Research Nurse?

Re: Research Nurse?

Lou Hayward — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 13:19:48 GMT

If anybody is interested this has just come up on the Royal Veterinary College website

https://jobs.rvc.ac.uk/VCS-0017-09

Clinical Investigations Nurse

Location: Potters Bar
Salary: £25,654 to £30,185 per annum inclusive of London Weighting
Closing Date: Tuesday 07 April 2009
Interview Date: Friday 08 May 2009
Reference: VCS-0017-09

We are looking for a listed veterinary nurse who has a good knowledge of current veterinary nursing practices. Familiarity with Microsoft Office software would be beneficial, although training will be provided. You should be prepared to travel and work flexible working hours if required which may include occasional weekend work.

The Clinical Investigations Centre (CIC) is based at the RVC’s rural campus near Potters Bar, Hertfordshire. The main goal of the CIC is to investigate companion animal health and to work to improve the diagnosis and treatment of pets suffering from ill health. The CIC supports the RVC specialists with their academic research helping to advance our understanding and knowledge of disease in animals and also conducts clinical trials in client owned animals with naturally occurring disease.

For more information on the CIC please visit our website at www.rvc.ac.uk/cic

We offer a generous reward package including a final salary pension scheme.

If you are interested in shaping the future of veterinary science whilst maintaining high standards of patient care, then contact the Staff Manager, Kim Mohan on (01707) 666605 or email kmohan@rvc.ac.uk

Closing date for applications is: 7th April 2009

Re: Research Nurse?

Lou Hayward — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 00:32:51 GMT

Maisy - thanks for your kind reply - I will make enquiries at the RVC as you suggest

Louisesadieandshads - profuse thanks to you too. Your remarks about the blood sampling issue are timely as just this weekend I was speaking to Jeff Sampson (Kennel Club genetics man) and he confirmed my suspicions about the Home Office regulations regarding taking blood for research purposes. Apparently they are getting wise to the "leftover blood" trick!

Although my Biomedical Science degree is human-orientated, I'm hoping to do my final-year research project (laboratory based) on canine DNA. Luckily my university is being very supportive as they know I want to get back into the veterinary field when (if!) I graduate. I had originally planned on acquiring blood samples but at least now I know that's out of the question and buccal swabs will be the way to go. I have a few weeks to put together my project proposal and a lot of emphasis is put on ethics, rightly so of course.

I also met another nice man (Crufts was the place to be last weekend!), from the Animal Health Trust who has kindly offered to show me round the labs there. I have a real interest in the genetic screening tests that are being developed for inherited conditions in dogs, and they do a lot of that sort of work there. I understand that the Kennel Club is working in collaboration with the AHT to develop more tests in the next few years.

Although I still have a year to go on my degree course, you're right to say that I need to be planning ahead with regards to my future. I intend to spend this summer getting some serious experience. My dilemma is that I'm not sure whether to go for a career that is purely laboratory-based, or to try for something a bit more "hands on" with the animals- which is why I was wondering about research nursing.

I don't get the VN Times as I'm not in practice now, but I'd be grateful if you could let me know when your article was published as I can acquire a copy from my old practice.

You have both been more than helpful - thank you

Re: Research Nurse?

Louise B — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:55:41 GMT

Hi Lou, yes - I did write something for the VN Times ages ago on research and vet nurses - you have a good memory. It wasn't specifically about being a research nurse but there are definitely openings for such nurses. The RVC definitely has a research nurse and I believe that there may be a research nurse post in the offing at Cambridge Vet School in the near future (but I got that information indirectly so may be slightly incorrect!). If it is a post that is of interest, I would contact the RVC and obtain a job description for the post as this will be a good starting point for planning for the future as it'll give you a good idea of where to direct your CPD/additional experience. A good plan is to speak to any academics in fields of interest to you and see if you can get any experience (paid or unpaid) as a research technician or assistant as this will make you much more of interest to researchers. Don't wait for positions to get advertised as, often, part time/temporary jobs go to those in the know/inhouse and don't get advertised. It might also be of benefit to try and get a vacation scholarship and an academic to supervise you/be a name on the application as this can give you extra experience/show how committed you are to research/make you stand out from other candidates. I think the Nuffield Foundation scholarship is only open to penultimate candidates but some extend it to final year students. It is also worth familiarising yourself with the Animal (Scientific Procedures) Act and Home Office guidelines/rules as you may be required to be a personal license holder. One of the things about being a research nurse is that sometimes, and not always, the work that you will carry out will be carried out under a Home Office license. This is because the rules governing what you can and cannot do to an animal differ according to why you are doing it. e.g. you can take a blood sample as a VN if the blood is being taking directly to benefit that animal (e.g. general health profile) but if you were to take that same blood sample and run the same test (GHP) but it was being done for an experiment then you would be acting illegally if you were only a VN(many researchers get round it by keeping some blood back when a blood sampling is performed for the benefit of the animal in practice, the spare blood is then a byproduct) . Only a personal license holder can blood sample an animal in that circumstance. Therefore, having a good understanding on this legislation will benefit you. Plus, it is good to have a good understanding of the ethics underpinning research (primarily a cost-benefit analysis framework) will benefit you.

I hope this helps.

Re: Research Nurse?

Maisy — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 17:41:32 GMT

I remember reading in the VNJ/VNTimes about research nurses who worked within the QMH at Potters Bar. Not sure of whether this tpye of vacancy occurs often, but something to maybe consider? Good Luck with the rest of your degree