Veterinary Nursing News Headlines
  • No more portfolios for student VNs

    The traditional NVQ 'portfolio' system for student veterinary nurses could be phased out from next summer, under draft proposals from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Awarding Body, which has responsibility for the delivery of VN qualifications...
  • Free dog food for veterinary nurses

    Tails.com has launched a Vet Nurse Programme through which it is offering to feed dogs belonging to RVNs free of charge for six months. Tails.com makes food specially tailored for individual dogs. When you register with Tails, you're asked a number...
  • Veterinary Nurse title protected in practice

    The RCVS has announced that the Codes of Professional Conduct for veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses has been updated to state that you should not refer to yourselves or others as 'veterinary nurses' unless registered. In fact, the change occurred...
  • World officially mad as vets complain about student vets handling sheep for charitable calendar

    The Royal Veterinary College Principal, Stuart Reid has become embroiled in a row over its students' annual charity calendar, after a veterinary vegan group complained about the month that showed veterinary students handling sheep. The photograph...
  • ** BREAKING NEWS ** Homeopaths march on RCVS Belgravia House

    VetNurse.co.uk is hearing early reports of a homeopathic protest march currently taking place in London. The protesters, which VetNurse.co.uk understands comprise six veterinary surgeons and 30-40 pet owners, started their march in Parliament Square...
  • ITV's 'Tonight' programme portrays vets as money-grabbing

    ITV's Tonight programme broadcast last night portrayed a veterinary profession in which overcharging is commonplace. Researchers for the programme took three healthy animals (a cat, a dog and a rabbit) to a number of different vets, telling them that...
  • Vet Futures asks how can we get more nurses?

    Vet Futures has published a guest blog by Laura Kidd MRCVS which asks how the profession can increase the number of veterinary nurses entering and staying within the profession? In her blog, Laura, a VN lecturer and clinical skills tutor for veterinary...
  • Free BSAVA Congress lectures online for VNs

    The British Small Animal Veterinary Association is making all the nursing lectures from Congress available free online at www.bsava.com All the lectures are recorded, and the entire veterinary programme is offered to BSAVA members as one of their...
  • Veterinary profession petitions for CCTV in abattoirs

    VetSurgeon member Anthony Todd has started a petition amongst veterinary surgeons and nurses, calling for the installation and routine monitoring of CCTV in all pre-slaughter areas of licensed abattoirs in the UK. The petition was triggered by a news...
  • New petition to protect the title VN

    Veterinary Nurse Nick Shackleton has started a campaign to protect the title Veterinary Nurse The campaign has a section on Facebook where Nick explains: "The title veterinary nurse at present is not a protected title. A lot of people who work in...
  • Leaked Defra documents reveal proposals for dog licence

    According to a report in last weekend's Mail on Sunday , documents leaked from Defra have revealed proposals for a range of measures designed to reduce the risk from dangerous dogs. The proposals reportedly include: All owners required to take...
  • Rabbit food report causes fur to fly

    Supreme Petfoods Ltd has published the results of tests on small animal petfood which, according to the company, highlight significant problems with the on-pack declarations and contents of a number of the leading brands. The tests, which were...
  • Vet Marc Abraham responds to criticism of ITV programme

    I invited Marc Abraham to come and answer some of the concerns raised on VetSurgeon about the ITV Pets Undercover programme . His PR agency has instead pointed me in the direction of a response he has posted on his own website this morning. Click...
  • Postmen in fear of Yorkshire Terriers and Jack Russells

    Pit Bull Terriers, Rottweilers and Bulldogs are the breeds most feared by postmen, according to a survey just announced by esure home insurance . More surprisingly, Jack Russells and Yorkshire Terriers also appeared in the top ten list of breeds likely...
  • Panorama broadcast date announced

    The long-awaited Panorama programme about the veterinary profession will air on Thursday 22 July at 9pm on BBC One. Rumour has it that the programme will cover a range of issues, including the role of unqualified nursing staff in the practice, support...
  • Veterinary nurse found guilty of cruelty

    Registered VN Lindsay Newell has been found guilty of six counts of cruelty to animals at Stafford Magistrates' Court, following an investigation by the RSPCA. The charges related to a ewe, two lambs, a Welsh pony, a goat and a pig at the Burton...
  • Profession accused of fleecing pet owners

    The Daily Mail yesterday published a 'shocking exposé' which portrays the veterinary profession as one that 'puts pets through painful and unnecessary treatments to fleece their trusting owners' The story is based on an interview...
  • Government responds to VN's petition

    A petition to protect the title Veterinary Nurse has received an impressive 1,285 signatures, including many from veterinary surgeons, and an official response from HM Government. The petition, which was started by VetNurse.co.uk member Nick Shackleton...
  • Veterinary nursing qualifications under review

    The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons has embarked upon the most extensive review of its veterinary nursing qualifications for many years, in order to meet the timetable for Ofqual's implementation of the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF)...
  • RCVS announces first audit of vet nursing CPD

    The RCVS has launched its first annual audit of continuing professional development (CPD) for Registered Veterinary Nurses (RVNs). RVNs commit to keeping their professional skills and knowledge up to date and must meet a target of 45 hours of CPD...
  • Free feline-focussed CPD to start the year

    Hill's Pet Nutrition is offering a series of free webinars about feline medicine, delivered by some of the best-known experts in the field. The first presentation on feline liver disease will be delivered by Danièlle Gunn-Moore BVM&S...
  • Thirty-one new practices approved for VN training

    The introduction of the new Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing has seen an increase in numbers of both students and training practices, according to statistics released today by the RCVS. Since January, the RCVS has approved over 30 more Training...
  • 'Vet-approved' cat food now at Tesco

    Nutricat, a supermarket cat food launched this year, has released the results of a survey which, it says, shows that modern day lifestyles are resulting in British cat owners anthropomorphising their cats. The survey found that 54% of cat owners believe...
  • Grahame Gardner's summer scrubwear collection

    Graham Gardner has launched its summer collection of scrubwear in the form updated versions of its Urbane and Easiphit Collections, with new colour combinations added to the range. The Urbane Collection , pictured right, is designed specifically for...
  • Suffolk vet struck off for bestiality

    The RCVS Disciplinary Committee has struck off Suffolk vet Oliver Fraser Lown after finding him guilty of five separate charges relating to the possession of extreme animal pornography and sexual activity with animals. Mr Lown, who graduated from...