FOUNDATIONS OF VETERINARY NURSING ESSAY  ROLE OF VETERINARY NURSE

Veterinary nursing is considered to be a relatively young profession, having been established for the last fifty years. The role encompasses a wide range of responsibilities including first aid, dealing with clients and the creation of nursing plans. Nonetheless, the pinnacle of their work is concerning animal welfare. When working, every Veterinary nurse (VN), Animal care assistant (ACA) and Veterinary Surgeon (VS) must be aware of the legal and professional regulatory frameworks which govern the veterinary profession.

A VN’s prime responsibility is providing care to patients while focusing on the welfare of the animal. They must keep within areas they are competent at while demonstrating professional accountability by referring cases responsibly.  In regards to the legal framework that has caught up to the standards the profession has long upheld, one of the more well-known pieces of legislation is The Animal Welfare Act (2006). The creation of the act was a significant step towards holding people accountable for the care of their animals through the five needs- not to be confused with the five freedoms which are considered to be aspirational, instead of legally binding. Relating the act to the treatment of animals in a veterinary practice can often seem contradictory as there is often a conflict of interest. For example, an animal that is about to go into surgery must have food withheld for a period of time beforehand. Yet the act states a need for a suitable diet. However, it is generally agreed that some harm may be necessary for the overall increased welfare of an animal (Yeates, 2013)

Another responsibility of VN’s is first aid, which is the immediate treatment of an animal that is injured or suffering from an illness. This may be needed in regards to an animal that has been brought in but is unable to receive veterinary attention straight away. Although the animal will be able to receive better care by someone more knowledgeable and trained to respond to the situation, there is also a limiting factor. This is due to schedule 3 of the Veterinary Surgeon act (1966) which states unless directed by a vet a VN can do no more than a member of the public.This can pose a dilemma for VN’s, who may know what medication needs to be administered, yet are legally unable to do so unless directed by the VS who will need to have assessed the animal. If a VN were to arguably decide to