At 387 Vets, when you see a name badge with ‘Veterinary Nurse’ you can feel safe in the knowledge that your pet is in the best, fully qualified vet nursing hands. This team member has completed an intensive veterinary nursing diploma or degree, is a highly skilled Registered Veterinary Nurse (RVN) with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) and is committed to following the RCVS’s Code of Professional Conduct and to keeping their vet nursing knowledge and skills current. They are trained to give medical treatments to pets, and even to carry out minor surgery, under the direction of a vet, and are accountable for their actions as vet nurses. Should an RVN fall short of their professional duties, they could face disciplinary action from the RCVS.
Sadly, in other veterinary practices, a badge stating ‘Veterinary Nurse’ doesn’t necessarily mean the person is a qualified RVN. The term ‘Veterinary Nurse’ remains unprotected, so anyone can call themselves a ‘Veterinary Nurse’, regardless of experience and training. Worryingly, it could be very little ….
There are lots of ways you can check your pet is being cared for by a qualified vet nurse. Look for ‘Registered Veterinary Nurse’ or ‘RVN’ on a name badge – our RVNs have this embroidered on their tunics. Many RVNs will also wear a special ‘Registered Veterinary Nursing’ badge to stand them apart, and traditionally dark green tunics signified qualified status, although our RVN team are now wearing a new grape-coloured uniform! And you can always check whether a nurse is qualified by searching the RCVS’s Register of Veterinary Nurses online.
We all want the best veterinary nursing care for our pets, be it face to face or behind the scenes. Trust in the RVN qualification, not just in the title ‘Veterinary Nurse’.
*Image taken from RCVS’s video ‘Veterinary Nurses – True Professionals’. Click here to watch, and find out more about what being an RVN really means.