if anyone assumes all i do is hold animals again im going to have to say something

Re: if anyone assumes all i do is hold animals again im going to have to say something

samantha morgan — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 10:32:36 GMT

[quote user="Laura Palmer"]

I've given up on VN week due to in the past bosses not having the nursing teams back (cos they couldnt give a s**t) so our events being an epic fail. I think its really bad that the BVNA are orgaising this event to promote VN but last year there was a VN holding a lion cub on the cover and this year theres a VN holding a puppy. Why not do a poster of a VN taking bloods or and x-ray or scrubbed in theatre or something?

[/quote]

This is the BVNA's banner that is being used this year to promote National VN Week. It has already made appearances at some county shows and there is more to come!

Re: if anyone assumes all i do is hold animals again im going to have to say something

Mark Walsh — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 20:02:42 GMT

Shall we do a poster of a nurse emptying anal glands? Only joking, I would choose doing a descale and polish, taking an x-ray or doing a schedule 3 op. Some practices do not let nurses do schedule 3.

I wonder what will happen if I to was to ask a human nurse when they're going to be a Doctor?

Re: if anyone assumes all i do is hold animals again im going to have to say something

Phrin Vernon RVN — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 21:28:45 GMT

[quote user="Caro Laithwaite VN,"]

Laura Eish lass do you know nothing!! thats cause all we do is cuddle baby animals it is a myth we cuddle adult animals Eish *shaking head walking off**

[/quote]

Aw Caro that did make me giggle!

I've never been in a practice that has shown the slightest bit of interest in VN week

Re: if anyone assumes all i do is hold animals again im going to have to say something

Caro Laithwaite VN — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 07:21:33 GMT

Laura Eish lass do you know nothing!! thats cause all we do is cuddle baby animals it is a myth we cuddle adult animals Eish *shaking head walking off**

Re: if anyone assumes all i do is hold animals again im going to have to say something

Anonymous — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 04:01:38 GMT

Re: if anyone assumes all i do is hold animals again im going to have to say something

Claire1234 — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 00:12:54 GMT

Hi Laura,

In answer to your original post - i agree that it is extremely frustrating when you come across people who are not familiar with the role of the veterinary nurse. However, I have now turned these situations into opportunities to educate them about what we do - I usually walk away smiling. Its wonderful to see that you and the other people on this forum are so very proud to be a Veterinary Nurse, and so as National VN Week is coming up (17-23 July), get out there and promote what we do to the public. I & fellow Council member Louisa Baker will be at the Alton Agricultural Show this weekend, where we will have access to a possible 30,000 people - many of them pet owners. We did this last year, and it was extremely successful, and got to chat to so many people who wanted to know more about what we did. And we encouraged them to ask (when they next visited their Veterinary Practice) about who carries out the nursing care for their pets. And why just do it during VN Week - do it every day!!

Regarding the BVNA VN Week poster - it is aimed at the general public. It should be displayed in public places such as waiting rooms where clients are likely to see it. The image used was a carefully considered one - taking into account that it was not too 'busy', looked good when increased to poster size, and it would appeal to the general public. It is a fact of life that 'cute' animal pictures appeal to people - gets them looking at it, and maybe talking to us VNs about it. That's when we use those opportunities to talk to them about our role. The BVNA also has waiting room posters and client leaflets - providing information about our role. These do have pictures of VNs and students performing actual tasks such as taking x-rays, examinations, scrubbed surgical assistance & laboratory tests. If you would like these - please contact the BVNA office (01279 408644 or email bvna@bvna.co.uk) - they are free for you to use in your practice, or wherever you feel they would be best displayed.

And one last thing Laura - never apologise for ranting - it can be a good thing And you should also consider standing for BVNA Council - its a demanding role, but a very rewarding one. The BVNA will go from strength to strength by continuing to have passionate people like yourself representing the veterinary nursing profession. If you would like to consider this, please contact me on vicepresident@bvna.co.uk - I would be more than happy to chat further with you.

Kind Regards,

Claire Fraser RVN, MBVNA

Vice President

British Veterinary Nursing Association

Promoting animal health & welfare through the ongoing

development of professional excellence in veterinary nursing

Re: if anyone assumes all i do is hold animals again im going to have to say something

bengal68 — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 12:48:46 GMT

It is frustrating that the public are unaware of our jobs, but don't you think its our responsibility to educate them! I don't know what every human nurses responsibilities are! The difference is that as we are not under a registration (unlike Ireland VN's) Anyone has the right to call themselves a veterinary nurse in the UK, weather your qualified or not!!!

The whole idea of VN week is to educate the public (not promote the veterinary practice) My nurses and myself every year go out to the public during VN week to do exactly that!! From - local country shows / pub quizzes / dog washes/ local schools.

To be honest if you don't like what the public think then do something about it!!!

Re: if anyone assumes all i do is hold animals again im going to have to say something

Steph Worsley — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 23:16:58 GMT

i've been pretty lucky that most people realise how hard i've worked to get to be where i am now, or at least all those i meet through work including clients, although others i meet outside work are a bloody pain (especially when i'm trying to date).

where i am is a teaching hospital at a uni so some clients do think i'm in vet training but i soon put them straight lol

Re: if anyone assumes all i do is hold animals again im going to have to say something

Tomo — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 23:15:33 GMT

I find it hillarious when people dont know what a RVN is able to do.

However, I think I rarely come across someone who is not sure of our role.

I do loads of schedule 3 work and I love it.

