Perceptions of How Education Has Prepared UK Veterinary Nurses for Their Professional Role.

Assessing how prepared individuals are for a career pathway is essential if job satisfaction and retention are to be considered within an industry. Determining how training prepares registered veterinary nurses (RVNs) will therefore provide employers and educators with valuable information about how education is meeting expectations and demands. A positivist, quantitative approach led to a cross-sectional study via an online questionnaire reaching 141 RVNs. Participants were demographically profiled prior to differences being determined between data sets using the Kruskal-Wallis H and Mann-Whitney U tests. All educational routes and job roles generated different scores for preparedness for the duties carried out; however, the main differences were between degree and diploma routes, with diploma-route students suggesting that they were prepared in more subject areas. A variety of qualification routes are available to a veterinary nurse in the UK, which must be considered when reviewing preparedness and making suggestions for educational reform. Further research is needed to support these findings in relation to the roles of the educator, the employer, and the veterinary nurse to allow for an unbiased understanding of preparedness, which could have links to job satisfaction.

What Factors Influence the Perceptions of Job Satisfaction in Registered Veterinary Nurses Currently Working in Veterinary Practice in the United Kingdom?

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons is dedicated to empowering registered veterinary nurses (RVNs) and ensuring that they are valued members of the workforce within the United Kingdom. However, this is not always reported by the RVNs themselves, who state that although they derive satisfaction from working with animals and within a profession that makes a difference, there are areas in which they are not currently satisfied, such as pay scale and recognition. Responses to a questionnaire were analyzed using a mixed-methods design to determine current factors affecting job satisfaction utilizing a deductive and inductive approach. The questionnaire reached 205 RVNs currently working in practice within the UK; respondents were divided between remaining at their current practice (n = 101) and finding alternative employment (n = 80). Those who stated that they were happy in their job role were more likely to want to remain there. Themes relating to positive and negative job satisfaction were reported and used to devise strategies employers and employees could use to increase or maintain RVNs' overall satisfaction. More focus is needed on support and communication within veterinary practices, support for appropriate delegation linked to recognition of the RVN role, and support from educators to prepare students for the RVN role. Although the questionnaire did not reach the targeted sample size, responses agree with previous data indicating that changes made to the RVN role in the UK have not sufficiently improved job satisfaction scores.

Training and Preparedness of Clinical Coaches for Their Role in Training Student Veterinary Nurses in the United Kingdom: An Exploratory Inquiry.

The experience that student veterinary nurses (SVNs) have in the clinical learning environment can be greatly influenced by the clinical coach (CC); the supervisory relationship will affect student retention and clinical competency. To support a positive student experience, the training and development of CCs must be critically reviewed and regularly updated. This research aimed to ascertain the current CC training undertaken and the preparedness of CCs for their role in training SVNs. We used a prospective cross-sectional study design. An online survey was distributed over 4 weeks to CCs across the United Kingdom representing a range of educational institutions, and it generated 80 responses. Prior to undertaking their initial CC training, CCs had been qualified practitioners for a median of 2.2 years (IQR = 4.16y). CCs stated they needed more course content during their training regarding student teaching and pastoral support, more support from associated institutions, and there was a call for a longer training period leading to a formal qualification. Providing CC training with broader course content and some level of evaluation should be considered to develop and assess the non-clinical skills that are vital to the role.