Introduction

Small businesses and large organisations appear to be at different ends of the spectrum in terms of workplace cultures, and when it comes to overall career happiness, where you work is just as important as your actual job role. We interviewed some veterinary nurses who have experienced working in both a small independent practice and a large veterinary group, to find out the highs and lows for working in both types of organisation.

Andrew Verby RVN – Integration Team Assistant, Watford

‘I joined Medivet originally in 2000 and worked at a number of practices in Northwest London and in the Enfield area. In 2006, I joined The Park Veterinary Practice in Cockfosters where I finished my studies and became a Registered Veterinary Nurse. In 2013 Park Vets joined Medivet and I expressed my interest to Medivet that I would like to change my career path to a more managerial role. In January 2014, I joined the Integration Team at the Medivet Support Centre in Watford. The team is responsible for making sure newly acquired practices receive a smooth transition into the Medivet group.’

Sasha Potter RVN Cert VNECC – Veterinary Nurse, Hendon, Middlesex

‘I began working with the team at Medivet Hampstead Garden Suburbs before moving to the Hendon 24-hour hospital at the end of 2005. I was promoted to deputy head nurse at the end of2007 whilst in my final year of study. I gained my qualified veterinary nursing certificate in the spring of 2009 and was promoted again to head nurse at Medivet Hendon.

At the beginning of 2011 I wanted to follow a different path in my passion for emergency medicine, so I decided to step down from head veterinary nurse and complete a qualification in emergency and critical care.

Louise Ronan RVN- Senior Area Manager, Oxford and Coventry

‘I’ve been one of Medivet’s area managers since 2009. Prior to working for Medivet, spent 15 years in an independent veterinary practice. I did my veterinary nurse training in Essex and then moved to Oxford to work as a qualified nurse before being promoted to head nurse of a practice in Wantage. Whilst there, I achieved a diploma in management studies but was unable to fully utilise my new-found skills. Luckily for me, my practice was bought by Medivet and the current area manager was retiring so I was able to step into her role.’

Polly Noviss RVN – Head Veterinary Nurse, Faringdon, Oxfordshire

‘I started with Medivet as a patient care assistant in 2008 and then became a student veterinary nurse. I took on a permanent role at Medivet Faringdon in Oxfordshire, where I became a qualified veterinary nurse and then progressed to become head nurse; I have been there ever since.’

You each have experience working for a large veterinary group. What would you say are the main advantages?

Andrew ‘In a large group you have a wide variety of cases that come in all the time. This means that there are many different types of nurse available for specific types of cases, such as critical care, equine or surgical nursing, so you have the opportunity to speak to, and learn from, a diverse range of people. My previous vet at the independent practice was extremely knowledgeable and would take on almost any case so I was very lucky and got to see a lot.’

Sasha ‘Because we have such a large number of staff members, the protocols and ways we work are constantly being discussed and challenged, either by discussing them in-branch or by more formal clinical audits and meetings.’

Louise ‘Because we have so many employees, we have a huge amount of experience and knowledge at our fingertips. This is a great advantage if you want to develop your skills and learn from colleagues with different specialities. In a smaller practice it was easy to ask for opinions face-to-face but you are very limited as to whom you can ask. Whereas, in a large group, you have so many ways of communicating which means you can send out an email to the whole group asking for opinions or advice, and you know at least five people will respond.’

Polly ‘Being a part of a large veterinary group means we have more credibility and so our name alone is a great resource. For example, we held an open day and were in need of some freebies to use as prize giveaways. People were more likely to help us out because we have fantastic relationships with our suppliers.’

How does working for a large group differ from an independent practice in terms of continuity of care in patients?

Andrew ‘If your vet, as an independent, refers a case externally you can’t always have full control over it. Some clients may not want to be referred to a vet they do not know, so this can sometimes cause problems. We are able to refer many cases internally, allowing us to retain ownership of the case and undertake procedures that may otherwise have been referred.’

Sasha ‘We are able to maximise continuity of care through the use of our purpose-built practice management system. This system stores details of all clients and their pets and includes comprehensive patient notes, so no matter which practice a client visits, the vet will immediately have a clear understanding of their pet’s medical history, current medications and any plans for their ongoing care. These records are updated across the whole organisation every two minutes.’

