18 Oct 2021
RCVS Mind Matters Initiative is hosting a virtual event for nursing students and new RVNs following worrying results on bullying, stress and other issues.
Paul Imrie
Job Title
A virtual well-being discussion forum for student VNs and newly qualified RVNs is taking place to tackle issues including bullying and lack of support raised in a new survey.
The RCVS Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) is organising the Student Veterinary Nursing Wellbeing Discussion Forum, and is hoping SVNs, recently qualified RVNs and clinical coaches will attend in large numbers.
The event has been created after an MMI survey of 650 newly qualified and SVNs found bullying, incivility, stress and a lack of mental health support were issues many had been affected by or witnessed.
That survey follows separate findings released in the VN Futures Interim Report 2021 that 25% of VNs were looking to leave the profession due to poor pay rates and lack of career progression opportunities.
Key discussion topics on a number of challenges will be covered following a short presentation by an experienced speaker on 3 November. Attendees will then move into small discussion groups where they can share thoughts, experiences and ideas.
The following will be covered between 10am and 3:15pm, with SVNs, new RVNs and clinical coaches encouraged to attend:
Angharad Belcher, RCVS director for advancement of the professions and MMI director, said: “Holding the Student Veterinary Nurse Wellbeing Discussion Forum is one of the first steps in talking through the survey findings and working collaboratively with the veterinary nursing profession to discuss potential solutions and actions we can take.
“Having a range of voices and experiences present throughout the day will be key to generating constructive and forward-thinking discussions.
“If you have an experience that you want to share or ideas for how the profession could better support the well-being of veterinary nurses, then I would encourage you to register for and attend the forum.”
More information and booking details are available online or by emailing [email protected]
