Re: RCVS webinar - tide turning for vns?

Helen Tottey — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 13:42:14 GMT

How to follow that! All i would add at this point ( i am at work and the computer won't let me quote things!) is that i think for future webinars it should be both vets and VN's but topic driven so we get to drill down a bit more the specific issues. All in all though, have to say this is a definate point to RCVS for doing this

Re: RCVS webinar - tide turning for vns?

Sal the 1st — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 11:27:59 GMT

[quote user="Emma Cooper"]

Hi guys,

Looks like everyone who checked into the RCVS webinar last night enjoyed the evening. I did! Definitely think the RCVS should do more like that - like Helen T has said, maybe VN and vet specific ones next time? Despite a few issues with the sound, I think the event went well...

I've got a few notes from last night and thought I'd post what stood out to me VN-wise...

Questions were asked regarding how to get more SVNs in training and how to keep RVNs in practice. Liz Branscombe (VNC vice chairman) said the obvious answer was to increase the number TPs and "employer engagement with nurses in pracice".

[/quote]

but no real answers as to how this will be done

[quote user="Emma Cooper"]

She said the number of TPs was going up (and reckoned few were dropping out of training), with 132 new TPs in 2012 and another 31 so far this year.
[/quote]

no actual figure on the practices dropping out - but would be interesting to find out

[quote user="Emma Cooper"]

"That's encouraging and shows there are practices and people willing to commit to training of VNs - there are 4,000 SVNs actively enrolled so hopefully in next couple of years will see more nurses coming into practice," she said.

[/quote]

http://www.vetnurse.co.uk/blogs/veterinary_news/archive/2013/02/04/139369.aspx

even if some of these fell off the list accidentally and are now back on the list there are then the nurses that leave practice for whatever reason, the nurses that qualify and go straight into an academic role or into repping and thats their last real contact with veterinary practice, the SVNs who drop out of training before completion, the SVNs who take umpteen retakes to pass because there are far too many hoops to jump through....... it looks good but the reality is this is not going to increase the numbers of qualified nurses by any appreciable number.

[quote user="Emma Cooper"]

On retention, she admitted "more could be done" to keep VNs in the profession - and listed engagement – " nurses feeling valued in their role and being given the opportunity to practice veterinary nursing as part of the practice team has a lot to do with it" – pay and flexible working/maternity issues as the areas to focus on.

[/quote]

I do think the majority of practices do what they can to retain staff that they value and try to accomodate where they can but there has to be give and take - I feel there needs to be a balance struck on the flexible working/maternity issues. At the end of the day a practice is a business and just like any business it needs to employ people who are best suited to its needs, If there is an attempt to enforce conditions detrimental to the business all that will happen is that employers will look elsewhere

Sorry Emma not picking holes in your post - it is good of you to provide a precis for those that couldnt attend.

I think this webinar was an excellent idea, it certainly makes it a lot easier for people to 'attend'

Having slept on what I heard last night, although this webinar was good I would have liked to have seen it go much deeper, ( but as this was the first who to say later ones may not?) If I am honest I found some of last nights questions and answers a bit 'vanilla'

I do like the idea of a separate vets and nurses meeting to some extent but in doing that there is still the risk that the two parties are kept apart and develop their own agendas in isolation when to me what really needs to happen, and happen urgently, is that ALL vets and nurses get together and decide exactly what it is that they want/need and then together they come up with some workable solutions.

Thanks again for posting this