Polly ‘We have access to a fantastic range of resources, such as CT imaging and MRI. Although all our practices are equipped to deal with day-to-day procedures, our group is built on a hub-and- spoke model, which means our 24-hour centres, also known as hubs, provide more specialised and state-of-the-art equipment to help us deal with more complicated and intensive cases. Being part of a large group means we also have access to a diverse range of colleagues with different backgrounds and experiences. When I was working for an independent practice, we were so used to doing things in the same way that we never had the opportunity to learn new techniques.’

Does the large number of staff employed bring any challenges?

Sasha ‘When a group reaches a certain size, you get to a point where you no longer k
now who everyone is and you refer to people by their specific job role, such as the “IT support guy”. In some ways there’s a danger of losing that personal feel, but the upside is that you have more people to learn from. I still know all my team members really well.’

Louise ‘In some ways it can be hard but this is outweighed by the wealth of knowledge and experience we have amongst our colleagues in the group. It can be difficult not knowing everyone but meeting new people is all part of the stimulating environment!’

What is the outlook on personal development as a veterinary nurse in a large group?

Andrew ‘In my previous role in an independent practice, my vet paid for me to attend BSAVA congress but there is definitely more scope to progress outside of your typical nursing duties in a large organisation. For example, I am now a member of the Integrations Team, helping new practices fit into the Medivet group in as stress-free a way as possible.’

Louise ‘Before becoming an area manager, the practice I worked at was very small and was used to doing the same things every day. As time went by, I completed a management training course which my practice was happy for me to do but, because we were so small, it didn’t really benefit them or me. When our practice became part of a large veterinary group,

I wanted to expand my skills and follow a new career path and the group welcomed this. I am a people-person at heart and I am grateful that I can stay with the company, explore new locations, and meet lots of new people.’

Sasha ‘There are many opportunities for personal development within a large group, especially if it is continuing to grow itself. There is the potential to spend your whole career in a large organisation and progress through the ranks as you go. I know quite a few nurses who have moved into practice management roles or moved to other internal support roles outside of nursing, such as marketing.’

Polly ‘It was easy for me in a small practice to get authorisation to go on a CPD course and they were happy to pay for it if it benefitted my role. However, because we are part of a large veterinary group, our name has more credibility and so we are usually offered attendance on courses for free. Our head office provides us with free CPD as well which is a huge benefit but geographically, some practices find it hard to get there, especially if they close late.’

Are there any major financial benefits to working for a large group?

Andrew ‘In an independent practice you may get greater flexibility if you have a pet of your own that needs treatment – the vet might give it to you for free or not charge you for their time. In a large organisation, they may have different ways of giving staff financial benefits. We currently have a ‘points back’ system in place, so depending on the product or service you use, you can accrue points to spend on any future purchases.’

Polly ‘I think that you have greater job security when working for a large group and there is greater flexibility to move around. If you decide you want to move to a new area, there’s a high chance you could transfer to a nearby practice.’

Conclusion

As you would expect, there are pros and cons of working for both large organisations and independent practices. Ultimately, what you want from your professional life will shape the direction you take and the career choices you make, but gaining an insight into the realities of life in both types of organisation is useful in helping you to guide your decisions.

Author

Dr Daniel Preter MRCVS Dr Med Vet

Daniel Preter was born and raised in Munich, Germany. He attended veterinary school there and completed a doctorate in experimental surgery afterwards. He arrived in England in 1997 and worked as a locum at the PDSA before starting his position in Medivet. He began as a floating veterinary surgeon, but was offered his own branch practice after four months – this was the old Kenton practice, located just down the road from the existing clinic. Medivet Kenton moved to its new premises in 1999 and in 2003 he bought the surgery as a partner: He then became a senior partner in 2007. In 2009, Daniel left the Kenton practice to work at the Medivet Support Centre in Watford. He now looks after veterinary recruitment and the running of the buddy system for newly employed vets within the group. He also manages the practices in the Hendon area in North London, and still works in practice on a regular basis.

Email: daniel.preter@medivet.co.uk

Veterinary Nursing Journal • VOL 31 • April 2016