In this blog for Veterinary Nursing Awareness Month, BVNA Council Member Declan Jones discusses how he recently made the transition from working as a clinical RVN, to working as an academic RVN; from saving lives to teaching others how to save lives.

Find out more about VNAM here, and how you can get involved this year.

Passion is a funny thing. We don’t always choose what to be passionate about, nor can we predict what might start as a mild curiosity and grow to become a substantial part of our lives. I recently made the transition from working as a clinical RVN, to working as an academic RVN; from saving lives ‘on the front lines’ to teaching others how to save lives. It’s been a massive change, a substantial learning curve, and an exciting chance to flex some different skillsets. There are times I miss clinical practice, and there are times I remember why I now do what I do. But what I will always remember is the passion I feel for veterinary nursing, and the passion I feel for teaching – the two need not be mutually exclusive.

Let’s begin by providing a little more context. I worked in a small animal, first opinion practice since I left school at sixteen. It was the practice where I studied as a VCA, studied as an SVN, and continued studying as an RVN. I also have a little experience with out of hours work and the odd locum shift, but it was my training practice which primarily shaped the nurse I am today. There were so many things I loved about my job in practice; anaesthesia, diagnostic imaging, spreadsheets – yes, even the paperwork! – too many things to list really. But the one thing which really excited me was working as a clinical supervisor (or clinical coach for those of us who might struggle with the change). After being lucky enough to have had, what I’ll squarely defend as, one of the best coaches out there, I was under no illusion that the people who teach us can have an immensely positive impact on our journey. It was with that clear appreciation for teaching that I learnt to love teaching in all it’s forms. I loved learning from others, and I loved passing that knowledge on. And it was through learning to love teaching that I came to the realisation that after over a decade working in practice, I had a calling to work in academia.

The decision to transition career paths was not an easy one. It was fraught with uncertainty. It was filled by anxiety. And worst of all, it was enveloped by guilt. The guilt of walking away from all the hard work other people had committed to my development. The guilt of knowing my clinical skills would dull with time. The guilt of leaving a job which saved lives on a daily basis. I would just like to take the opportunity now to reassure the reader that I am happy in my decision; I am settled in my new role and am surrounded by an amazingly supportive team! With that said, I must also confess to the reader that I personally felt some small level of stigma surrounding the decision to leave practice. Not only was I wrestling with my own ruminations, but I felt additional unease and tension from fellow professionals. Of course, I must admit the risk of having projected my own state of mind – but there existed multiple occasions where seemingly harmless comments cut deeper than they might have intended. From small questions such as “aren’t you going to miss practice”, to more overt statements like “don’t you want a few more years’ experience first”. Perhaps this is a subject which doesn’t need the same level of attention as more pressing concerns, but I do think it’s worth reminding people of the impact words can have on us.

Once the decision had been made, and a new opportunity secured, making the transition was the easy part! One foot in front of the other, trusting the process and accepting the shift from feeling competent in your role to perhaps holding a little more doubt. Starting a fresh career path felt almost too easy at times. The more difficult aspect in my particular situation was moving over two-hundred miles away from established comfort and routine to start anew. Now, naturally, that story element comes with its own set of fun challenges! But I think we can stick to the professional elements for now. As I sit writing this, I can comfortably say that deciding to work in a university has been the best decision I’ve made in a while. I am still able to utilise the knowledge which others passed on to me. I’m still able to practice many of the skills I picked up in practice. And best of all, I get to play a small part in supporting hundreds of journeys towards saving lives on a daily basis. Now, that is something to be passionate about.

Declan Jones, BVNA Council Member