b'EMPOWERED TO INSPIRE, ACHIEVE AND LEAD TOGETHEREMPOWERED TO INSPIRE, ACHIEVE AND LEAD TOGETHEREMPOWERED TO INSPIRE, ACHIEVE AND LEAD TOGETHEREMPOWERED TO INSPIRE, VETERINARY WOMAN CHAMPIONS FOR CHANGEACHIEVE & LEAD TOGETHERTara Ryan CHIEF VETERINARY NURSING OFFICER AT CVSTara Ryan is Chief Veterinary Nursing Officer at CVS. She is responsible for over 3,000 veterinary nurses working in the UK, Ireland, The Netherlands and Australia and her aim is to ensure that nurses are inspired to be the nurse they want to be within the profession, wherever they work in the world.Please summarise how you are working towards change in the veterinary professions and why do you feel thisis important?I believe as a profession it is our duty to ensure our vets and nurses are offered fulfilling careers and are supported where they want to develop their skills. I started my role as Chief Veterinary Nursing Officer in July 2023 and since this time I have been working on a Nursing S U M M A R Y Career Pathway with some of our amazing RVN colleagues. Ihave worked in the veterinary professionThe pathway has been created to inspire nurses to be the for 23 years. It all began at 14 years oldnurse they want to be within our profession, wherever they when I started work experience in mywork in the world.local practice. I had always wanted toThe pathway has been created to demonstrate to newly work with animals and a passion forqualified RVNs all of the development opportunities available animal welfare has been deep in my heartto them in clinical practice throughout their career. The from a child. pathway supports each stage with a suggested curriculumMy first practice gave me a goodto bolster their experience, competence and confidence atto facilitate discussion, share information and collate views. grounding - and enabled me to move intodifferent clinical activity levels. It also demonstrates all ofThe committee has already reviewed several products and is my next role as Head Nurse in my firstthe possible career opportunities available to them to allowhelping to shape the future of CVS and the wider profession.CVS practice. I loved my HVN role andnurses to see that they can have a lifelong career within the loved working with my team. This for meprofession. We want all of our nurses to feel included andI am extremely lucky to have the support and autonomy from was where it all started. supported at all stages of their career.our senior leaders to drive veterinary nursing forward. I feelI have always been very determined to bewe are in the infancy of further changing the way we support the best I can be and to utilise my nursingWe also have a Clinical Advisory Committee made up of 12our nurses. The pathway is the beginning but there is so skills to their full potential. Ive alwayssub-groups. During the last three months I have recentlymuch more exciting work to be done. My role as CVNO is to wanted to try new things and make asappointed 12 nursing members to our Nursing Committeeshowcase to veterinary teams what impact nurses can have, much of a difference as I can - supportingand the group now has representation from small animal,and to make waves in really moving the profession forward by the vets and nurses to get where theyreferral and equine nursing. We have created this to ensurecreating awareness of the incredible nurses we have in practice wanted to be and to showcase whata flexible and inclusive environment for all colleagues andand across the veterinary profession, and their capabilities. 28www.veterinarywoman.co.uk'