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RCVS Academy launches course to support new RVNs
The course is free and takes approximately 10 hours to complete.
Released for VNAM, ‘RVN Starting out’ supports the transition from student to RVN.

RCVS Academy has launched ‘RVN Starting out’; a new course for newly registered veterinary nurses (RVNs), released for this year’s Veterinary Nursing Awareness Month (VNAM). The course aims to provide consistent, meaningful and personalised support during the transition from student to RVN.

The course can be completed independently or with the support and guidance of a mentor, and has been designed with the RCVS veterinary nursing team. It supports early-career professional development to enable new RVNs to become competent, confident, autonomous members of the practice team.

VN Futures project manager Jill Macdonald said: “The transition from student to RVN is an exciting yet challenging time. Our RVN Starting Out course has been created to support adapting to professional responsibility, optimising workplace learning opportunities and working effectively as part of a team. The course also assists newly registered nurses with building confidence and considering their career development.”

To reflect the responsibilities that veterinary nurses now undertake, the course includes learning on key topics such as reflective practice, workplace culture, quality improvement, clinical decision-making and assertive communication. It is delivered over six modules that can be completed individually and accessed at any time.

Ms McDonald continued: “We understand how busy life as a veterinary nurse can be, and the flexible approach to learning allows nurses to complete the course in an equally flexible manner.”

The course is free and takes approximately 10 hours to complete. It can be accessed via the RCVS Academy.

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Strangles survey seeks views of horse owners

News Story 1
 With Strangles Awareness Week just around the corner (5-11 May), vets are being encouraged to share a survey about the disease with their horse-owning clients.

The survey, which has been designed by Dechra, aims to raise awareness of Strangles and promote best practices to prevent its transmission. It includes questions about horse owners' experiences of strangles, together with preventative measures and vaccination.

Respondents to the survey will be entered into a prize draw to win two VIP tickets to Your Horse Live 2025. To access the survey, click here 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
DAERA to reduce BVD 'grace period'

DAERA has reminded herd keepers of an upcoming reduction to the 'grace period' to avoid BVD herd restrictions.

From 1 May 2025, herd keepers will have seven days to cull any BVD positive or inconclusive animals to avoid restrictions being applied to their herd.

It follows legislation introduced on 1 February, as DAERA introduces herd movement restrictions through a phased approach. Herd keepers originally had 28 days to cull BVD positive or inconclusive animals.

DAERA says that, providing herd keepers use the seven-day grace period, no herds should be restricted within the first year of these measures.

Additional measures, which will target herds with animals over 30 days old that haven't been tested for BVD, will be introduced from 1 June 2025.

More information is available on the DAERA website.