Looking back, looking forward

As we welcome in the new year, it is a natural time to reflect on what we have achieved in the past, and to contemplate the year ahead. The Veterinary Nurse is now in its tenth volume — quite incredible as it seems like only yesterday that we launched!

It's exciting to see how much has changed since our first issue. Technology has helped the veterinary nursing community share challenges and resources internationally, and has served to support our movements to enhance professionalism as a global community. Many countries are moving forward with steps toward full regulation and protection of title. This coming April, Australia will implement voluntary registration for veterinary nurses and technicians; in 2015, New Zealand implemented voluntary registration and now has nearly 700 people on the register. The USA is pushing the Veterinary Nurse Initiative which aims to establish a national title change to ‘registered veterinary nurse’ and is striving to provide a standardised nationwide credential and scope of practice. The RCVS is still pushing for protection of title and has opened a pathway to regulation of animal healthcare related paraprofessionals.