While veterinary nursing is distinct and different to human nursing, there are some key parallels between the two similar professions. Our two vocations are centred on medicine and the science and art of caring for our patients. We share many of the same skills and topics of learning. We also have faced some of the same challenges with respect to professional development and recognition. To deny that we have much to learn from human nursing is to deny an opportunity to learn from our closest cousins, our allies in the provision of care on the frontlines of practice.
In the 1830s, Florence Nightingale went against social norms to forgo family life in favour of pursuing a career in nursing. Her determination would result in significant advancements for the profession. Nightingale used evidence-based practice, and critically evaluated nursing interventions. She began conducting clinical research by collecting and analyzing data on the morbidity and mortality of soldiers in the Crimean War and it wasn't long before she published her first work, Notes on Nursing (1859). By 1900, the field of nursing had advanced significantly and new Zealand was the first country to adopt national registration of nursing with the Nursing Registration Act of 1901. Other countries would soon follow suit and 100 years after Nightingale's first publication, research within the nursing community was thriving supported by sponsored nursing research foundations, dedicated nursing research centres and journals devoted exclusively to nursing research.
Florence Nightingale no doubt realized the benefit of refecting on the similarities between nurses and physicians. Much of her work is modelled after respected scholars of her time and this had the effect of lifting the esteem of nurses within the community. The flow on effect was enormous with improved training and within 60 years, the first doctoral programme for nurses would be developed at Columbia University in 1923. Nightingale had many stigmas to overcome. She defied those that would imply that women should not take up work and steadfastly disregarded those who implied that the profession was not ready for research. Her work challenged others in the field to rise up and have pride in their role within the medical field and it garnered respect for the profession as a whole.
Florence Nightingale is no different than any one of us. We all are capable of effecting such change and we can look to her as an example to refect on the path of nursing to forge our own unique path forward. The historical achievements of the nursing profession can help inspire us to take that next step toward a future that parallels what they have already successfully accomplished. We are now poised to embrace veterinary nursing research and start changing the face of the veterinary nursing profession with our own observations and analysis. As we learn and grow in this way, we will elevate all in our profession and make headway toward our own future that parallels the successes of the nursing profession. In the upcoming months, we at The Veterinary Nurse will be taking an active role in this growth of our profession by providing resources to help all veterinary nurses and technicians to embrace research within our own practices. We will be providing simple articles on how to start the process of researching including establishing relevance, collecting data and presenting your findings. In this issue, we start the process with an article on the types, importance and dissemination of research (p142).
As similar as we are to human nursing, we are equally as different, and that is why our own research is so important to help us learn more about how we practice and to teach us how new technology applies to the provision of care in animals of different species. We look forward to this new addition and hope that you enjoy this issue as we do!