What are the alternative career options for vet nurses?

RE: What are the alternative career options for vet nurses?

torat2007 — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 07:35:14 GMT

Hi Nick, you beat me to it. I am an NHS qualified radiographer and RCVS qualified vet nurse. I quit the nursing because of the long hours, poor pay and bitching. I became a radiographer and have come back to the veterinary world as an Veterinary Radiographer. I money isn't as good as the NHS but I no longer have to work shifts - big whoop when you are no longer a Spring Chicken!. The other good thing about Radiography is you can take the qualification most places in the world (but train in the UK as the government subsidises it) I am now in tropical North Queensland imaging and teaching vet students to image.

Have you thought of moving abroad? We have had several English nurses here and they love the lifestyle and the environment. Since COVID, when half our foreign nurses went back to their respective countries, we have been short on staff. Try Kookaburra or somewhere similar. If you like the sound of a university setting let me know and I can forward the advert

RE: What are the alternative career options for vet nurses?

Jo Brett — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 21:09:30 GMT

I am a RVN and diversified from a HRVN role to industry 2 years ago.
There are lots of roles out there for RVN's; we have so so many key skills that are transferable. I do still think there are some fantastic and supportive practices out there. De sure to manage the expectations from the start of any job enquiry, what are you expecting form a practice and what do they expect from you - this is often the down fall.

Take a look at https://vsgd.co/ Vets Stay Go Diversify they are a great support community for anyone thinking about their options. They have job pages too. They are also on the Facebook and Linked in.

RE: What are the alternative career options for vet nurses?

Wildlife Nurse — Sat, 25 Nov 2023 05:29:36 GMT

This is exactly right.

RE: What are the alternative career options for vet nurses?

chrysanthemum20 — Fri, 24 Nov 2023 15:49:49 GMT

I think there is a difference between the usual difficulties of working in a high pressure environment and everyone working together, not always in harmony, the usual grumblings of every day life. And that of out and out bullying experiences in a toxic environments, which doesn't seem to be dealt with all that well in my (admittedly) narrow experience.

There is almost an assumption that because you are a good vet or RVN, you are good at people management, when that isnt always the case and as a result, these sort of behaviours are not dealt with by management or sometimes they are actually participating in this sort of behaviour.

I don't have answers for this problem, only that good management teams are worth valuing and hopefully enough people will be the change they want to see in the industry and these sort of experiences will not be the norm any longer.

RE: What are the alternative career options for vet nurses?

apache — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 23:55:00 GMT

[quote userid="2100" url="~/f/nonclinical-discussions/32451/what-are-the-alternative-career-options-for-vet-nurses/178322#178322"]Do you think there is something about this profession which lends itself to a toxic environment, or something common to any profession which has small teams working together under pressure???[/quote]

I was going to say similar. This is the same in ANY environment - it was like that in school and continues throughout life. What else are you going to talk about stuck in theatre for a morning etc? You are bound to get to know people, their lives and drama, Other than working from home (which COVID taught us is generally much worse for mental health) you will get this anywhere.

RE: What are the alternative career options for vet nurses?

Arlo Guthrie — Fri, 17 Nov 2023 16:15:16 GMT

[quote userid="8705" url="~/f/nonclinical-discussions/32451/what-are-the-alternative-career-options-for-vet-nurses/178318#178318"] I feel stuck where I am and have worked hard to get here and get my qualifications (plus my additional qualifications I have gained after qualifying) so feel it would be a waste to move away from the profession, but this seemingly industry wide toxic environment is completely draining. [/quote]

Do you think there is something about this profession which lends itself to a toxic environment, or something common to any profession which has small teams working together under pressure???

RE: What are the alternative career options for vet nurses?

jenni99 — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 22:33:38 GMT

Lots of options. locuming, tutoring, teaching, insurance company work. I have VN friends who work for practice management systems companies, reps, Guide Dogs, and so on. Lots of my peers have retrained into the NHS, two of my peers now own a couple of practices each

RE: What are the alternative career options for vet nurses?

VetNurse Anon a/c — Wed, 15 Nov 2023 12:33:06 GMT

I came on here to post similar.

I’ve been a head nurse for several years now but have found the moaning, toxicity, spite and often downright nastiness that is encountered in practice is really starting to drag me down. I’ve been trying to find out what other options are around or considering locuming but I’m not sure what to do.

I feel stuck where I am and have worked hard to get here and get my qualifications (plus my additional qualifications I have gained after qualifying) so feel it would be a waste to move away from the profession, but this seemingly industry wide toxic environment is completely draining.

Sorry this doesn’t necessarily help you, but felt like I wanted to vent to someone who understands and to let you know your not alone.

Have you consider lab / pharmaceutical roles? I know a few people who have moved across to those types of roles…

RE: What are the alternative career options for vet nurses?

