Transferring from being an RVN to a human nurse.. Opinions?

Re: Transferring from being an RVN to a human nurse.. Opinions?

Nick Shackleton — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 18:12:33 GMT

I've recently qualified as an Assistant Practitioner. I work in nuclear medicine, which is part of radiology. I've just completed a foundation degree. It's was done part time whilst working. Which suited me as it meant I could study and work and have a wage coming I too. The foundation degree counts for the first year of the radiography degree. APs work in all different areas of the hospital. This is another option if you're looking to getting into healthcare. All depends what area you're interested in. You work full time and study part time. Core modules are done along side other healthcare workers and then optional modules depending on which area of the hospital you work. For me the reason for leaving nursing was the career progression. I qualified in 2001 and gained Dip AVN (surg) along the way. During my studies I developed a keen interest in diagnostic imaging which in hand fuelled me to make the crossover to human medicine

Re: Transferring from being an RVN to a human nurse.. Opinions?

emma west — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 15:28:03 GMT

Hi Louise,

I qualified as a VN in 2003 and have had a great career working in all kinds of clinics and charities around the world. I got bored and fed up of the restricted salary and prospects so enrolled in a degree in Adult Nursing starting in March 2011.

The lectures on A & P and practical things and assignments you will breeze through. The placements are also ok as you'll be used to long hours and busy environments. I found it very worrying that some of the people in my class would end up as nurses! And I'm sure any VN I've met (who likes people) would make a great human nurse.

But this Christmas I decided to come back to veterinary............ initially I had a 12 week placement in neurosciences where the staff treated the patients very well and I was very inspired, although my mentor was hardly ever around to teach me much I got on well and learnt lots.

my second placement was in elderly care for 8 weeks, its was horrific, many of the staff on this ward were uncaring and the patients with no family were often neglected because they had no voice to stand up for themselves, I saw lots of awful things and always worked really hard to make sure I never treated any one as I wouldn't want my own family to be treated. I found that when I had an opinion I was 'just a student' which is hard when I've been a qualified vn for ten years. I spoke to the matron and university staff and made complaints, the whole ward's management was changed, I always challenged things I felt were wrong. And sadly one more than one occasion thought to myself how dogs were never treated this way. The ward was investigated, I never found out what happened.

my next placement was in A&E, resus was amazing, wonderful care and a great patient staff ratio, but in majors and minors the staff levels were so low that it was impossible to give people the attention they deserve, the hospital gets a fine for each breach of waiting time over 4 hrs (if I remember right), so as they approach this a management team puts extra pressure on staff.

The hospital I worked in may not be a typical of all hospital in the UK, be prepared for a lot of politics. I met some wonderful patients and families and was told I would make a great nurse but I decided to come back to pets. I was very down hearted and it was hard to decide to quit but I know i'm back where I should be. animals honestly get treated better than humans in my opinions, and everyone in a veterinary team generally loves the furries so we are all reading from the same page. unfortunately some staff in a hospital don't care for patients at all.

Maybe I could've waited to see how the community placement went but i'm happy to be back earning money again and giving the animals the best care that I can. When I spoke to the director of my adult nursing course I told her I was leaving because I believe animals are better cared for than humans, she honeslty said ' im sure you are right'. that says it all.

And at the end the salary isn't that much better, im sure there are good nursing jobs and mentors out there and maybe you are stronger than me but I often found myself thinking I already have a career, why am I putting myself through this!

Re: Transferring from being an RVN to a human nurse.. Opinions?

louisemj88 — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 20:32:21 GMT

Thanks for your replies everyone, they've given me plenty to think about!

Re: Transferring from being an RVN to a human nurse.. Opinions?

Catherine Goulding — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 16:38:50 GMT

I took the plunge just under 3 years ago to retrain to be an operating department practitioner after being an RVN for 23 years - and I wished I had done it sooner. I get a tax free bursary to train and am only working In a theatre environment - scrubbing up and doing anaesthetics every day, I love it. It was a hard course to get into but a lot of my skills have been transferrable - scrubbing up is more or less the same, the gloves are the same and the gowns are the same. The human field is more restrictive that vet nursing but I do like that as you are more protected against things that could go wrong.

I had to start at the beginning so to sit through anatomy lessons to be told 'what the heart does' was a little soul destroying at the time, but I haven't found anything that difficult so far and my VN background has been an immense help. I would say that 80% of the drugs are the same, but some things are the opposite, for example propofol is not licensed for use in epileptic people for a GA, we use thiopentone instead.

In my experience, I definitely wished I has changed over sooner, as at 41, I am one of the oldest in my class, but life experience has also helped. I hope to be qualified this time next year and the jobs are abundant (just hope they are still as abundant this time next year)

good luck with whatever you decide to do

Re: Transferring from being an RVN to a human nurse.. Opinions?

Lisa Goodship — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 23:27:09 GMT

Hi, I'm not sure how similar things are in the uk, but I have just applied to st johns to become a volunteer, the job will entail providing medical support and events such as sports events and doing shifts with the ambulance crew responding to accidents until paramedics arrive, transporting patients between hospitals, driving the ambulance etc. After my initiallinduction I hope to go on and train as an EMT emergency medical technition this takes app 12-18 mnths and involves assignments, online work, class based work on occassional weekends and on the job training - all of this is volunterr, but they do cover all your study costs, accommadation, uniform and reimburse you for travel and food during shifts. The minimum time they like you commit to is 24 hrs a month, split into shifts of 12 or 6 hrs, but obviously the more time spent on the job, the more experienced you become. After qualifying to become an EMT you can find paid work or I'm hoping to cross credit my emt training to the first year of the degree course and train to become a paramedic' after which there are also postgraduate courses you can do. I have chosen this because I love the medical profession and love helping people and want to be able to give something back to the community and be part of our local volunteer first response unit. Whilst doing this I'm going to continue vet nursing on a part time basis. I wish you much luck in your future career path.

Re: Transferring from being an RVN to a human nurse.. Opinions?

Charley83 — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 21:25:06 GMT

HI I,m a district nurse practitioner who will be training a a VN this year so i,m doing the oppsite of you. Yes you may get better paid but its not without its disadvantages. I,ve been qualified 12 years and I can say I feel like a 90 year old! Nurses are now expected to be mini doctors and their workload is constantly expanding without the pay to reflect it. All the students here are struggling to get jobs. Fair enough you get a pension but personally for being part time I find superannuation very expensive 10% of my wage.

Go for it if you,ve interested but I would say its very hard if you have a family juggling essays, exams, placements when working shifts including night shifts for nothing for 3-4 years. Getting no summer holidays was hard for me at first.If I was to start my career in human medicine again - i would be a doctor rather than a nurse! For years where I work there is no opportunities for promotion and agenda for charge bandings sold us down the river, You also have to fund your own CPD as they'll only let you do free course and it has to be in your own time.

Re: Transferring from being an RVN to a human nurse.. Opinions?

louisemj88 — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 19:07:26 GMT

Nice to know its not just me who's thought about it :-) I've been looking into it but not sure how 3 years of uni would work with bills & mortgage etc! Good luck to you though, it's so brave to make the break and re-train.

Re: Transferring from being an RVN to a human nurse.. Opinions?

Hannah25uk — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 18:53:50 GMT

I've just started a job as a HCA at my local hospital with a view to applying to uni in sept to study for a degree in adult nursing. For me it was about career progression and although I could have studied for the medical/surgical diploma it really wouldn't have allowed me to do anything more than I could already.