More than 80 newly registered nurses recognised at event

Eighty-three newly qualified and registered veterinary nurses (RVNs) were recognised at an admissions ceremony, held at the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons’ (RCVS) offices in Belgravia House, London, on Thursday, October 17.

The RCVS held three separate ceremonies throughout the day to accommodate the high number of veterinary nurses who achieved the College’s Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing this summer.

Kathy Kissick RVN, chairman of the Veterinary Nurses Council, addressed the newly-registered nurses and emphasised the importance of their role, commenting: “I hear a lot of people say ‘I am just a veterinary nurse’ but this is a profession to be proud of; a profession that plays an integral part in the veterinary team.”

The RVNs were awarded certificates and badges recognising their professional status by Dr Jerry Davies, past president of the RCVS, and recited the Veterinary Nurses’ Professional Declaration.

Each RVN will now be added to the RCVS Register for Veterinary Nursing and is required to follow the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinary Nurses and undertake continuing professional development.

James Osborn, 26, from Kent, was among those honoured at the event after he spent three years studying for his Level 3 Diploma at Canterbury College. He said: “I am very happy and very relieved to have passed my exams and qualified as a veterinary nurse. I think the veterinary nurse profession is something that is developing and growing and I would eventually like to see it protected in law.”

The results for the September 2013 Level 3 Diploma examinations were also announced on Thursday, October 17, and demonstrated an improvement on last year’s figures. Of the 219 students who sat the exam last month, 75 per cent passed; compared to 64 per cent in September 2012.

Image courtesy of the RCVS