Each year I record all of the continuing education or professional development that I have undertaken. As a Veterinary Technicians Specialist (VTS) in the USA, a Registered Veterinary Nurse (RVN) and as a Suitably Qualified Person (SQP) in the UK; I have to undertake very specific CPD and CE that is for the VTS and SQP have to be accredited. Requirements for the RVN currently stand as 45 hours over a 3 year period. Though as a clinical coach training students, my RVN CPD needs to be 15 hours yearly to show that I am current in my knowledge and to undertake a clinical coach update meeting yearly.
The role of this continuing education in keeping the profession moving forward and ever evolving and improving should never be under estimated. The requirement of CPD or CE varies from country to country, and can vary from watching a lecture without having to provide proof that it was watched or that you listened, through to accredited teaching where you do need to prove that you watched and listened by completing a short test at the end of the lecture/webinar/article. This latter form of learning is of a better standard as it ensures understanding and prooves that you took in the knowledge that it was providing.
Currently CPD in the UK is not accredited for veterinary nurses or surgeons, with the standard or quality of the CPD varying greatly. SQPs within the UK however do have to achieve accredited points each period in order to maintain their prescribing of medicines rights. This includes CPD on anthelmintic resistance and if there are any legislative changes this also needs to be covered. Currently certificate and advanced diploma holders in the UK don't need to achieve subject specific CPD at a specific standard post qualification, something that is required by the American VTS system. Continuing education post qualification is vital in order to keep your training relevant.
All veterinary nurses and technicians have a responsibility to undertake education that is relevant to the role that they undertake in practice. If you feel that CPD that has been provided to you isn't of a sufficient quality then you might want to think twice about recording it on your Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) record of CPD. And, if you have paid for the CPD, you could even consider asking for your money back!
The autumn conference season has come to an end, and many readers of The Veterinary Nurse will have enjoyed going to the BVNA Congress and recently the London Vet Show to obtain much of their CPD. For those that find it difficult to get away, The Veterinary Nurse provides online CPD, and we hope that our readers are taking full advantage of this as the online questions are documented and aim to fit in with your busy lifestyle, rather than the other way round. As a peer reviewed journal we are confident in the quality of the CPD we provide. Why not come to our workshops in February (p532)? You can be assured of a good day and will achieve 6 hours CPD!
Quantity and quality is vital when it comes to the continuation of gaining knowledge and its implication to the veterinary practice. Some post-qualification systems have been implemented for a longer period of time, but we should be encouraging regulatory bodies to strive for the best as this does directly reflect on the profession and ultimately improves standards within the profession.
We hope you enjoy this issue.