The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) will be asking the veterinary professions for their view on a proposed new framework for post-registration veterinary nursing qualifications next month.
It will aim to enhance the structure of the veterinary nursing career and introduce an Advanced Veterinary Nurse status.
The proposed framework has grown out of the VN Futures research project, run jointly with the British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA), which identified developing a structured and rewarding career path for veterinary nurses as one of the key demands of the profession. It has been developed by the VN Futures Post-Registration Development Group in conjunction with the RCVS Veterinary Nurses Education Committee and Veterinary Nurses Council.
The proposed framework serves to provide accessible, flexible and professionally relevant post-registration awards for veterinary nurses in order to provide an enhanced level of veterinary nursing practice, while also providing specific modules that veterinary nurses at all career levels can study independently for their continuing professional development (CPD).
Julie Dugmore, director of veterinary nursing at the RCVS, said: “One of the strongest messages that came out of the research we conducted with the BVNA prior to the publication of the VN Futures Report was that there was a need for a more structured and rewarding career path for veterinary nurses.”
“Once we have collated the responses, we will incorporate the feedback into the framework for further consideration by the relevant committees and VN Council. The eventual aim is that these qualifications will, once sufficiently bedded in, lead to the development of an Advanced Veterinary Nurse status so that members of the VN profession with the sufficient skills and experience will get the recognition they truly deserve.”
The two new qualifications included in the framework are a Graduate Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Nursing and a Postgraduate Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Nursing. The document also includes a prospective list of designations for the two courses covering areas of advanced veterinary nursing knowledge.
The consultation will be launched in early July, details of the consultation may also be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/consultations
