Writing patient care reports: author guidelines for VNs
Abstract
Published patient care reports (PCRs) (also known as case reports) can provide a valuable means for veterinary nurses to share their clinical experiences, increase their knowledge and contribute to the establishment of an evidence-based approach to veterinary nursing practice. This article is the first of a two-part series which aims to inform readers of the benefits of writing and publishing PCRs and give potential authors an overview of the format and conventions of academic writing required for these reports. In particular, this first article discusses the recommendation made by the authors that veterinary nurses adopt an appropriate writing style and language in these reports in an attempt to foster a more patient focussed and holistic approach to the provision of evidence-based veterinary nursing care.
Veterinary nursing in the UK is taking some of the first crucial steps towards professionalization with the recent introduction of registration of members, impending disciplinary procedures and amendments to the law which specifically refer to the work of veterinary nurses. Each of these developments is significant and each is an essential component in the evolution towards professional status, but there are several other crucial elements that veterinary nurses need to implement before they can secure this status (Branscombe, 2010;Clarke, 2010;Banks, 2010/11). One well-documented condition is that a profession has its own unique body of knowledge and evidence base on which to base its clinical and professional practice (Hern, 2000;Mahony, 2003;Holmes and Cockcroft, 2004;Pullen, 2006).
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