What is a Registered Veterinary Nurse?

What is a Veterinary Nurse? 

Here at Barnsley Vets4Pets we have a team of 13 qualified nurses and 3 student nurses. As a team we work hard to maintain high standards - we must be doing something right as we have just been given a Clinical Excellence award! 

Every year the month of May celebrates Veterinary Nurses by raising awareness of the amazing job they do in practice. Many people aren't aware of how much our job role actually involves, so here are some of the main bits...

Reception - we answer the phone, book appointments, check people in on arrival and help if reception is particularly busy. A lot of the time you won't realise it, but a Veterinary Nurse can be one of the first faces you see when you come through our doors!

Anaesthesia - we monitor anaesthetics, and make sure your pets are kept stable throughout. We are trained to recognise emergencies whilst the vet is busy performing surgery on your pet. Although we have some machinery that helps us, the most important equipment is us - using our eyes and ears we are able to carefully monitor your pet from induction right through to recovery.

Consultations - we run nurse consultations every day and see a wide variety of appointments. They can range from second vaccinations to post-operative checks and nail clipping. We have our own reception and waiting area with a viewing window into our Hydrotherapy suite. 

We are lucky enough to have our very own waiting area & reception!

Physiotherapy/Hydrotherapy - here at Barnsley Vets4Pets we are lucky enough to have a team of nurses who are physiotherapists and hydrotherapists. After orthopaedic procedures we see pets on a weekly basis and demonstrate physiotherapy techniques, check surgical wounds, and guide you and your pet through the rehabilitation process. We can also offer hydrotherapy in our aquatic treadmill to further support them in their rehabilitation. Our rehab team consists of eight nurses; Tanya, Chelsea, Rachel, Charlotte, Emily, Mandy, Alex and Reann.

Gorgeous Charlie working in our aquatic treadmill!

Surgery - sometimes we are required to assist the vets in more complicated surgeries. One surgery that we commonly assist in is a Laparoscopic spay - this a is similar to 'key-hole surgery' in humans. This involves the use of a rigid endoscope, light and camera. Using this method we can carry out a less invasive surgery when compared to the traditional 'open' surgical method.

Inpatient Care - when patients are unwell and require hospitalisation the majority of their care is provided by a Veterinary Nurse (always under the direction of a Vet!). We regularly carry out vital sign checks, administer medications and give your pets the TLC they need when they are staying with us. 

Weight Clinics - Georgina, one of our qualified Veterinary Nurses runs weight clinics here at Barnsley. Over a period of time Georgina helps owners to get pets to their ideal body-weight safely. She can work out daily requirements in calories, and tailor make weight loss programmes for each individual pet.

Just a few of our Registered and Student Veterinary
Nurses! 

Laboratory Work - taking and testing blood samples is something that we do on a daily basis. This can tell us how a patient's organs are functioning, as well as assess the response to certain types of treatment. The list is endless! Laboratory work is not just blood samples - we also test urine and examine things such as mites under microscopes - interesting stuff!

Behaviour - qualified Veterinary Nurse Reann offers one-on-one extended behaviour appointments, as well as running puppy training classes every Tuesday evening in the Healthcare Centre at the practice. Reann is our go to for all things behaviour!

Dental Hygiene - our head nurse Claire has a particular interest in this subject and has done an advanced dentistry course. As nurses we are able to scale and polish teeth, but are not able to carry out extractions. After pets have had dental treatment under anaesthesia we can advise clients on oral hygiene for their pet (brushing, dry diets). We also discuss oral hygiene at our puppy checks, as prevention is the best form of treatment! 

These are just a few of the things we do every day as a Veterinary Nurse! The list could go on forever as we have such a varied job role, especially as we work in such a busy Hospital. We even have our own dedicated night-nurse team (Keeley, Charlotte and Lauren) who provided emergency and out of hours care to your pets! 

To find out a little more about our Veterinary Nurse team click on the link below... 

Meet the Veterinary Nurse Team @ Barnsley!

Our VN Awareness Banner proudly up in the nurse reception area!