Over the last few weeks I have been enjoying news about Veterinary Nurse Day in New Zealand and Australia as well as Veterinary Technician Week in America. It's so rewarding to see our profession highlighted and promoted for all the good that we do and the important role that we hold in the veterinary community.
One thing that really caught my eye in all of the celebrations was a notice by the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA) which stated that they are initiating a movement regarding implementing the term veterinary nurse for the veterinary technician profession. They are also hoping to establish a national standard for credentialing of veterinary nurses as well as using Registered Veterinary Nurse, or RVN, as a unified title.
I am absolutely delighted to hear this. I can remember in the early ‘90s when I was first studying to become a veterinary technician, and at the time, the profession was required to use that title because we were not allowed to use the term nurse — it was a protected title from the human nursing field. Seven years later I moved to New Zealand and was thrilled to be able to take additional study and gain a veterinary nursing qualification. I have been proud to call myself a veterinary nurse ever since.
In the last 25 years or so, American veterinary technicians have got used to their title and some now prefer it over the idea of using the title veterinary nurse. Anecdotally, there are more males in the profession due to males who prefer not to be called a nurse. This is a real shame as nursing is such a highly important skillset and an essential component to the healthcare team. It seems that the early history of nursing being a female dominated occupation still clings to our modern society, but it's really time to move forward from that idea.
Nursing in general encompasses a huge variety of skills and, as with human nursing, veterinary nurses are absolutely essential to the healthcare team. Veterinary nurses are patient advocates, above all else, and when talking with clients about their pets I often feel as if I am like a human paediatric nurse making decisions about a living being whose life is in our hands. It's an incredible responsibility, but one in which we accept gratefully and willingly, using our head and our hearts to fully realise the essential principles of caring and maintaining wellness.
Using the title of veterinary nurse is a huge responsibility, and an immense privilege. With the title, we not only carry the history of decades of nursing practice, but we also carry the future of animal health and the progression of the veterinary community as a whole. This move to unify our collective title as veterinary nurses is exceptionally good news, and by all accounts, global regulation of veterinary nurses is getting closer than ever before including internationalisation much like that which exists for veterinarians in most of the modern nations.
These are incredibly exciting times. In the more than 20 years since I first entered the profession I can scarcely recall a time when our global future as a profession was on the cusp of major change. I could not be more proud to be a part of the veterinary nursing community. I know I can speak for many when I extend my heartfelt thanks to each of the extraordinary veterinary nurses and supporters driving our profession forward. Your passion and dedication is truly awe inspiring.
Congratulations to NAVTA for this momentous move and warm wishes to everyone celebrating veterinary nurses and technicians this month. We hope you enjoy this issue.