9 Nov 2021
The one-hour webinar will take place on Thursday 18 November at 7:30pm as part of Anti-Bullying Awareness Week 2021 (15 to 19 November).
Rachael Buzzel
Job Title
Image © Mizkit / Adobe Stock
The Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) and BVNA have collaborated to provide a webinar about tackling incivility and bullying in the veterinary workplace.
The one-hour webinar – titled “Why behaviour matters: what VNs/SVNs can do when faced with incivility and bullying” – will take place on Thursday 18 November at 7:30pm as part of Anti-Bullying Awareness Week 2021 (15 to 19 November).
During the webinar, VetLed senior trainer Helen Silver-MacMahon and Nicky Ackerley from the BVNA members’ advisory service will talk attendees through the extent of bullying in the veterinary profession, how VNs can find sources of support if they are being bullied and what techniques people can use in difficult situations to look after their well-being.
After the webinar, the MMI and BVNA will continue to collaborate on anti-bullying activities, with a new training programme launching in 2022 for VNs and SVNs.
The webinar has been jointly organised following an MMI survey of student veterinary nurses, recently graduated veterinary nurses and clinical coaches, where 96% of respondents said they felt bullying was a serious problem in the professions.
The MMI held its Student Veterinary Nurse Wellbeing Forum on 3 November, where people from across the veterinary nursing profession heard from a wide range of experts and took part in breakout discussions about numerous well-being areas, including bullying and incivility.
A report of the event’s outcomes will be published in the near future, along with the MMI’s new five-year strategy, which will have veterinary and SVN well-being as a priority area.
MMI manager Lisa Quigley said: “Bullying has no place in the veterinary professions. Each one of us has a role to play in calling out and addressing this unacceptable behaviour, wherever it occurs.
“Our upcoming webinar is just the start of what I am sure will be an extremely fulfilling and positive collaboration with the BVNA, who are as determined to address bullying in the workplace as we are.
“I would encourage everyone who has been affected by workplace bullying, or wants to find out how to become a better ally to their colleagues who have experienced it in practice, to attend our upcoming webinar and look out for further information on the training in the new year.”
BVNA president Alex Taylor said: “Bullying and incivility are too commonplace in the veterinary profession, which is why more awareness and action needs to be taken to tackle these issues.
“The BVNA’s collaboration with the RCVS MMI team and the BVNA members’ advisory service will help support those affected by bullying and provide guidance on where to look for support, as well as what action they can take if they feel they are being bullied or experience incivility in the workplace.
“I am really pleased that this serious, but important issue is at last being talked about, and I have no doubt that the support and advice given during Anti-Bullying Week, and next year’s training sessions will be of great benefit to the veterinary nursing profession.”
For more information and to register for the webinar, visit the MMI events page.
