13 Apr 2022
Mind Matters Initiative announces collaboration with the BVNA and VetLed to launch number of new initiatives, including training sessions, campaigns and workshops to tackle the problem.
James Westgate
Job Title
Image © pikselstock / Adobe Stock
The RCVS Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) is heading up a series of initiatives that aim to empower vet nurses to challenge incivility and encourage sustainable changes in the workplace.
In partnership with the BVNA and VetLed – a provider of human factors skills training for veterinary professionals – the newly launched civility training sessions are the first activities of the collaboration, which aims to explore how incivility impacts on veterinary teams and how it can be addressed in the workplace.
The training was launched in response to MMI research into student VNs, which revealed that 96% of student and recently graduated veterinary nurses said they believed incivility and bullying were serious problems in the profession.
As well as civility training, MMI and BVNA have collaborated with VetLed on the forthcoming VetLed “Safe to Speak Up” campaign, which will launch on 2 May.
The Safe to Speak Up campaign will also feature a day of interactive workshops on 11 May focused on psychological safety and will include free to attend VetLed sessions.
The third part of the collaboration will include a series of four veterinary nurse thinktanks, featuring 90-minute interactive learning and discussion sessions that cover key human factor themes.
Workshops include:
• 5 May 2022, 7:30pm – 9pm – values and identity
• 21 July 2022, 7:30pm – 9pm – everyday leadership
• 20 October 2022, 7:30pm – 9pm – innovation and problem solving
• 19 January 2023, 7:30pm – 9pm – when things go wrong: the importance of a just culture
Lisa Quigley, MMI manager, said: “We are pleased to have partnered with two brilliant organisations that are as passionate about improving the mental health and resilience of the profession as we are.
“Every single vet nurse should feel comfortable and psychologically supported in their role, and we hope that the training and awareness campaigns that we are running over the upcoming year will ensure that more vet nurses will feel empowered to talk about their mental health and well-being at work.”
Alex Taylor, BVNA president, added: “We recognise how important the mental health of veterinary nurses is, not just for their own well-being, but for the good of the workforce, too.
“We are very much looking forward to working alongside MMI and VetLed, who will help to provide support and guidance on these important areas for veterinary nurses over the next year.”
Helen Silver-MacMahon, research and development director at VetLed, said: “VetLed is delighted to be collaborating with MMI and BNVA to ensure that all members of the veterinary team are able to access training which promotes the importance of civility and psychological safety in practice, and enables them to feel and function at their best.”
Visit the MMI website to find out more about upcoming MMI training sessions or to book a place on the Civility Training course.
