Ep 15 - Why Veterinary Nurses Are Still Underused in UK Practice

Reflections from Chatty Vets Podcast Episode 15

Veterinary nurses are the backbone of modern practice - but somehow, much of the public still has no idea what RVNs actually do.

That was one of the biggest themes running through Episode 15 of the Chatty Vets Podcast, where we sat down with three brilliant veterinary nurses to talk about everything from Schedule 3 procedures and feline medicine to confidence, leadership, wellbeing and the future of the profession.

And honestly? The conversations left us thinking about just how much untapped potential still exists within veterinary nursing.

“People still think we just hold the animals”

One point that came up repeatedly throughout the episode was how misunderstood the RVN role still is - both by the public and sometimes within the profession itself.

Jade (“Jade the Vet Nurse”) spoke brilliantly about how frustrating it is that veterinary nurses are often invisible in media portrayals of practice, despite being deeply involved in patient care, anaesthesia, surgical support, inpatient management, emergency care and client education.

In reality, veterinary nurses are often:

• monitoring critical anaesthetics

• triaging emergencies

• running clinics

• supporting complex inpatient care

• teaching owners

• performing Schedule 3 procedures

• spotting subtle patient deterioration before anyone else does

And yet many owners still assume the vet does absolutely everything.

The truth is that modern veterinary care is a team effort.

Are we fully using RVN skills?

One of the most interesting discussions in the episode centred around Schedule 3 procedures and how differently practices approach them.

Some nurses are routinely:

• suturing

• closing surgical wounds

• performing dental radiography

• carrying out advanced monitoring

• running highly skilled nurse clinics

While in other practices, nurses may rarely get opportunities to use those skills at all.

That inconsistency is interesting — because the benefits of properly utilising nurses are enormous.

When RVNs are empowered and trusted:

• vets can focus on tasks only vets can perform

• workflow improves

• confidence improves

• job satisfaction improves

• patient care improves

Most importantly, practices function more collaboratively rather than hierarchically.

One thing that came through strongly from all three guests was that the best practices tend to be the ones where:

nurses are listened to

• ideas can be shared safely

• people are encouraged to learn

• mistakes become learning opportunities rather than sources of shame

That culture matters hugely.

The confidence problem in veterinary nursing

We also had a fascinating discussion with Elle (“The Positive Vet Nurse”) about mindset, burnout and confidence within the profession.

One thing she explained particularly well was the difference between confidence and self-esteem:

Confidence = belief in your abilities

Self-esteem = belief in your worth as a person

And in veterinary medicine, the two often become dangerously tangled together.

When people feel unsupported, afraid of mistakes, or unable to speak up safely in practice, confidence can gradually erode. Over time, that can become:

• imposter syndrome

• perfectionism

• burnout

• anxiety

• emotional exhaustion

Sadly, many people within veterinary medicine will recognise that feeling.

The profession has improved massively in talking about mental health over recent years - but there’s still a long way to go in creating genuinely psychologically safe workplaces.

Veterinary nurses are developing incredible specialist expertise

Another huge takeaway from the episode was how diverse veterinary nursing careers can now become.

Alexandra Taylor discussed her journey into feline medicine and cat wellbeing through International Cat Care - and it was a great reminder that veterinary nursing no longer has to follow one rigid pathway.

Modern RVNs are now building expertise in:

• feline medicine

• anaesthesia

• behaviour

• nutrition

• physiotherapy

• wound management

• dentistry

• rehabilitation

• leadership

• education

• research

  
  

Some nurses are moving into:

• teaching

• industry

• charity work

• leadership positions

• consulting

• social media education

• evidence-based medicine projects

That diversity is fantastic for the profession.

The future of veterinary nursing

With possible reform of the Veterinary Surgeons Act being discussed, there’s growing hope that veterinary nursing may finally gain:

• stronger professional recognition

• protected title status

• expanded responsibilities

• greater autonomy

And honestly, after speaking to these guests, it’s hard not to feel optimistic about where the profession could go next.

Because veterinary nurses are not “assistant vets”.

They are skilled professionals with their own knowledge base, perspective and expertise - and when practices genuinely embrace that, patient care improves for everyone.

Final thoughts

One of the nicest things about recording this episode was hearing just how passionate all three guests were about improving the profession for future nurses.

Not through ego.

Not through hierarchy.

But through collaboration.

The best veterinary teams are never built around one person being the hero. They’re built around trust, communication and shared responsibility.

And perhaps that’s the biggest takeaway from this episode: when veterinary nurses are empowered properly, everybody benefits - vets, nurses, practices, clients, and most importantly, patients.

🎧 You can listen to Episode 15 of the Chatty Vets Podcast now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

📩 We’d genuinely love to hear your thoughts on this episode — especially from RVNs and SVNs. How do you think practices can better support and utilise veterinary nurses?