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31st October 2008

Vet Nurses Speak Up!

A new Petplan survey has revealed that a staggering 7 in 10 (73%) of vet nurses feel that their clients do not have a sufficient understanding of their role in practice.

Petplan, the UK’s leading pet insurance provider, conducted a survey at BVNA Congress on a range of topics about how nurses feel about their profession. The results clearly showed that their role is widely misunderstood by clients and this is confirmed by Louisa Baker, the 2008 Petplan Vet Nurse of the Year:

“Clients are often not aware of the skills required to be a vet nurse. Most clients believe we just handle the animals whereas we are often involved with surgical activities such as stitching and preparing drips.”

Vet nurses were also asked about their favourite aspect of their role. 4 in 10 (40%) nurses agreed that direct contact with animals, such as caring for them through recovery, is the best part of their job.

Despite clients not fully comprehending the role vet nurses play in the care of their animals, over half (54%) of nurses told Petplan that their work was extremely rewarding. This highlights that becoming a vet nurse remains a great career choice for many.

Louisa believes that better awareness needs to be made of this fantastic profession, “Clients need increased education about the role of the vet nurse within animal care. Other members of the veterinary profession need to promote the responsibilities of nurses to clients which would establish more kudos for the profession.”

In fact, nearly 1 in 3 (28%) of the nurses surveyed had changed their career to become a vet nurse. Previous careers included being an air hostess, art gallery manager and event groom. Louisa began her career training to be a legal secretary before joining the profession. She loves the fact that “every hour is different” and that a qualified nurse can go down many different pathways as there is great variety in the profession. This clearly shows why many find vet nursing an extremely attractive career prospect that offers both rewards and challenges.

Moreover, nearly all (99%) of nurses confirmed that they valued training and CPD to further their career. Understanding this desire to learn, Petplan has launched its Petplan Insurance Advisor training and already over 500 nurses have completed a module, counting towards valuable CPD points. The scheme enables the development of individual skills such as the ability to sell products and gain confidence with clients. Available to train online, vet nurses can participate in the scheme at either work or home, making an easy addition to their busy careers.

For information on how to become a PIA contact Vetline on 0800 316 8800 or alternatively log onto petplanPIA.co.uk.

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