My name is Charlotte Pace, and I have been a veterinary nurse for 20 years. I have worked in general practice and spent 10 years at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC). During my time at the RVC, I became a Veterinary Technician Specialist (VTS) in Cardiology, and I have managed to recertify twice, in order to maintain my qualification. Also, whilst at the RVC, I gained my postgraduate teaching qualification, and I went on to teach diploma and degree veterinary nurses.

I made the decision last year to join BVNA council because I felt it was time to give something back to the profession. It might sound cheesy, but it has given me so much, and I feel so passionately about it, that I want to help if I can.

This is my first year on council, so I am only involved in a couple of working groups so far. I am the chair of the Learning and Development committee which is a huge honour. I am also a member of the Chronic Illness group, and I have volunteered to be part of the mental health first aid group. During my time on council, I want to help and support our veterinary nurses who want to be the best they can. Having suffered with mental health issues my whole life, I would really like to reach out to those nurses who deal with debilitating illnesses every day, but perhaps don’t get the support or understanding they need, and help them to flourish in this profession.

Alongside my nursing career, I am training to become a counsellor on a part time basis. My hope is that my experiences, both good and bad, can one day help others. And of course, none of this would be possible without my gorgeous cat, Arthur, who came into my life 9 years ago. Being a rescue cat, I have no idea how old he is, but the things I love about him are his loyalty (I understand that this is purely food bowl love), his purr, and the fact that I don’t have to explain anything to him. I have no idea how he does it, but he always knows when I need a cuddle!

If you have any questions about what I do for BVNA, about council in general, or even how to apply to become a council member yourself, please email us council@bvna.co.uk

Author

Charlotte Pace, BVNA Council Member

DOI: 10.1080/17415349.2021.1905409

VOL 36 • May 2021 • Veterinary Nursing Journal