May 2014 Newsletter
Written by Helen Pratt BVSc, MRCVS, GP Cert SAM
National Veterinary Nurse Awareness Month
May is National Veterinary Nurse Awareness Month, and we would like to take this
opportunity to make you aware of the diverse and important role of our team of Veterinary
Nurses, and how they achieved their goal of becoming a veterinary nurse.
Veterinary Nurses (VN's) provide skilled supportive care alongside your veterinary surgeon,
with a role monitoring in-patient care and general anaesthesia, diagnostic testing such as xrays and blood samples. They also have an educational role in preventative health care and
medical management to support you and your pet, through our selection of different nurse
clinics. These run currently 4 days per week at a variety of times to suit most diaries. Ask
reception for more details.
There are 2 career pathways; vocational study, with a minimum of 5 GCSE's leading to a
Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing, runs as an apprentice-style course, involving a day
per week at college, along with a job in general practice. Alternatively a university degree,
with a proportion of the training in an approved training practice, such as Stanley House Vets,
leads to a FdSc or BSc qualification.
Qualification, allowing registration as a RVN (Registered VN) with the nursing section of the
Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, requires between 2 and 4 years training with hard
work and commitment, but it is a rewarding and stimulating career - hopefully the “important
day in the veterinary surgery” story overleaf will give you a taster!
Stanley House Vets currently employ 10 fully qualified RVN's, and have 4 nurses in training,
so rest assured your pet is in safe, caring, and professional hands....
Although there are currently no training positions available at Stanley House, please visit our
website or Facebook page regularly as we will advertise all vacancies here first.
Rabbit Awareness Week (RAW) May 10th-18th May 2014
FREE rabbit health checks are on offer at Stanley House Vets during RAW, where our
qualified nurses will assess your rabbit, talk you through and answer your questions on health
care, to provide the best possible conditions for your rabbit's well-being.
Common preventable health problems to be discussed include dental disease, obesity, fly
strike, along with diseases such as Myxomatosis and Rabbit Viral Haemorrhagic disease. In
addition to the examination, a 25% discount voucher for vaccination will be issued.
RAW hopefully encourages us all to think and CHANGE ONE THING - we hope to give you
the info to make your rabbit's life a happier and healthier one. Follow the link on our web
page. If you choose to join our preventative health plan, which includes twice yearly health
checks, routine flea and worming control and vaccination, this discount will be credited to
your account.
So HOP DOWN (sorry!) to our surgery and claim your free rabbit health assessment.
Colne 01282 863892, Barnoldswick 01282 852390,
Burnley 01282 421215, Nelson 01282 616650 Email: liz@stanleyhousevets.co.uk
AN IMPORTANT DAY IN THE VETERINARY SURGERY.....
The majority of us here (unsurprisingly!) are pet owners and know how important their care and
well-being is to you, especially when you are entrusting their welfare to us, and you are not present.
So to help you understand what happens in the operation section of our practice, and the veterinary
nurse's role in that area, let us introduce Ben who is coming in for “the op that shall not be named”
(for those male readers amongst you..... ), and Marie, one of our RVN's.
We appreciate that what we consider to be a “routine” operation is not routine for you and yours, so
hopefully you will find the following information helpful to know what happens, and be reassured
that your pet is in the safest of hands.
Marie explains the procedure that Ben is booked in for, checks
the contact details and explains the consent form, including
discussions of a pre-anaesthetic blood screen.
Ben is then admitted to the clinic, weighed and settled in his
kennel with heated floors.
Ben has his pre-anaesthetic bloods taken, and then a
cannula is inserted into his vein. His bloods reveal no
problems, so he is given a mild tranquilizer, pending his
operation.
Ben is anaesthetised, a tube is placed into his windpipe, the area
to be operated on is clipped and sterilised by Marie. She monitors
the depth of his anaesthetic, his oxygen levels and his blood
pressure, whilst the vet performs Ben’s operation.
Ben’s surgery and anaesthetic goes smoothly. He
recovers well on his warmed operating table and is
snuggled into warm blankets until he is awake enough
to be moved back to the kennel area. Marie then
phones Ben's dad, and later on collection goes through
any specific post-operative care.
Colne 01282 863892, Barnoldswick 01282 852390,
Burnley 01282 421215, Nelson 01282 616650 Email: liz@stanleyhousevets.co.uk