RVNs produce first veterinary nurses’ guide by fellow professionals
21 May 2023
Enterprising registered veterinary nurses have turned authors to produce the first guide for their profession written by working RVNs.
The Veterinary Nurse's Practical Guide To Small Animal Anaesthesia was created by nurses at the RVC’s Queen Mother Hospital for Animals in Hertfordshire after they pinpointed the need for a hands-on manual to techniques and potential complications.
Anaesthesia RVN, Teaching Fellow and Deputy Co Course Director for the Certificates in Advanced Veterinary Nursing and Module Leader for Anaesthesia at the RVC, Niamh Clancy edited the volume. She approached publisher Wiley with the idea of a book in collaboration with colleagues.
“Constructing this practical guide has been a labour of love for all of us. Since the first conception of the idea in the recovery room of the QMHA, we wanted this book to be by RVNs for RVNs and to be an essential and accessible guide for the RVN in practice,” said Clancy.
The specialist anaesthesia nurses covered a variety of skills and qualifications, including an American Vet Tech Specialist (VTS) in anaesthesia and analgesia plus RVNs with the national certificate in anaesthesia and analgesia plus a PGCert AVN in anaesthesia and analgesia.
The guide breaks down the anaesthetic process, discussing choice of anaesthetic agents and monitoring equipment and features case studies involving commonly occurring challenges and approaches to these. Each chapter ends with a quick reference guide for emergency situations.
RVC Director of Veterinary Nursing, Principal Teaching Fellow and Course Director for Certificates in Advanced Veterinary Nursing and School of Veterinary Nursing Perdi Welsh, commented:
“This book by our anaesthesia RVNs is built up from many years working in a highly collaborative and supportive team environment and it's great to see this team passing on their knowledge, expertise and experience to empower others in their learning.
“It's an essential read for anyone doing anaesthetics; VNs and vets in clinical practice, to help them gain confidence in being able to deal with all aspects of small animal anaesthesia.”
Picture caption: Contributors Senior Anaesthesia RVN Carol Hoy; Niamh Clancy; anaesthesia RVNs Ana Costa, Lisa Angel (Head Anaesthesia RVN), and Ioan Holban.
