Rebecca Draper has achieved remarkable milestones in her career with Abington Park Veterinary Hospital. Starting out as a Veterinary Care Assistant she is now Head Nurse, overcoming the challenges of dyslexia with the support of her team. Her passion for dentistry led her to develop the periodontal framework. Rebecca's dedication to empowering nurses is evident through her involvement in training centres and the IVC Evidensia Learning Academy, where she teaches essential skills like dental X-rays and oral assessments. She also sits on the Referral Clinical Board, providing valuable insights into dentistry. Rebecca is also a keen runner, and recently completed a 100-kilometer ultra marathon.
I am one of the head nurses at Abington Park Vet Me Hospital, which is a mixed first opinion and referral centre. I've worked here for 11 years now. I started as a care assistant student and worked my way up to head nurse. Qualifying as a nurse was quite difficult for me, but I had lots of support from my team, which was fantastic. That's why I've stuck it out here—the team was unbelievable in helping me with that support.
My big interest is dentistry. I work alongside an incredible vet, Kiara Batala, who really ignited my passion for dentistry. Together, we've built up the referral dentistry and oral surgery at Abington. This led me to do the periodontal framework, and from there, I got opportunities to teach, do webinars, and podcasts. IVC Evidensia supported me with these opportunities.
I really struggled with my nursing exams. I'm dyslexic, and having to do exams was really challenging for me. I almost didn't qualify, but I was lucky to have support from nurses like Joe, Becca, and Anna. They were behind me, supporting me to actually qualify. Even though I kept failing my exams, they still supported me. They helped me study outside of work and do revision. I'm very practical, but sitting and writing about it was really tough.
Having a really supportive team and working with people who have similar interests has been beneficial. Working with Kiara on dentistry and building that passion has been great. The practice has offered me a lot of support. I'm lucky to have a supportive team. We have about 27-30 nurses and care assistants. Managing clinical and non-clinical tasks with a supportive team is crucial. We foster a great environment where everyone supports each other. I t's very mixed. I do a lot of primary care and set days for internal medicine, dentistry, and ortho. The hospital is mixed, and we go where needed most on the day.
Becoming head nurse before I was 30 was a big milestone. I want to empower people to keep going, even if they struggle at the start of their careers. Find the right supportive people, and you will get there.
Dentistry is one of those things that people either love or hate. It's about making a difference to your patients. Oral pain is horrible, and they can't say what's hurting. Being able to advocate for those patients and solve their problems quickly is very rewarding. You see results almost instantly, which is satisfying.
I sit on the referral clinical board, offering dentistry insight. It's an undervalued speciality, and I remind people of its importance. Supporting others at events like the London Vet Show is rewarding.
I was heavily involved in the periodontal framework from the start. I wrote a lot about the instruments and nursing involvement. I'm passionate about getting nurses more involved in dentistry. The framework has helped branch out into teaching, webinars, and podcasts.
The frameworks are a good quick reference guide for everyone, from new grads to experienced professionals. They provide valuable information without judgment and help improve practice.
Nurses are capable of doing so much that they don't know about. Empowering them, especially in primary care practice, is important. I want to get nurses from first-opinion practices more empowered.
I have a certificate and mostly teach people how to take proper dental X-rays, do comprehensive oral assessments, and look after instruments. Teaching these skills boosts confidence and helps improve their practical abilities.
I'm excited to get involved with the IVC Evidensia Academy Training Centres. They can help everyone from new grads to experienced vets. Sharing knowledge and using equipment that might not be available in practice is valuable.
Doing an advanced nursing certificate is not something to be undertaken lightly. It was a lot harder than I thought, especially since I struggled to qualify. It was stressful but rewarding. Passing the certificate has been the highlight of my career.
Definitely go for it. It's an exciting environment with more resources available. The pace can be quick, but if you enjoy working in a big team and busy environment, referral is a great option.
I do a lot of trail running. Last year, I did my first 100-kilometre ultra marathon. This year, I have more ultras planned, including runs around Madeira and Tanzania. I also have a horse and a cat, and I love baking.
It was an out-of-body experience. You just keep going. The views were incredible, and the finishing felt amazing. It didn't sink in for a few days. It can take anything from 5 hours for really good runners, but I took my time. It was an all-day thing.
My horse is Twister, and my cat is Twiglet. Twiglet is a very spoiled house cat.