BVNA presidents reflect on past and future
Sam Morgan will become BVNA's new president on the last day of congress (11 October).
As the BVNA celebrates its 50th birthday, outgoing president Fiona Andrew explained how the organisation chose to mark the occasion.
"We had all the usual ideas about champagne receptions and gold pens and all these sorts of things that we all know and love," she explained at this year's BVNA Congress in Telford.
"But let's face it, by the time we take them home from congress they end up in the pen pot and they don't necessarily mean that much. So we made a conscious decision to give back to our members."
To honours its anniversary, the BVNA priced this year's early bird congress tickets at just £50.
Fiona reported that attendance rates are up 40 per cent compared to last year - quite an achievement in tough financial times, coupled with a rise in free CPD.
Reflecting on the fruits of the past year, Fiona revealed that the BVNA is looking to RCVS Knowledge to create evidence based work on wound management which will be entirely nurse led. Members will also be able to make use of new, free 'VN Knowledge' webinars.
Incoming BVNA president Sam Morgan took the floor to discuss the year ahead, outlining plans for a new British Association of Veterinary Nursing Students, which will offer a representative voice for students. This project will be developed over the next year.
Two founding council members, who will act as president and vice president, have been appointed to the association, which will come under the umbrella of the BVNA.
Talks from the two presidents were followed by an explanation of the role of the RCVS from head of veterinary nursing Julie Dugmore and a similar overview of the VN Council from its chair, Liz Cox.
An RCVS question time was held at the end of the session but just a handful of delegates were in attendance, resulting in a fairly limited discussion.
However, one delegate asked whether there are plans to change the fact that RVNs cannot dispense the same medicines as suitably qualified persons (SQPs) unless they 'top up' their qualifications at a cost of £225.
Julie Dugmore responded: "We have had lots of talks with Amtra and we've looked at the current qualification. At the moment the way that qualification is actually examined doesn't allow us to then give the SQP as well as the veterinary nursing qualification.
"There would have had to have been a lot of change in terms of how the exam was made up and what parts of that exam [the students] would have to achieve in order to achieve the SQP."
Veterinary practices are being urged to help owners safely dispose of any unused and expired pet medicines - not just antibiotics - during November's Animal Medicines Amnesty. 
