Marie Rippingale BSc (Hons), REVN, G-SQP, DipHE CVN, DipAVN (Equine), IQA
Introduction
Being an equine Registered Veterinary Nurse (eRVN) is a dynamic, demanding and rewarding role. The equine RVN profession is still fairly new, with the first equine veterinary nurses qualifying in the year 2000. However, there has been a lot of change since then, most notably the introduction of the Royal Charter in 2015 and the statutory regulation of RVNs by The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS). With such responsibility comes the need for good quality, progressive equine nurse Continuing Professional Development (CPD). This article will explore what is on offer for equine nurses at BEVA Congress 2024.
BEVA Congress 2024 Equine Nurse CPD stream
The nurse steam at BEVA Congress has been put together by guardian Marie Rippingale and the BEVA Equine Nurse Committee (Figure 1). The nursing day is on Friday 13th September at the ACC in Liverpool and will run for a full day. Not only will there be a dedicated lecture and workshop stream, but there will also be essential practical sessions on critical care and bandaging, casting and suturing.
Figure 1: (clockwise from lefthand side) Rosina Lillywhite, Louise Pailor, Mary Simcock, Rebecca Bruford (on Zoom), Cassie Woods, Jude Smith, Alice Robinson (student representative), Marie Rippingale (Chair). Not pictured: Lyndsey Bett and Sophie Haylock.
Session 1: One Medicine
The stream will begin with lectures on the Congress theme of ‘One Medicine’ where leading speakers will help the audience to apply new concepts to their daily lives in practice. To start the session off Rosina Lillywhite, an eRVN, will talk about human factors and the importance of considering these in equine practice from a nursing perspective. Next up, Bronwen Williams, a mental health nurse will talk to delegates about human behaviour change and how equine nurses can support clients through change. Session 1 will then be concluded by Tim Green, an animal rescue specialist, who will talk to delegates about how eRVNs can assist during fire and rescue procedures. These topics were selected as areas where equine nurses can make a big difference in practice, both to equine welfare and the welfare of clients.
Session 2: Critical care practical stations
The second session will contain critical care practical stations where nurses will be able to problem solve and actively carry out nursing tasks on a variety of models to simulate treating real life critical care cases. There will be four cases to work on and these will be facilitated by members of the BEVA Equine Nurse Committee. Cases presented will cover the following areas:
- Medical
- Surgical
- Wound care
- Anaesthesia
These cases will focus on developing the practical skills of the delegates across a variety of clinical areas. The practical sessions will be run in a friendly and welcoming environment. Speakers are approachable, enthusiastic eRVNs who are keen to share their knowledge and experience. Delegates of all abilities are welcome to attend.
Session 3: Bandaging, casting and suturing practical sessions
For session 3, delegates will be immersed in a practical learning experience where they can showcase their existing skills and learn new ones, all to the benefit of their equine patients in the future.
Three stations will run as follows:
- Bandaging: Delegates will be given a variety of advanced bandaging scenarios to work through alongside members of the BEVA Equine Nurse Committee. Life-sized plastic horse models will be available for delegates to practice their bandaging skills on, making skills learnt as clinically applicable as possible.
- Suturing: Delegates will be able to practice and learn new suturing skills in a supportive and knowledgeable learning environment headed up by eRVN Rosina Lillywhite.
- Casting: eRVN Louise Pailor will give a detailed and informative practical demonstration on how to apply and remove a foot cast. Cadaver limbs will be used for this session.
Places for the practical sessions are limited and delegates will need to sign up to attend. All BEVA members have received an email with practical session sign up details included.
Session 4: Neurodiversity workshop
Session 4 will include a neurodiversity workshop which is open to all delegates. Sophie Pullen, who is a Registered Veterinary Nurse (RVN) will run an interesting and informative workshop, comprising of several different tasks and stations. This promises to be a highly constructive session, during which the topic of neurodiversity will be thoroughly explored and practical applications to practice discussed. All delegates are welcome to attend this session, but places are limited, so registration is recommended.
Why is good quality CPD important for eRVNs?
It has not been an easy ride for eRVNs, and who have in the past often felt overlooked or forgotten about due to low numbers and minimal exposure. Lack of clarity surrounding Schedule 3 of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 has posed a significant problem. This has caused veterinary surgeons to be reluctant to delegate appropriate tasks to eRVNs. This in turn, effects the efficiency of the veterinary team and contributes to the lack of career progression that is currently apparent in this industry. This in turn, contributes significantly to the current retention crisis. eRVNs struggle to prove their value financially in practice, and this leads to frustration and ultimately, skilled eRVNs leaving the profession. The majority of eRVNs want to take on more responsibility in terms of Schedule 3 procedures. To assist with this, BEVA has produced a set of guidelines to help with the interpretation of Schedule 3 with a view to instilling confidence in veterinary surgeons to delegate more procedures to eRVNs in practice.
The BEVA Schedule 3 guidelines can be found here:
Gaining clarity surrounding Schedule 3 of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 will help to develop the role of the eRVN and encourage better utilisation for them in practice. However, further support is required in the form of good quality, progressive CPD, not only to support and empower equine nurses to develop and enhance their existing skills, but also to encourage and support veterinary surgeons and practice managers to ensure that eRVNs are utilised correctly within the veterinary team.
Conclusion
The nursing steam at BEVA Congress this year has been put together by a knowledgeable and enthusiastic group of eRVNs with the goal of creating a friendly and welcoming learning environment, where delegates of any ability can enhance their knowledge and practical skills, which they can then take back to practice to have a positive effect their own veterinary teams and equine patients. It’s not to be missed!
BEVA Congress 2024 takes place on 11th-14th September at the ACC Liverpool.
Find out more and book your tickets now at https://www.bevacongress.org/
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