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Nurse becomes the UK's first nutrition specialist
nicola ackerman
Nicola is the only nurse outside of North America to achieve the VTS (Nutr).
Nicola Ackerman achieves Veterinary Technician Speciality in nutrition

Veterinary nurse Nicola Ackerman has become the first in the UK to hold the Veterinary Technician Speciality (VTS) in nutrition.

Nicola, who is senior medical nurse at the Veterinary Hospital Group in Plymouth, is the only veterinary nurse outside of North America to achieve the qualification.

Commenting on her achievement, she said: "I feel really proud that I have achieved the VTS in Nutrition. It is an exceptionally hard qualification to achieve, with both practical and theoretical knowledge being examined.

"I hope that all the knowledge that I have gained really benefits the patients and clients that I see in practice."

Nicola says it is a "real achievement" to get through the exam. Before even being considered for the VTS (Nutr) exam, candidates must submit case logs requiring a large number of nutritional cases.

After being accepted, she had to travel to Tennessee in June this year to sit the exam at the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Forum, for which she was sponsored by Royal Canin.

Since graduating from Hartpury College with an Honours Degree in Equine Science - specialising in nutrition - Nicola has gained post-graduate qualifications in emergency critical care and small and exotic animal nutrition.

As well as training student veterinary nurses and helping to run the nurses' clinical team at the Veterinary Hospital Group, Nicola is the author of textbooks for nurses and technicians and sits on the board for the Veterinary Medicines Directorate and the editorial board for the Veterinary Nursing Journal.

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Vets to run marathon for World Animal Protection

News Story 1
 Two recently graduated veterinary surgeons will be running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the charity World Animal Protection.

Alex Bartlett and Maeve O'Neill plan to run the race together if they are given the same start times.

Dr O'Neill said: "You're always limited in what you can do to help animals, so it is nice to raise money for a charity that helps animals around the world."

Dr Bartlett added: "I have never run a marathon before and am excited to run my first one for such a good cause!"

Both Dr Bartlett and Dr O'Neill have fundraising pages online. 

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News Shorts
BSAVA releases new Guide to Procedures

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has published a new edition of its Guide to Procedures for Small Animal Practice.

It has added four new procedures; cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound and wet-to-dry dressings.

BSAVA says that it is an essential step-by-step guide to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed in practice. The textbook includes new images and illustrations, as well as high-definition videos for use prior to procedures.

Nick Bexfield and Julia Riggs, editors of the new edition, said: "We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed."

Print copies are available in the BSAVA store, with a digital version in the BSAVA library.