It was a love of animals and a desire to look after them and take care of them. I knew from an early age that my life was always going to be about looking after animals. Then I did some work experience in school, and I saw the difference between the vet's role and the nurse's role. It became very clear that it was the nursing role that I wanted to pursue.

Now that you’re 30+ years into your career as an RVN, what keeps you motivated?

I think it's the same thing! For me, it's all about looking after animals - looking after people's beloved pets. I have so much empathy for pet owners and I want their pets to be looked after the way I would want mine to be looked after. I know what my pet means to me, and that fuels me. My role has changed a lot throughout my career as I’ve progressed, and I'm less ‘hands-on’ in the work I do, but I’m embodying those values in a different way. When I was nursing, I was delivering the care. Now, it's about making sure that through our training with nurses, the best care is provided by them. I’m committed to ensuring we give the best care we can give and to me, that starts with training.

Can you tell us more about your role as referral nurse training and development manager?

I work with my colleague and fellow nurse Arlene to deliver the referral veterinary nurse strategy for our network. We aim to upskill our referral nurses, to give them a more varied role, maximize their clinical input in cases, and provide them with progression opportunities, depending on their individual passion and motivation. Ultimately, the aim is to ensure our patient care and nursing interventions are of the best quality we can deliver and that it’s evidence-based where possible, so we know we're always doing right by the patient. Our ultimate goal is always to maximise the quality of our patient care.

What do you find most rewarding about your work supporting referral nurses at IVC Evidensia?

I think it’s the knowledge that the training we're putting together influences patient care in a good way and that the referral nurses have more support and progression opportunities because of the work we're doing. I love learning, and as my career progressed, I felt a strong desire to share my knowledge and experience with other nurses and to help them get the same buzz and satisfaction I get from learning, as well as to develop themselves and progress.

It's so rewarding to know that I am still influencing patient care and supporting nurses in their career journey so they can be fulfilled and have opportunities like I did.

How have you seen the field of veterinary nursing evolve since your early days, and where do you see it going in the future?

When I started nursing in 1994, nurses were viewed by some almost as laypeople. Although I was lucky to work in a practice where nurses were valued, generally we still weren't seen as paraprofessionals. There was less autonomy and responsibility given to nurses back then; that has changed massively. Nurses now have a lot more autonomy and responsibility for our patient care.

I think we can take that further, though. There’s still a lot of scope for nurses to be given more responsibility in terms of patient care and decision-making. For me, this comes with demonstrating an evidence base through research and experience. Nurses have a lot more to offer and the only limits are those of our regulatory body, and over time, these may continue to change.

We're chatting today because you were a guest on the Beyond the Clinic podcast. Your episode was about the role of vet nurses in blood transfusions. Why is this topic important to you?

Early on in my career, I developed a real interest and enjoyment in critical care and emergency cases, which include transfusion medicine. Transfusions can be transformative for patients; they have a significant impact on their clinical status. Nothing else we can give our patients has the same power to transform as blood, it is a precious resource with super-powers.

My experience with transfusions has been very nurse-led, from collecting blood, recipient care, typing and cross-matching to setting up and monitoring the transfusion. I enjoyed the responsibility and involvement.

I’ve also worked with the charity Pet Blood Bank as their training and induction manager, and I'm still involved with their work. Transfusions are an area where nurses can take a lead role and make a significant difference.

You developed the first accredited transfusion course for veterinary nurses in the UK, which is a significant accomplishment. Could you tell us about the course and what it offers?

The course is an online 8-module program hosted by Improve International. It covers every aspect of transfusion medicine, from selecting and managing donors to collecting and processing blood to delivering and monitoring transfusions. It also covers transfusions in different species, including dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, reptiles, and large animals. The course aims to provide comprehensive knowledge for nurses like me, that are interested in transfusion medicine.

What key message do you hope listeners will take away from your episode of the Beyond the Clinic podcast?

Nurses can play a big role in transfusions, managing the process and influencing patient safety. It’s important to manage the blood products and our recipients correctly to reduce the risks of an adverse event. Nurses have a significant responsibility and can really influence the outcome positively.

What advice would you give to other nurses inspired by your journey?

Have confidence in yourself and have belief in our profession. You can have conversations with vets and colleagues, share your opinions, and know that you are a recognised professional. You have a valuable voice and your opinion matters.

Also, never stop learning. Knowledge is power, and having knowledge allows you to have a deeper understanding of subjects and this will translate into your patient care.

What would you say you’re proudest of in your career so far?

I think the creation of the Transfusion Medicine Nursing Certificate is my biggest achievement! It’s the first of its kind and fills a void for nurses interested in transfusion medicine. I’m very proud of it.

Do you have any future goals or projects you’re planning?

I’ve wanted to get involved in research for a while, and I’m currently planning a study within IVC Evidensia. I think it’s important for us as veterinary nurses to generate our own knowledge base through research, it is an important step towards us having more professional autonomy.

I also want to continue building development opportunities and training material for IVC nurses, ensuring they have the quality resources they need to progress in their careers.

What do you do to unwind?

I love Zumba and 'Clubbercise' classes. They’re a lot of fun and a nice social activity. I’ve also recently started watercolour painting classes because I want to capture the animals I see, especially the ones in my garden. It would be nice to paint something that I can hang on my wall.

Tell us about your pets!

I have a little Shih Tzu-Yorkshire Terrier mix called Darci. She’s a Pets As Therapy dog, and we visit a couple of places regularly. She has the loveliest personality and brings a lot of joy to people.