Equine veterinary nursing progression

Being an equine Registered Veterinary Nurse (eRVN) is a dynamic, demanding and rewarding role. The eRVN profession is still fairly new, with the first eRVNs qualifying in 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). Despite these changes, it has not been an easy journey for eRVNs, who often feel overlooked or forgotten about as a result of their low numbers and minimal exposure. Recently, there have been several exciting developments in the field of equine veterinary nursing. This editorial will focus on some of these developments and how they will contribute to the progression of the equine veterinary nursing profession.

The British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) put an equine veterinary nurse committee together in 2022 to advise BEVA on any issues relating to equine veterinary nursing. The BEVA Equine Nurse Committee (BEVA-ENC) identified the lack of clarity surrounding Schedule 3 of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 as a significant problem facing equine nurses in practice. This lack of clarity was causing veterinary surgeons to be reluctant to delegate appropriate tasks to eRVNs. In turn, this was reducing the efficiency of the veterinary team, contributing to the lack of career progression that is apparent in the veterinary industry and contributing significantly to a retention crisis. eRVNs were struggling to prove their value financially in practice, which was leading to frustration and ultimately, skilled eRVNs leaving the profession. The majority of eRVNs wanted to take on more responsibility in terms of Schedule 3 procedures, they just needed the opportunity and support from their practices to do so. To assist with this, the BEVA-ENC worked with representatives from the RCVS and The British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA) to produce 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 (BEVA, 2024).