With two decades of veterinary experience, Racheal Marshall has seen a whirlwind of innovation and a world of change.
And, through the 15 years she has spent working in emergency care, that’s been especially apparent in the field of ECC. As Head of Clinical Nursing at Vets Now, she has helped drive that change and promote the ever-growing role of nurses within the organisation.
Now, as one of the programme coordinators for next month’s eagerly anticipated Vets Now Emergency and Critical Care Congress, she says the flexible working and career pathways make ECC an ideal opportunity for vets and nurses.
“I qualified as a vet nurse over 20 years ago,” said Racheal, who is responsible for the professional and clinical standards of the company’s veterinary nurses. “I worked in a busy general day practice then left to teach veterinary nursing for a short time. But lecturing wasn’t for me, and I missed the hands-on clinic work so joined Vets Now 15 years ago.
“I like the unpredictability of ECC and the ability to make an immediate impact on a patient.”
ECC medicine has evolved enormously over those 15 years, with increasing opportunities for qualifications and certification for both vets and nurses, including a well-established nursing ECC certificate. Recognition for nurses is constantly increasing.
Viv Ryan, senior vet at Vets Now, Colwyn Bay.
Viv chose a permanent ECC role over locuming. Antisocial hours and the occasional nip or scratch may be par for the course, but she sees it as an honour to be with animals at their most vulnerable.
“When I’m working full time, I tend to work three nights a week. When I’m on days, the days start early, at around seven or eight o’clock, preparing for procedures or surgery. Predominantly, we’re dealing with companion animals.
The shifts are busy and we see such a wide range of conditions every day. From dogs who have eaten the full contents of the kitchen bin, plastic bag included, to pets with much more unusual, complex presentations. Every shift brings new challenges – it never gets boring!
“The very best part of this job is simply being there and being a part of things as the owners and their animals’ stories unfold in real time.”
Much has changed, too, with regard to working hours. Whereas in the past it was truly an out-of-hours service that necessitated nights and weekend working, there are now other options. The establishment of 24/7 ECC hospitals has made it increasingly possible to work in emergency but do it during the daytime. Flexible shifts also offer evening-only work at a time to suit different circumstances.
“As well as Glasgow and Manchester Hospitals, Newport is open 24/7 and the new IVC Blaise Referral Hospital opening in Birmingham next month will have 24/7 ECC,” said Racheal.
“So there are a growing number of options regarding working patterns, and I can only see that continuing.”
Jade Yhnell, Principal nurse manager at Vets Now, Newport
Jade qualified as a registered veterinary nurse in 2008 and her pride and passion for the job is immediately contagious. She works full-time, including bank holidays and 12-hour night shifts on weekends. Jade explains why ECC is the only job for her:
“Being able to help in people’s biggest time of need and offer emotional support is why I do this,” Jade says.
“The day they come in here is probably going to feel like one of the worst days of their lives. We whip the animals through but we do everything we can to reassure them. It’s really rewarding.”
The option to tailor working hours to fit in with other aspects of life is crucial, with weekend-only contracts, nine days spread over two weeks, the choice to take small ECC contracts while working in general practice and much else besides.
Getting the correct work-life balance is something that, as a parent, Racheal knows from a personal perspective. “We have become more conscious that you need to have flexibility, and Covid made a lot of people stop and think about how much time you spend at work.
“When I came back from maternity leave, I made the decision to do a four-day week rather than the five days I had been working previously. I still work the same number of hours, but I condense them into four days. Others choose to cut their hours and do it pro rata, so there are different options.
“It makes a massive difference to us as a family. My partner, who isn’t in the veterinary world, does a nine-day fortnight and every other Friday we’re off as a family. Our daughter isn’t in school yet, so it lets us spend more time with her. That’s really precious and having the flexibility to work round family life is a big part of ECC.”
“We have become more conscious that you need to have flexibility, and Covid made a lot of people stop and think about how much time you spend at work.
Having the necessary level of expertise, and then support, to undertake ECC roles is critical; finding the right practice is vital, and high-quality ECC training can make a real difference. Structured courses covering the unique requirements of ECC can smooth the transition to a new role.
As Racheal highlights, “Sink or swim is never the right way.”
Chloe Bell, RVN, Vets Now, Belfast
Chloe, who graduated in 2018, is a highly skilled vet nurse at Vets Now’s clinic in Belfast. It deals with sick animals, some who face a real battle for life, every night and weekend. Chloe explains her love of ECC:
“After I qualified, I had an interest in Emergency and Critical Care, which is a bit like a mix between A&E and intensive care in a hospital. It’s busy and can seem quite chaotic if you don’t know what’s going on, but I love the chaos.
You’re always having to use your brain, it’s never boring and I work better under pressure. You can’t do an ECC case on your own, you’re always part of a team and you come away with a buzz.
It’s a long shift but it’s so rewarding. You build fast bonds with patients and rapport with owners who are often terrified, so emotions are heightened. When you are able to phone them after treatment, hearing their relief makes everything worth it.”
Those who do enter ECC can find it’s far from a one-size-fits-all world, and there are a plethora of career opportunities and potential pathways to pursue.
“Some vets and nurses will progress their careers by moving into leadership, taking management clinical roles,” said Racheal, who has sat on the RCVS Council and been Chair of the RCVS Veterinary Nursing Council.
“Some may choose other routes, and there are so many options. We have area directors within the out-of-hours side, and area clinical managers who are vets. Maybe you want to go into leadership within the clinic, or the area or within the company. So, there’s a wide range of opportunities.”
Whatever the specific role or career pathway that might suit, the place to find out all about life on the emergency front line is Vets Now’s Emergency and Critical Care Congress. This is the 20th year of the Congress, which takes place at the Royal Armouries, Leeds on November 9 and 10.
“It’s the biggest ECC Congress in Europe but it’s really welcoming and it’s open to anyone at any level,” added Racheal. “If you’re working somewhere that lets you see some ECC cases and you’d like to learn more, then we have different streams over the two days.
“Some will cover more of the fundamentals, while others are more specialist and unlike other congresses, it’s not restricted. There are no vet streams or nurse streams, you can attend anything you find of interest. It’s a great way to meet people and the networking opportunities are huge.”
For more information about the Vets Now ECC Congress, or to book tickets, visit https://www.vets-now.com/congress/
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