Maybe it is a reginal thing or something. Im not really sure.

I dont really mind what people think or know. all Im interested in is doing a blooming great job, looking after my lovely patients and having a great time whislt doing it.

Re: if anyone assumes all i do is hold animals again im going to have to say something

Kim — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 22:57:37 GMT

I feel exactly the same. I always get asked if i'm training to be a Vet. It's annoying to explain what we do, their usual reply is "oh I didn't relaise you had to that much work" Then they go onto say, "I bet you get paid really well though as vet bills are so expensive"

I'm currently still training and I already find it annoying. I have been working as a Vet Nurse Assistant for the last 6 years prior to my training so I understand the importance of a VN. I think more practices should get involved in VN week, to prmote what we do.

It would be good to see some VN's standing in shopping malls are supermarkets, handing out leaflets and explaing what we do. It's to late now, but I might mention it to my Nurse Manager for next year.

Re: if anyone assumes all i do is hold animals again im going to have to say something

Robocop — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 19:26:06 GMT

I still often get 'so when will you become a vet'. 7 years qualified, I do find it quite hard not to sigh and/or roll my eyes, before I explain our profession.

The best comment I've had was from one of my husbands friends, who thought I earned £30,000 a year. I explained I wasn't a vet, etc, etc, but he said he knew that and thought veterinary nurses earned that amount, and vets earned alot more around the £50-60,000 mark. I soon corrected him. He had a greater appreciation for what I did after that :D

Re: if anyone assumes all i do is hold animals again im going to have to say something

Katie B — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 18:40:20 GMT

[quote user="Katietaz"]

[quote user="johanna van aalten"]What is worse is that loads of people think you do not need any study or training to be a VN, that they can just decide one day to start cuddling animals at the vets.[/quote]

Telling a friend yesterday that I'm off to uni in Sept and she says "not to be an ordinary vet nurse though?". When I told her it was a 4 yr course she nearly fell over and replied, "well you need a degree to clean toilets these days".

K x

[/quote]B And she's your friend, she needs a slap lol, in a friendly way though.

Re: if anyone assumes all i do is hold animals again im going to have to say something

shropshirelass_1987 — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 11:10:46 GMT

Exactly I've just had a freind tell me today that their considering going for an SVN job because its a Job, ok I know she loves animals but is obviosly not cut out for the Job, & I'm quite hurt that we have to work so hard for our qualifications as I & many others are now. & then people think they can just jump into our proffession just like that .... ARGH!!! It's so frustrating xxx

Re: if anyone assumes all i do is hold animals again im going to have to say something

BengalcatRVN — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 10:22:15 GMT

It's like the good ol' "your training to be a vet then" comments......

No, I'm not. I studied for 2-3yrs for my NVQ, passed 2 theory and 1 practical exam, produced 2 portfolio's of case work. I've been doing this job for nearly 9.5-10yrs I've been head nurse of 3 practices and help train others as I am an assessor/clinical coach. I don't want to be a vet, I am fantastic at my job and I love it.

You don't ask a nurse if they are training to be a doctor, do you.

*faceslap*

.........

Re: if anyone assumes all i do is hold animals again im going to have to say something

Katherine Spear — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 09:54:53 GMT

woooh crikey. are you still friends? how rude!

Re: if anyone assumes all i do is hold animals again im going to have to say something

Katie Mansfield — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 08:53:38 GMT

K x

Re: if anyone assumes all i do is hold animals again im going to have to say something

Caro Laithwaite VN — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 05:29:38 GMT

I loose my temper now with a good friend no matter how l try and explain what we do he doesnt get it. When ;l complain about slow work he tells me how some friends of his have a cattery and he can get me locum work there.... I swear l shall bury the b*****d soon, nearly have for various reasons in the past.

Re: if anyone assumes all i do is hold animals again im going to have to say something

johanna van aalten — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 00:11:51 GMT

What is worse is that loads of people think you do not need any study or training to be a VN, that they can just decide one day to start cuddling animals at the vets.

We are struggling enormously to find qualified VN, so deperate we placed an ad at gumtree. The amount of people that apply for the job is amazing, all without any qualification or any experience and think they can just like that be a VN in our practice (one of them even a professional model).

A lot of education needed to get the point of what a QVN is and does I would say. Rol on VN week. Maybe a poster with a study book and a certificate would be n idea?

Re: if anyone assumes all i do is hold animals again im going to have to say something

Phrin Vernon RVN — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 23:36:09 GMT

There is a lot of education that needs to be done

My auntie (Aged 72 at the time)) kicked off at me once as she was convinced that her vets bills were paying girls like me, to trot about in nice uniforms cuddling animals!! Soon set her straight, but as with all family, she still doesnt quite get it.... and no its not her age - she is as sharp as a pin with everything else - agghhhh!

Re: if anyone assumes all i do is hold animals again im going to have to say something

Katherine Spear — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 15:12:41 GMT

ah but thats what ignorance is "Ignorance is a state of being uninformed (lack of knowledge)^[1]. The word "ignorant" is an adjective describing a person in the state of being unaware "!!

But yes it shouldnt be used insultingly, showing clients is needed, they cant be expected to know. A VN TV would be good. I think the show The Chase used to have its VNs doing proper stuff.

Re: if anyone assumes all i do is hold animals again im going to have to say something

FINNIGAN — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 14:34:14 GMT

Sorry but theyre not ignorant, they just dont know, they are not aware of what we do, thats the whole point of vn week, so make them aware!!