The veterinary nursing profession in the UK has come a long way in the last 50 years. We have outlined qualifications required in order to practice as a VN; we have set and maintained standards of VN competence and conduct; we have developed processes to ensure competence of current practicing VNs; and, we have established systems to deal with misconduct or failure to maintain professional competency. However, two key pieces of the puzzle are missing. The first is protection of title whereby only persons meeting standards recognised by our own regulatory authority may practice ‘veterinary nursing’ or may use the title ‘veterinary nurse’ and all of its abbreviations. The second is regulation of our profession by way of legalisation as a recognised profession.
This past May, the RCVS took action in this regard, calling on MPs in the private members' Bill ballot requesting that legislation be introduced to protect the title ‘veterinary nurse’ meaning that unapproved/unqualified individuals illegally using the title could be prosecuted. Protection of our title is important, not only for advancement of our profession, but also for protection of the public interest. Failure to restrict use of our title could have serious consequences and arguably would be a failure to protect public safety and wellbeing. Currently any untrained practitioner can use the title ‘veterinary nurse’ or any of its abbreviations, and as such, a person misrepresenting themselves as a veterinary nurse could be working anywhere, putting the public at serious risk from exposure to controlled drugs, biological hazards, or unsafe advice. Consequences could be devastating including personal injury from animal attacks, or exposure to dangerous medications, chemicals, or zoonotic diseases. It would also potentially compromise the health and wellbeing of animals under veterinary treatment. If protection of title will help protect animals by ensuring care only by trained and qualified and registered veterinary nurses, then its importance cannot be stressed enough.
Like human nurses and physiotherapists we need to be regulated to protect the public interest. While VNs do not directly handle or treat human beings, we deal with similar drugs, chemicals, and instruments as our human healthcare counterparts and as such, similar public health risks exist. Therefore, it is essential that we have regulations in place to protect not only our animal patients, but also the human public.
Regulation is some distance away for us though. Indeed, the recent introduction of the RVN Disciplinary Committee within the RCVS has highlighted the importance of regulation but we still lack legal recognition of our profession by way of protected title and related legislation. We are beginning to fill in the gaps in our portfolio of evidence showing that we are a responsible profession through builiding a unique body of knowledge and evidence, through the introduction of a code of professional conduct, and through demonstrating a high degree of professional autonomy and accountability.
The final criteria is having the protected title and legislation. Currently we have a non-statutary register and are disciplined by a non-statutary regulation — we are aiming for a statutary regulatory system with protection of the title for those who are registered, whereby anyone practicing not covered by the legislation would be committing a criminal offence. Through this the public will be better protected. Is this ambitious? Yes. Is it necessary if we want to see full recognition of the profession in the near future? Absolutely.
We hope you enjoy this issue.