Guest blog from Roxanne O’Brien CertNCS VPM GradDipVN RVN, RVN and practice manager at Vet4Life and member of Veterinary Woman editorial board.
A common career pathway for registered veterinary nurses (RVNs) may start as a patient care assistant (PCA) or student veterinary nurse (SVN) via an apprenticeship or university, with career progression in a traditional nursing framework often limited to deputy head nurse and head nurse.
The question that many are faced with is what now? “How can I progress when I don’t want to be a people manager?” or “What do I do now I have achieved head nurse status?”. Practice management, drug rep, referral nursing, a head nurse position in another branch or leaving the profession are potential options.
The British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA) has identified that lack of career progression is a significant issue in why RVNs leave the profession. How many nurses can say they have a solid career development structure within their business that goes beyond what we currently know?… I can.
Matching values
How do we find the right place and choose a company that is forward thinking and champions RVNs? This was something I didn’t fully experience in my career history. It’s easy for us to look for positions based on salary, but what else is being offered? I acknowledge that RVN salaries need to be higher due to the value we add to the veterinary industry but what happens when these highly paid roles can’t deliver on support and progression? Salaries need to be considered alongside individualised and tailored professional development, progression opportunities, benefits packages, support, values, and culture.
When moving from an RVN into a practice manager role, I selected a company for values that aligned with my own, a progressive culture that fits our current social environment and a place that gives me the tools to build and develop my team through kindness and support. I also wanted opportunities for career development and movement within the company, as I understand myself well enough to know I will always aim for growth.
“I felt empowered. The general sentiment was that people come first.”
I found Linnaeus, which came to be the best company I have worked for in my career to date. Forget the whole independent vs corporate battle; what matters is the fit of a practice with your own needs and values, and how they help you create a better world for pets. The level of resources and support I encountered was apparent from the get-go, which eradicated any feeling of imposter syndrome. I felt empowered. The general sentiment was that people come first. Look after your people to the best of your ability and the rest will follow. With this laying down the foundation of all we do in the organisation, it contributed to how my nursing career development structure was successfully implemented.
Nurse career development
Our nurse career development structure is designed to help individuals identify opportunities that align within their own, individual career aspirations; whether that is to grow in a clinically focussed role or in a people leadership role. It’s recognised that the veterinary nursing population needs to be supported and developed to reach its full potential in its ability to deliver the best possible nursing care. Not everyone wants to people manage and lead large teams, so this structure enables nurses to progress with alternative responsibilities, such as embarking on extra qualifications or leading in their specific nursing fields, whilst also being able to increase earnings.
We have a central team dedicated to this framework to which we refer to as the four pillars:
- Operational support – working with managers across the business to achieve full utilisation through appropriate delegation and improve efficiencies across our nursing teams
- Pre-registration experience management – creating exceptional, highly supportive experiences for our SVNs and PCAs
- Post-registration programmes – establishing a formalised programme to support newly qualified RVNs moving into specialist referral centres
- Professional development – helping the nursing population achieve their full potential through provision of tools to optimise the use of their skills and abilities throughout their careers
We implemented the new nurse career framework in my branch last year. As we all know, implementing change successfully needs clear communication, maintaining enthusiasm and a having genuine passion in the change itself. The team were able to visualise their own career path with the freedom of creativity and opportunity within a clearly defined framework. We are creating careers for life. Career conversations are held at least twice a year but often more as it’s worked into most catch-up meetings. Revisiting objectives alongside the framework, can help associates stay excited and on track to a successful and fulfilling career.
Future progression
We introduced a Clinical Nursing Manager who line manages the Lead Nurses at each of our three branches at Vet4Life, and who is part of the senior leadership team. The Lead positions vary throughout the business, all involve line management responsibility and can also be specialised to departments such as Wards, Surgery, and Dental Leads. The three Leads in my practice look after each branch, where they focus on efficiency and coordination of the day. The PCA team have an opportunity to move into fully funded SVN positions where we can internally nurture and grow our own RVNs. This new structure allowed us to increase our SVN capacity. Since its introduction, engagement with the nursing teams have improved even further with many associates wanting to take the leap from reception to nursing.
Our PCAs are pivotal to supporting our nursing team and those that do not want to become veterinary nurses, can benefit from the PCA training programme.
The future vision is to onboard more nurses and work with them to create a deeper understanding of our practice and the company we work for; focussing on engagement, enhancing and nurturing interests to make not only the best nurses but to enable to be the best they can. I aim to showcase career options they have and not just limit them to our branch. As much as we want them to stay with us, we need to be transparent with what’s out there and be the foundation of their future progression. The nursing profession will only grow in strength if realistic and exciting career frameworks are in place and it’s initiatives like this that will save the nursing profession.
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