All Headlines >>
The research took the form of a voluntary survey asking those voluntarily leaving their registers to explain why.
202 veterinary nurses took part.
The vast majority were white females under the age of 50.
34% had been registered for between 15 and 19 years.
31% had been registered for between five and nine years.
54% said they were leaving to work in an altogether different field.
12% planned to retire.
The College says the free text responses were dominated by comments about financial stress.
Vicki Bolton, RCVS Research Manager, said: “Thank you to all those veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses who responded to these exit surveys.
"This data is invaluable to us in understanding the reasons why people choose to leave the RCVS Registers.
“The reasons given don’t always make for easy reading, especially when they are to do with dissatisfaction over the direction the professions are taking, physical and mental health and wellbeing, financial pressures and concerns about regulation and its costs.
“However, it is important to remember that, overall, relatively few veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses leave the professions each year.
"There is no mass exodus from the professions and the numbers joining the UK Register annually well exceed those leaving, as demonstrated by consistent year-on-year increases in the number of veterinary surgeon and veterinary nurse registrants.
“That being said, these results will form an invaluable part of our ongoing work on veterinary workforce and gives the RCVS food for thought about how and where we can better support veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses to stay in the professions rather than leave prematurely.”
https://www.rcvs.org.uk/news-and-views/our-consultations/exit-survey-2022-2024
PS: Whilst you're here, take a moment to see our latest job opportunities for vet nurses.