Page 58 - Eclipse - Autumn/Winter 2022
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Celebrating Veterinary Nursing alumni


         Hilary Orpet, Co-Course Director FdScVN & BScVN and Senior Lecturer in Veterinary Nursing



               he first cohort of the Foundation   wide range of patients, as well as being   always a very proud moment, and it is
               in Science in Veterinary Nursing   responsible for the management and   wonderful to see the next generation of
               course started in August     maintenance of the RVC’s PACS systems   veterinary nurses going out into practice.
        T2004. At that time, the course     and integrated image viewing solution.’’  I started working for University Centre
        consisted of part one and part two,                                     Askham Bryan College in August 2017.
        each lasting 18 months in order to                                      My current position is Higher Education
        incorporate the required placement                                      Lecturer in Veterinary Nursing. I am
        time. In 2008, we started a BSc                                         the Course Manager for the Level 5
        pathway and since then have provided                                    FdSc Veterinary Nursing students and
        a flexible route to gain a BScVN,                                       implement the OSCE assessments.’’
        regardless of the pathway initially taken.
                                                                                                Georgina Tyrell
        In that first cohort we had 18 students,                                                RVN BScVN
        and since then over 500 students have                                                   graduated in 2012
        graduated, with Cohort 16 graduating                                                    and was one of our
        this July.                                                                              first cohort of BSc
                                            Abi Edis RVN FdScVN graduated in                    pathway students.
        The course was recently re-validated
        and re-accredited by the RCVS, with   2010 and now helps to teach students              She spent some
        the newer version being rolled out   about exotic animal care.                          time at the RVC
        to our 2020 intake of students. The   ‘‘I have worked at the Beaumont                   QMHA as a Hospital
        combination of the taught aspects of   Sainsbury Animal Hospital in the Exotics         Coordinator before
        the course and the invaluable placement   Service since 2013. My job involves   moving to our first opinion and referral
        time have provided a good foundation in   all aspects of nursing all manner of   exotics hospital in Camden.
        which many of our students have gone   species and I’ve seen everything from   ‘‘I have recently started my new role
        onto to take up positions of leadership   4g frogs to over 40kg sea turtles in my   as Clinical Operations Manager at the
        in the profession, as head veterinary   role. I particularly enjoy anaesthesia and   Beaumont Sainsburys Animal Hospital.
        nurses, educators or researchers.   theatre work and thrive on emergency   I am responsible for the smooth running
                                            care, which unfortunately comes with the   of the hospital on a day-to-day basis.
        I thought it was time to celebrate some of   territory when working with exotic pets. I   I lead various projects and oversee their
        these successes with some of our alumni.
                                            also love avian medicine and have a keen   implementation. The role is very enjoyable,
                                            interest in guinea pigs. Since working at   and every day is different.”
                                            the Beaumont, I have lectured at national   Cath Dean RVN BScVN graduated in
                                            and international conferences, published   2013 and is now the Veterinary Nursing
                                            in various journals and undertaken   Post Registration Programme Manager
                                            clinical research.’’
                                                                                for Linnaeus.
                                                                                ‘‘After graduating with a BSc (Hons)
                                                                                in Veterinary Nursing, I moved straight into
                                                                                referral nursing, rotating through a busy
                                                                                hospital. I now work for Linnaeus as a Post-
                                                                                Registration Programme Manager, where I
                                                                                support newly qualified nurses who want to
                                                                                work in referral practices with a supportive
                                                                                one-year programme, ensuring they are
        Ashley Moors RVN FdScVN graduated                                       exposed to a variety of cases and develop
        in 2010 and was a member of one of our
        early cohorts:
        ‘‘I am employed as a Veterinary     Jess Parkes RVN BScVN graduated
        Radiographer in the Queen Mother    in 2013 – she is Course Manager at
        Hospital for Animal’s (QMHA) Diagnostic   Askham Bryan and recently became
        Imaging Department, acquiring Computed   an External Examiner for our courses
        Tomography (CT), Magnetic Resonance   at the RVC. ‘‘Education is a very
        Imaging (MRI), Fluoroscopy and Standard   rewarding career and I love teaching and
        Digital Radiography studies across a   supporting our students. Graduation is

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