Becky and Katie are both registered Veterinary Nurses (RVNs) and both joined the Hollybank team in 2022.

Becky

I completed my sandwich year placement at Hollybank as a Student Veterinary Nurse (SVN) in 2020-2021. During this time, I learned the day one skills to become a Veterinary Nurse and completed my Nursing Progress Log (NPL). I then came back to work at Hollybank as an RVN in 2022 following completion of my degree. My first year qualified was spent gaining confidence and building on my knowledge.

Last year I was given the opportunity to become a Clinical Coach, which involves teaching and training the next generation of Student Veterinary Nurses. I was keen to take on this role as clinical coaching had always been in my career plans.

I had a really positive experience completing my training at Hollybank and therefore wanted to be able to provide future SVNs with that experience too. Becoming a Clinical Coach has provided me with many opportunities to further my learning in all areas of nursing, it has also enabled me to better understand the different ways in which students learn and how to adapt my teaching to suit this. When I reflect on my progression over the last 4 years, I feel proud of how much I have achieved and how much my confidence has grown since starting my veterinary nursing career.

Katie C

As an RVN one of our main tasks is taking care of our hospitalised patients when they are sick.

Inpatient care is a part of my job that has a lot of potential for progression as our CPD (continuing professional development) that we do is related to nutrition, behaviour and cat and dog friendly techniques. This helps us to provide the best care for patients with different needs and we learn so much about them from the way they like to eat to how they like to be comforted which then develops us into the caring nurses we are.

I started out as an auxiliary, then became a student nurse to then a qualified nurse. I have been on the register for 3 years now and feel I have developed so much from the auxiliary that started out who was shy and lacked confidence with many tasks to now pushing myself, asking questions and researching cases. I find being an RVN a rewarding career, especially when we nurse a patient back to good health and can send them home!