The VN Council elections are now open for voting – don’t miss your chance to decide who is on the governing body for your profession!

There are four candidates standing for two places: Sue Badger, Andrea Jeffery (current VN Council and RCVS Council member), Amy Robinson and Helen Tottey.

All listed and registered veterinary nurses are eligible to vote, and should by now have received their voting papers. If you have not received yours, please contact Annette Amato on a.amato@rcvs.org.uk.

Your vote can be cast online, by post or by text message – full details are in your voting pack – and voting must be completed by 5pm on Friday 26 April (NB. The deadline published in the March issue of VNJ was incorrect, for which please accept our apologies).

The successful candidates will take up their places at RCVS Day on Friday 5 July and each serve for a four-year term. 

Golden chance to celebrate success

Do you know a veterinary nurse, veterinary surgeon or lay person who has made an outstanding contribution to the veterinary nursing profession?

Now is your chance to recognise them, as we are seeking nominations for the RCVS Veterinary Nurses Council Golden Jubilee award.

We all know veterinary nurses who do fantastic jobs in their practices every day, but do you know someone who has gone that extra mile to think about the bigger picture and make a difference to the profession as a whole? Or it could be a veterinary surgeon or lay person who has made an exceptional contribution to veterinary nursing.

The Golden Jubilee award was instigated by VN Council in its 50th anniversary year (2011) and the first two recipients were Jean Turner and Sue Badger.

Nominations can be made by any veterinary nurse or veterinary surgeon, and need to be supported with detailed evidence for VN Council to consider at its May meeting. Nomination forms are available from the RCVS website, and need to be received by 1 May 2013. 

Vectar volunteers

An online veterinary nurse clinical coach training pack has been developed as part of the Europe-funded Vectar project, being led by the RCVS, and we need volunteers to trial it (www.vectar.org).

The pack has been developed to tackle the problem of getting busy clinical staff – who are involved in veterinary nurse training – to take time out of work to attend traditional training (this is especially important elsewhere in Europe, because of the huge distances involved).

The training pack is currently being field trialled and we are seeking clinical coaches working in UK RCVS Training Practices to pilot it and give us some feedback – it would count as free continuing professional development!

If you are interested, please contact Julie Dugmore on j.dugmore@rcvs.org.uk The final version of the pack will be available in the autumn. 

• VOL 28 • April 2013 • Veterinary Nursing Journal