Your data on MRCVSonline
The nature of the services provided by Vision Media means that we might obtain certain information about you.
Please read our Data Protection and Privacy Policy for details.

In addition, (with your consent) some parts of our website may store a 'cookie' in your browser for the purposes of
functionality or performance monitoring.
Click here to manage your settings.
If you would like to forward this story on to a friend, simply fill in the form below and click send.

Your friend's email:
Your email:
Your name:
 
 
Send Cancel

VN Council approves advanced nursing qualifications
It is hoped that once enough members of the profession have completed the certificate, it could act as a pathway to formal Advanced Veterinary Nurse status.
New certificate to offer ‘significant opportunities’ for VNs 

VN Council has approved two advanced veterinary nursing qualifications, following a VN Futures recommendation to open up new career paths for veterinary nurses.

Proposals for the new qualifications were developed by a working group and consulted on last year, after the 2016 VN Futures report concluded that the RCVS and BVNA should canvas opinion on post-qualification awards for nurses.

The final stage of the process saw VN Council approve the two new qualifications; the Level 6 Graduate Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Nursing and a Level 7 Postgraduate Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Nursing.

VN Council chair Rachael Marshall described the move as a “fantastic development for veterinary nursing”.

The RCVS said the qualifications differ from the previous Diploma in Advanced Veterinary Nursing, in that they are more focused and specific to a veterinary nurse’s subject of choice. In addition, each is a 60 credit qualification rather than 120 credits.

Rachael Marshall added: “By allowing greater focus on particular designated areas of practice I think these courses will really open up some significant opportunities for VNs, who can choose to go down a designated path, whether that is in, for example, anaesthesia, emergency & critical care, pharmacology or even non-clinical routes such as education and teaching, research skills and leadership.

“This is a great step forward for the profession and we look forward to working to develop the first Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Nursing courses and seeing the first cohort of veterinary nurses sign-up to it.”

It is hoped that once enough members of the profession have completed the certificate, it could act as a pathway to formal Advanced Veterinary Nurse status.

Further information can be found in the VN Council committee papers. Any veterinary nurses or higher further education institutions who are interested in the certificate should contact vetnursing@rcvs.org.uk or 020 7202 0788.

Become a member or log in to add this story to your CPD history

RCVS Knowledge appoints Veterinary Evidence editor-in-chief

News Story 1
 RCVS Knowledge has welcomed Professor Peter Cockcroft as editor-in-chief for Veterinary Evidence.

A world-renowned expert in evidence-based veterinary medicine, Prof Cockcroft will lead the strategic development and editorial quality of the open-access journal. He was previously in the role from 2017-2020.

Katie Mantell, CEO of RCVS Knowledge, said: "We are excited about the extensive knowledge of evidence-based veterinary medicine and clinical veterinary research that Peter brings, and we look forward to working with him over this next phase of the journal's development." 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Defra to host bluetongue webinar for vets

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) will be hosting a webinar for veterinary professional on bluetongue on Thursday, 25 April 2024.

Topics covered will include the transmission cycle, pathology and pathogenesis, clinical signs (including signs seen in recent BTV-3 cases in the Netherlands), and control and prevention.

The session, which will take place from 6pm to 7.30pm, is part of Defra's 'Plan, Prevent and Protect' webinar series, which are hosted by policy officials, epidemiologists and veterinary professionals from Defra and the Animal and Plant Health Agency. The bluetongue session will also feature insights from experts from The Pirbright Institute.

Those attending will have the opportunity to ask questions. Places on the webinar can be booked online.