Dear reader

As you may or may not know, publications such as the Veterinary Nursing Journal are usually prepared many months ahead, so that I find myself writing about things that might happen, are planned to happen and should happen.

This is a concept that really captures my imagination, as I write I wonder what we will have achieved by to the time this edition hits your desks and doormats. Will I have met my article deadline? Will my work rota have stopped putting me on endless nightshifts? Professionally, I wonder: how will the new RCVS charter have settled in, will we all be familiar with it, proud of it? We at BVNA hope that all RVNs will support the achievement of the RCVS and appreciate that we have taken a significant step forward for our profession.

I wonder how many RVNs will take the plunge over the next couple of months and take on studying a further qualification, diversifying their role as a RVN. Teaching, industry, referral work, post graduate education—the possibilities are endless.

As I read through this edition of the journal, I am pleased and proud to see such a wide range of articles that I hope represent the range of roles within our profession.

For those interested in physiology, wanting to really understand concepts on a cellular level, Louise O’Dwyer brings science to practice with her article on blood clotting and how emboli can affect patient outcomes.

If you are looking to improve your practical skills, Rachel McDermott outlines key equipment and preparation required for pericardiocentesis. The RVNs role here cannot be underestimated as often such procedures are performed on very sick patients who require swift, slick interventions with careful monitoring.

Nicola Hopkins tackles the thorny issue of pedigree dogs, asking the ethical question many people are debating: who is responsible? Our remaining articles cover health promotion and rehabilitation moving away from the acute physical problems and reminding us that to nurse our patients properly, holistically, we must think about their future health and wellbeing.

So there we have it, anatomy and physiology, core clinical skills, ethics, rehabilitation and health promotion. No doubt there are specific areas that we have missed in this edition; we will get them next time.

For now though, I’m happy to marvel at the diversity of our profession, of the range of knowledge and skills we are all building up as we move forward. Give yourselves a pat on the back and take some pride in veterinary nursing, it’s one of the best jobs in the world.

Author

Helen Ballantyne PG Dip BSc (Hons) RN RVN 

Editor-in-chief

DOI: 10.1080/17415349.2015.1022387

• VOL 30 • April 2015 • Veterinary Nursing Journal