Hartpury University will head to the British Small Animal Veterinary Nursing Association (BSAVA) Congress in Manchester next week (23-25 March) to showcase its well-respected portfolio of student veterinary nurse training, RCVS-accredited postgraduate certificate, and student veterinary nurse practice placement opportunities.
The event provides those in the industry with an opportunity to engage, network and explore current topics.
The Hartpury team will be on hand to answer questions around its work-based training options as well as traditional full-time pathways and online short courses. Practice managers will be able to learn more about student veterinary nurse placement partnerships with Hartpury - relationships that have enabled the institution to produce well-rounded and resilient veterinary nurses for more than two decades.
Those in attendance can learn about the new Postgraduate Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Nursing that allows students to specialise in one of four areas of clinical interest while also enrolling on the RCVS Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Nursing.
Students can choose from pathways including Advanced Veterinary Nursing (Clinical Nursing and Client Support) and Advanced Veterinary Nursing (Perioperative Nursing and Patient Safety). Modules include Clinical Nursing of Patients with Long-term Conditions, Communication and Client Support, Perioperative Surgical Nursing Care and Clinical Audit and Patient Safety in Veterinary Practice.
The course is studied via flexible and online learning and can be completed in one year or spread out over two or three years. Modules can also be taken individually as CPD.
For those seeking a move away from small animal practice, Hartpury is the only university to offer an equine specialism - the Advanced Equine Veterinary Nursing Certificate, offering a Critical Care or Diagnostic Imaging and Rehabilitation pathway for those looking to specialise away from small animal practice.
At the undergraduate level, attendees can find out about the 2-year Diploma in Professional Studies Veterinary Nursing - the only one of its kind in the UK, for those already working in an RCVS-approved veterinary nursing training practice. Students will have an opportunity to achieve university-level expertise whilst qualifying as an RCVS Veterinary Nurse.
For those seeking a more traditional full-time study route, the popular BSc (Hons) Veterinary Nursing and BSc (Hons) Equine Veterinary Nursing programmes are taught by an experienced team making use of Hartpury’s exceptional facilities and boasting 100% graduate employability (Graduate Outcomes 2022). There’s also the opportunity to complete Clinical Coach training via a short online course, designed to provide clinical coach training to veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses to help participants develop their coaching skills in the workplace.
Catherine Phillips is the Head of Department for Veterinary Nursing as well as an Honorary Associate of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and holds a master’s degree in veterinary education from the Royal Veterinary College.
She said: “We’re very excited to head to BSAVA to tell everyone about our range of work-based training, tradition full-time pathways and online courses, as well as meeting with practice managers to explore placement opportunities. I’d urge anyone attending the congress to come and say hello, find out about our facilities and have your questions answered by our friendly and enthusiastic team.”
Paul Higgs, Chair of the BSAVA Congress Committee, said: “I cannot wait for BSAVA 2023! After the successful transformation of BSAVA in our move to Manchester we have been working our socks off to go one better! Filled with brilliant speakers, our now trade-mark combination of short, paired lectures with stimulating and inspiring panel discussions, is back in strength.”
Before the congress gets underway, the British Veterinary Behaviour Association (BVBA) will hold a study day bringing together a host of speakers and presenters to share the latest industry research. Izzy Riley - Lecturer and Programme Manager for the Diploma in Professional Studies Veterinary Nursing at Hartpury, will present the findings of a study in which she explored how the environmental variables of a veterinary practice waiting room can influence the expression of fear-related behaviours in dogs.
She’ll explain how key findings of the project showed that dogs demonstrate more fear-related behaviours before the consultation than after, and that aspects of the environment such as the flooring type, footfall and noise levels play a part in increasing fear responses in dogs.
As a result, the research suggests that control of environmental factors should be considered along with looking at the set-up of waiting rooms from a patient perspective.
“It’s exciting to be able to share the results of my pilot study within this area of practice and design,” says Izzy.
“It’s interesting to consider what aspects of practice could be manipulated to positively influence how dogs perceive waiting rooms in practice. By attempting to reduce fear in our patients we could improve access to practice, broaden treatment options and reduce injury rates.”
Veterinary nursing at Hartpury
Veterinary nursing students benefit from outstanding facilities including Hartpury’s Clinical Skills Centre, equipped with modern technology that provides an ideal environment to practice and prepare for real-world practice. The facility is home to surgical, anaesthetic, and diagnostic imaging equipment that sit alongside animal science laboratories.
Research is at the heart of Hartpury and students have the chance to utilise cutting-edge industry knowledge to find solutions to real-world problems while also shaping the future of research in their field. Research carried out by Hartpury University was recognised as both ‘world-leading’ and ‘internationally excellent’ in a stunning Research Excellence Framework (REF2021) debut.
Learn more about studying veterinary nursing at Hartpury.