Wildlife Nurse — Mon, 13 Nov 2023 12:49:00 GMT

I'd absolutely LOVE to go back to charity work. It's much more me than corporate life! I do search the charity sites almost daily

RE: What are the alternative career options for vet nurses?

azlana — Mon, 13 Nov 2023 10:29:30 GMT

Have you checked with some of the animal charities near? I used to work for Guide dogs doing a sort of nursing role but not. I over saw all vet care in my area and I managed about 500 dogs from puppy walking though to retired dogs. I was demanding but really rewarding. I left as i am terrible at paper work so it just wasnt the job for me. I set my own diary and worked my own schedule. The pay was decent aswell I was on near £30K but that was almost 6 years ago so I imagine its gone up. They are a national charity and have centres all over the place. Look on their websitie\

in the same vein you could look into Hearing Dogs, Canine Partners or something totally off peast and look at National Trust or something else that takes your fancy

Ive know other RVN's transfer to phebotomy in the NHS. One girl i know re trained and now works taking blood donations all day.

RE: What are the alternative career options for vet nurses?

Wildlife Nurse — Wed, 08 Nov 2023 01:09:12 GMT

I've covered all aspects of referral nursing as well as wildlife over the years. Considered a medicine practitioner role briefly. But I'm done now. I want out. The negatives outweigh the positives in nursing for me now sadly. Suffered pretty severe burnout last year, and promised myself I would never let it happen again.

RE: What are the alternative career options for vet nurses?

Nick Shackleton — Wed, 08 Nov 2023 00:50:46 GMT

I took a career break for 7.5yrs working for the NHS in radiography. Now back in full time veterinary job working predominantly working in imaging. Have you considered specialising?

RE: Alternative career options to vet nursing

Wildlife Nurse — Mon, 06 Nov 2023 14:20:05 GMT

I shall have a read later, meant to be on shift tonight so it's nap time!

I gioy knocked back for 2 insurance roles for being over qualified....... they want experience, but not too much!! Nursing is so difficult to get out of. There just aren't enough of the jobs out there without retraining for a completely new career :(

RE: Alternative career options to vet nursing

Arlo Guthrie — Mon, 06 Nov 2023 14:10:32 GMT

[quote userid="26707" url="~/f/nonclinical-discussions/32451/alternative-career-options-to-vet-nursing/178298#178298"]There, however now lies my problem. I wod have to now drop over 10k in salary for an alternative job. For example pet insurance. [/quote]

Oh I see!

Well, to be fair, I suspect there are lots of other professions where the amount you will earn away from the front line is way less.

I was a pilot for a while - not sure there are many jobs for ex-pilots that pay as well as being an airline pilot.

Interested to know what you think of the BVA response to the Competitions and Markets Authority (and the points I made in the comment piece under it)

RE: Alternative career options to vet nursing

Wildlife Nurse — Mon, 06 Nov 2023 13:58:07 GMT

I am currently on a very good wage for what I do. I work nights in referral. I moved from one referral to another at the beginning of the year and my salary went up 11k. Considering the referral I moved from was much much bigger and busier than the one I'm currently at, the money is there, it's just what they choose to spend it on.

There, however now lies my problem. I wod have to now drop over 10k in salary for an alternative job. For example pet insurance. They ask for experienced nurses as they have the knowledge needed to analyse the claims, but the "competitive" salary they offer is an absolute smack in the face.

Years of experience, years of updating knowledge etc, it takes you nowhere when you want/need to stop the clinical side. It's so sad.

RE: Alternative career options to vet nursing

Arlo Guthrie — Mon, 06 Nov 2023 13:48:16 GMT

[quote userid="30124" url="~/f/nonclinical-discussions/32451/alternative-career-options-to-vet-nursing/178296#178296"] But i spent time and effort to get a qualification that seems so limited and with a wage that in my opinion doesnt reflect what we do.[/quote]

Buttons1 Commiserations ... must be so depressing to have worked so hard to qualify and then feel you'd do better in a supermarket. I don't want to add to your woes, but was writing a news story / comment piece about the BVA response to the Competition and Markets Authority review of the vet profession, and for me the question is: where on earth is the money for better salaries going to come from if the powers that be are ALREADY investigating the above inflation rises in the cost of veterinary care over the last few years:

/b/veterinary-news/posts/bva-gives-four-reasons-for-above-inflation-rises-in-the-cost-of-veterinary-care-to-the-competition-market-authority

What do you think?

What about you, Wildlife Nurse? Any thoughts?

Anyone else?

RE: Alternative career options to vet nursing

Buttons1 — Sun, 05 Nov 2023 18:44:39 GMT

Completely agree with that “all this knowledge, nowhere to take it”

its really sad and yes all i feel open to me is getting a job in a supermarket at times. Not that i have anything against that and sometimes ive even thought i shouldve just got a job in a supermarket. But i spent time and effort to get a qualification that seems so limited and with a wage that in my opinion doesnt reflect what we do. Yet i still have family members that think because i work in vet practice i must be getting big bucks…

it concerns me when and if i was to return to UK how such a wage could support my family, and the time spent in the job 40+ hours per week and weekends then having to pay for childcare and all the rest it just seems impossible.
and thats only one part of the stress i dont want to have to drive into work worried what the day will bring because of others negative attitudes and behaviours.

RE: Alternative career options to vet nursing

Wildlife Nurse — Sun, 05 Nov 2023 16:21:18 GMT

I'm in the same situation really. Love the animals, drained of everything that goes with it. Unfortunately, so for I'm finding it SO HARD to get out of without dropping to the most insulting salary. All this knowledge, nowhere to take it :(