope! Practical activities included dog grooming demonstrations in the College’s newly opened grooming suite.

Further details on next year’s event will be available shortly at www.careerswithanimals.co.uk.

If you missed this year’s event but are interested in the College’s courses, you can come along to one of the College’s open events.

No More Free Copies of the RCVS Register of Veterinary Surgeons and List/Register of Veterinary Nurses

The 2011 issues of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) Register of Veterinary Surgeons and List/Register of Veterinary Nurses were the last to be made available free of charge to all veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses.

This will reduce the financial and environmental cost of printing and mailing. Hard copies will be available to purchase from the RCVS at a cost of £40 for the veterinary Register and £20 for the VN Register and List.

The online ‘Check the Register’ tool on the RCVS website (www.rcvs.org.uk) will continue to provide the most up-to-date information about who is registered with the RCVS.

New Online CPD Record Coming Soon!

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) has developed an online CPD recording system which will help vets and veterinary nurses to plan, record and evaluate their CPD, to use in place of the paper CPD Record Card.

The new online Professional Development Record (PDR) will be available via the RCVS website (www.rcvs.org.uk) from April.  Hard Copy CPD Record Cards will still be available for those who prefer paper.

Once the PDR goes live, the RCVS will put out further information.  Those going to the British Small Animal Veterinary Association World Congress in April will be able to watch a demonstration at the RCVS stand (F1 in the ICC).

National Pet Month is nearly here!

National Pet Month (7 April-7 May 2012) will see thousands of people up and down the UK celebrating life with their pets, spreading the word on responsible pet ownership or raising money for their favourite charity in fun-filled events.
The theme for this year is ‘Your pets and you: a winning team’. If you want to get involved and run an event you can find out more here.

Employer Survey

Employers who use The College of Animal Welfare have the opportunity to take part in an important survey, independently commissioned by the Skills Funding Agency, to find out how well the College is meeting employer training needs.

The questionnaire consists of 8 questions, will only take a few moments to complete and all employers have now been contacted by the Skills Funding Agency with their login details.

The information gathered will be used in the calculation of an Employer Satisfaction grade for the College which will inform future levels of government funding, therefore we would urge all employers to take part and share your views.

New Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinary Nurses Approved

A new code of professional conduct for veterinary nurses has now been formally approved by RCVS VN Council and will be launched in April.

To help make the codes as accessible as possible they will be published in a variety of formats.  A pocket-sized hard copy will be posted to all veterinary nurses in a few weeks’ time and the code, together with all supporting guidance, will have a dedicated area on the RCVS’ website (www.rcvs.org.uk), allowing for online browsing, searching by keywords and registering for updates. The RCVS are also exploring a digital version to enable access to the Code and guidance on mobile phones.

Forthcoming CPD courses at Leeds (March-May 2012)

We have some exciting Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses coming up at our Leeds centre over the next couple of months.

Bite-Size CPD: The Renal Patient, 29 March, 7-9pm
Join Louise O’Dwyer, well-known ECC Veterinary Nurse, as you learn about nursing the renal patient. Louise will teach you about the disease processes and therapeutic options for treating kidney failure. Nursing care and laboratory techniques will also be covered in this evening lecture. For a full description of the course, or to book, click here. £28 (£15 for CAW TP Staff and CAW Students)

Bite-Size CPD: The Blocked Bladder Patient, 5 April, 7-9pm
Urethral blockage is an emergency situation in cats. Faced with a pet in severe pain, this is a situation that demands urgent treatment and good nursing care. Join Louise O’Dwyer, well-known ECC Veterinary Nurse, as you learn to successfully manage the blocked bladder patient. For a full description of the course, or to book, click here. £28 (£15 for CAW TP Staff and CAW Students)

Bite-Size CPD: Hydrotherapy and Physiotherapy Part 1, 26 April, 7-9pm
Physiotherapy and hydrotherapy have a key role in canine rehabilitation. Recovery from injury or surgery can be dramatically improved with proper therapy. Leonie Briggs (Certificate Canine Hydrotherapy) and Hannah Theakston (MSc Veterinary Physiotherapy) teach a 3 part course that covers the basics of canine hydrotherapy and physiotherapy. For a full description of the course, or to book, click here.  (Part 2- 29 May, Part 3 – 28 June). £28 (£15 for CAW TP Staff and CAW Students)

Bite-Size CPD: Nursing the Collapsed Patient, 19 April, 7-9pm
The collapsed patient is a patient where time is of the essence. Join Louise O’Dwyer, well-known ECC Veterinary Nurse, as you follow a collapsed case through initial triage and emergency stabilisation. You will identify cardiac, respiratory, and neurological abnormalities, and learn good nursing tips to maximise your patient’s chances. For more information please click here. £28 (£15 for CAW TP Staff and CAW Students)

Bite-Size CPD: Care of the Spinal Patient, 3 May, 7-9pm
Surgical nursing of a spinal patient demands good nursing technique, a solid knowledge of anatomy, and a good sense of the patient’s needs. Join Lisa Thompson DipAVN (Surgical) as she takes us along a spinal surgery case from admission to discharge. For a full description of the course, or to book, click here. £28 (£15 for CAW TP Staff and CAW Students)

Dynamic Dentistry for Veterinary Nurses, 8 May, 9.30am-4pm
This course is designed for the veterinary nurse with an interest in dentistry. Follow Alex Smithson MRCVS as he explains the ins and outs, and dos and don’ts, of the animal mouth. This all-day course will give you a solid foundation in veterinary dentistry. Learn about oral pathology, patient monitoring, and what you can do to deliver a healthy oral cavity for your patients! For a full description of the course, or to book, click here. £165 (including lunch!)

RCVS Add New OSCE Tasks

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) have added four new tasks to the bank for the Small Animal Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing practical examinations. These can be viewed on the RCVS website.

NC19 – Dispense drug, complete and affix the correct label.
NC20 – Select items for a grooming kit (equine), put on headcollar and tie horse.
NC21 – Administer bolus medication to patient via intravenous line. Record and set drip to run at calculated rate.
NC22 – Calculate fluid rate, assemble giving set and affix to IV catheter (already placed).

RCVS VN Council Election Now Open!

The RCVS Veterinary Nurses Council elections are now open! Votes must be received by 5pm on 27 April 2012 and, as in previous years, can be cast online, by post, or by text message.

Three veterinary nurses are standing in the VN Council, and VNs may vote for up to two candidates to fill the two available seats. One candidate is a current member of the RCVS VN Council seeking re-election. This year’s candidates are:

1. Mrs Elizabeth Figg REVN
2. Mrs Katherine Kissick RVN
3. Mr Philippe Ramboaniaina RVN

Ballot papers will shortly be received by all veterinary nurses eligible to vote. Voting instructions and candidate manifestos are enclosed with the ballot papers; candidates voting by text or online will need the two-part security code from this paper. Any veterinary nurses missing their ballot papers should contact Annette Amato (020 7202 0713 / a.amato@rcvs.org.uk).