RCVS considers new vet nurse prescriber role
“We are glad there was consensus that veterinary nurses could identify the majority of issues" - Julie Dugmore RVN
New research from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) has suggested that a new ‘veterinary nurse prescriber’ role could be feasible.
Panel members agreed that experienced veterinary nurses would be able recognise and refer most issues which might present during a small animal vaccine consultation.
The study, conducted by the RCVS Research Team, saw the creation of two panels of mid-career veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses. These panels were drawn at random from their respective UK registers.
With the view of assessing a veterinary nurse’s capabilities when conducting a health check, the RCVS chose a vaccination consultation as a suitable scenario.
Researchers hoped that the panels would reach a consensus on whether conditions which would typically present at a vaccine consultation could be identified by a veterinary nurse. They also discussed the potential risks if these conditions were missed.
The two panels reached a consensus that a veterinary nurse with at least five years’ experience in clinical practice would be able to identify 34 of the 42 conditions that might be flagged at an annual vaccination consultation.
For the remaining eight conditions, the panel was unable to reach the threshold for a consensus. However, panel members were most likely to say that a veterinary nurse would correctly refer this to a veterinary surgeon.
Julie Dugmore, RCVS director of veterinary nursing, said: “Under current legislation, only veterinary surgeons are able to prescribe veterinary medicines such as vaccinations, whereas in human healthcare such medications can be prescribed by nurses provided they have sufficient training and competence. This research is a key part of establishing the feasibility of a veterinary nurse prescriber role, as one part of their clinical responsibilities could be carrying out vaccination consultations and prescribing the vaccination.
“We are glad there was consensus that veterinary nurses could identify the majority of issues though there were a few conditions, particularly those that might occur in older animals or in rabbits, where the panels suggested additional experience or training. This was seen as particularly important for conditions that the vet nurse might hear or feel – such as abnormal lung or intestinal sounds, and enlarged thyroid or lymph nodes.”
The full report can be found here. The findings will now be presented to the Standards Committee and Veterinary Nurses Council, as the RCVS begins to develop possible models for a vet nurse prescriber role.
Image © RCVS
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