Francesca joined Hollybank in 2023 after working at an exotic vets! Jess is one of our long-serving students and is nearing the end of her studies, she has recently passed her practical exams and will qualify in June!

Francesca

Since I have started at Hollybank, I feel I have progressed when consulting. My confidence has improved as Hollybank RVNs do a variety of different consults which I had never experienced in other practices, such as oral care clinics, puppy clubs and socialisation clinics.

Last year I completed the BVNA Oral Care Certificate which has enabled me to improve my skills in dental clinics. It has given me a greater understanding of dog and cat dentistry and how to advise owners on the best to care for their pets teeth and gums.

To further my knowledge and to keep up to date with the latest advice regarding socialisation clinics, I am currently undertaking CPD in animal behaviour, with the aim to use this within our clinics to further help patients that are anxious coming into the vets. Our socialisation clinics help to desensitise worried animals when coming to the vets as we try to get them to experience “nice visits” with treats and toys, instead of them always associating coming to see us with examinations and injections.

It has been very rewarding being able to do more consults and helping our clients and their pets to the best of my ability.

Jess H

Progression within the industry is a fundamental aspect of providing the best care to our patients, to ensure our knowledge base and skills are current and evidence-based. 

For a student, progression can occur quite rapidly. I started in the industry as an Animal Care Assistant (ACA) back in 2020, and with the end of 4 years at university approaching, I am proud of the progress I have made in the journey to become a qualified veterinary nurse. 

From learning how to properly hold and restrain patients and provide husbandry to animals as an ACA, to working my way through my Nursing Progress Log and completing milestones such as monitoring my first anaesthetic, taking blood samples and providing nursing consultations; none of this could have been possible without my colleagues and University lecturers encouraging progression.

More specifically, I have made progress in my anaesthetic monitoring, from being too nervous to attempt one on my own and insisting on standing back and watching, to recently performing my first rabbit anaesthetic for a C-section!

Milestones and progression like this make me realize how much I love the industry, and how thankful I am to Hollybank for allowing me to progress my skills and teaching me how to do so. Whilst I still have a lot to learn, I feel I have progressed a lot throughout the years, and I look forward to see my progression as a qualified veterinary nurse.

Becky and Katie are both registered Veterinary Nurses (RVNs) and both joined the Hollybank team in 2022.

Becky

I completed my sandwich year placement at Hollybank as a Student Veterinary Nurse (SVN) in 2020-2021. During this time, I learned the day one skills to become a Veterinary Nurse and completed my Nursing Progress Log (NPL). I then came back to work at Hollybank as an RVN in 2022 following completion of my degree. My first year qualified was spent gaining confidence and building on my knowledge.

Last year I was given the opportunity to become a Clinical Coach, which involves teaching and training the next generation of Student Veterinary Nurses. I was keen to take on this role as clinical coaching had always been in my career plans.

I had a really positive experience completing my training at Hollybank and therefore wanted to be able to provide future SVNs with that experience too. Becoming a Clinical Coach has provided me with many opportunities to further my learning in all areas of nursing, it has also enabled me to better understand the different ways in which students learn and how to adapt my teaching to suit this. When I reflect on my progression over the last 4 years, I feel proud of how much I have achieved and how much my confidence has grown since starting my veterinary nursing career.

Katie C

As an RVN one of our main tasks is taking care of our hospitalised patients when they are sick.

Inpatient care is a part of my job that has a lot of potential for progression as our CPD (continuing professional development) that we do is related to nutrition, behaviour and cat and dog friendly techniques. This helps us to provide the best care for patients with different needs and we learn so much about them from the way they like to eat to how they like to be comforted which then develops us into the caring nurses we are.

I started out as an auxiliary, then became a student nurse to then a qualified nurse. I have been on the register for 3 years now and feel I have developed so much from the auxiliary that started out who was shy and lacked confidence with many tasks to now pushing myself, asking questions and researching cases. I find being an RVN a rewarding career, especially when we nurse a patient back to good health and can send them home!