Have you ever had a dispute in practice and not known who to turn to for advice outside of your practice? Have you ever felt like no one is fighting for nurses when it comes to the issues we face in practice? We are hoping to be the change so desperately needed.
What is the NURVN?
The National Union of Registered Veterinary Nurses (The NURVN) is a trade union run by four RVNs – fighting for the rights of nurses, today and tomorrow. We have been slowly building our base of members over the past 6 months and we are able to support RVNs, REVNs and SVNs. Until now, there has never been a trade union solely for veterinary nurses. Our vision is to create a sustainable industry in which the RVN title is respected and protected – creating an environment in which nurses are united in the goal of empowering each other in recognising our own worth.
Why was The NURVN started?
The NURVN was formed by two RVNs, Georgina Parsons and Nadia Khan, in August 2022. It started as a little idea and quickly grew to what we are today: a fully fledged trade union for veterinary nurses, with the addition of Sam Mumford and Rebecca Ratcliffe as board members.
While we eventually want to tackle some of the larger concerns in the industry, such as lack of title protection, wage concerns, accessibility concerns, lack of recognition and everything else that contributes to nurses leaving the industry, it it is very important to us to be able to help with the smaller things too. We have a small number of members, the majority of whom have already reached out for support for things such as contract discrepancies, bullying and harassment cases, accessibility rights and placement advice for SVNs and we have referred cases to our legal team for further investigation.
Given the state of the economy and workers rights at the moment, we believe that a trade union has its place now more than ever. What sets us apart from other unions is that we are a board of RVNs, fighting for nurses.
What can we offer you?
The NURVN has a number of benefits to joining. Firstly, we are able to offer workplace representation. Should you ever be in the unfortunate position of having a disciplinary meeting or dispute, a union representative will be available to you for support. This applies to any in practice disciplinaries or higher, such as the RCVS disciplinary process. We can provide legal advice and support and work closely with our trade union specialist solicitors – Morrish Solicitors – whom we have referred a number of cases to. All union-related legal fees are covered by The NURVN.
The NURVN is also available as an impartial place you can turn to for advice. We have a board of four RVNs active in practice with over 40 years of combined experience in varying workplaces. We have an advanced certificate holder and clinical coach, so can provide advice and support. We also have a mental health first aider who will be able to offer support and point you in the right direction. Two of our board members are working mothers, so can provide advice on finding a practice that fits your needs.
We have open communication with a number of organisations, including The RCVS, therefore providing a voice for any concerns you may have. We have a number of collaborations in the works to open up even further opportunities. We also work with the General Federation of Trade Unions who provide lots of support and training to be the best that we can be. Eventually we will be looking for union representatives across the country.
What makes us different to other organisations available?
We know that there are other organisations out there that may sound similar to us, but we are different. We are a union run by nurses for nurses. We don't have any influence from external organisations and we are not just an organisation who can only offer advice and not action.
The NURVN follows a traditional trade union structure in order to make a change. Unions can increase workers' negotiation powers, protect workers' rights and unionised workers tend to be paid more than non-unionised workers.
We fully understand the issues in practice because we are living it too. We are here to support RVNs, REVNs, SVNs, as well as nurses who are in practice management roles, administrative roles and locum RVNs. While our end goal is to better the profession for all current and future nurses, making those individual differences is always a personal achievement for us. For these reasons we will continue to keep the board solely made up of nurses, as we believe that the needs and rights of veterinary nurses are very different to our colleagues in practice.
How do I become a member?
We are now at a point of taking official paid memberships on an annual basis, but are hoping to have a monthly payment option soon. Our pricing is tiered for full time employment, part time employment and student veterinary nurses. To become a member of The NURVN, please email contact@thenurvn.com.
We always aim to be transparent with our members and will happily answer questions. We are available on Facebook, Instagram and via email as above.