Last updated 19:45, Thursday, 21 August 2008

AS one of West Cumbria’s only approved training practices, Millcroft Veterinary Group is playing an important role in training the area’s veterinary nurses of tomorrow.

The group has been training students for eight years, initially at the Cockermouth practice but for the last two years at the Workington practice.

And now the Workington practice has opened its doors to Futures.

Practice partner Ursula Bollman is not only a veterinary surgeon, she works as one of three assessors at the surgery. Her experience has proved a wealthy bonus for the student nurses.

“We offer two training streams,” she said. “One route, and probably the most popular adopted by students, involves them working at the practice but being sent to attend a two-year day release course at Myerscough College, Preston, from which all our courses go through. That then leads to the student nurse attaining an NVQ in veterinary nursing. The other route involves Myerscough veterinary nursing degree students coming to us to do practical training. The degree course lasts four years but having the practical experience along with the theoretical study ensures that all veterinary nurses who qualify have achieved a recognised national standard of competence in the industry.

“The student will spend a few weeks with us but still have to complete the same exams and portfolio as the NVQ trainee, only the final year is spent working on a dissertation.

“This degree route has proved popular within the last three to four years. But it can sometimes be difficult for students to find a working placement with a practice.”

For the NVQ students, an initial year of introductory-based modules follow which can include tasks such as reception work, offering general advice, animal handling, stock control and emergency first aid. The following year is much more in-depth with the students required to monitor anaesthetic, prepare for surgical assistance, assist as a theatre nurse, take x-rays or even conduct laboratory work.

Ursula said: “As an assessor, I make sure the students cover these topics properly and I ask them questions about the tasks. This all links into the course criteria which need to be met.

“The scope of cases is very broad so the students will have to have picked up a range of skills during their time here in the surgery.

“Sometimes we are validated and will have internal verifiers come from Myerscough College to assess us assessing our trainees.”

Millcroft Vets are inspected every two years by Myerscough College – a veterinary nursing approved centre – to ensure that standards are maintained and to assist with training methods to help student nurses.

“As a training practice we have three qualified assessors: myself, Vicki Temple and Andrew Robinson. Assessors are responsible for assessing and supporting the student nurse and keeping up to date with all new developments,” explained Ursula.

“At the moment we have four trainees with us; Mark Bowman, a degree nurse; Vicky Hetherington, who is into the second year of her NVQ course; Sarah Ansell, who is also training down the NVQ route but is only in her first year at the moment; and Mary Whittaker, who is in the second year of a degree course.

“All of the trainees are split between the Workington and Cockermouth surgeries.

“We also have a veterinary nurse who is currently training to be an assessor so we focus on all of our staff’s development.

“As a practice, we try to offer training to three students per year – or thereabouts – as there is a lot of time and work involved in training. But more importantly the reason we take on a limited number of students to maintain a high standard of training, as there is usually a ratio of only one assessor to one trainee.

“Due to the nature of our practice we can offer specialist training to our students; between the Workington and Cockermouth surgeries we can offer a wide range of cases to gain experience from – even the different equipment that’s used.

“But there is also the option to specialise in practice management or surgical nursing.”

The high number of veterinary nurses who stay at Millcroft Vets once they are qualified is no surprise to Ursula. “We have a good retention rate here at Millcrofts; the students are helped and supported a lot with their training, even the day-to-day tasks which a busy practice demands.

“The veterinary nurses, here at Millcrofts, run their own clinics which deal with vaccinations, grooming advice, health checks, dietary advice and weighing, which the trainees get the chance to help out with.

“As a practice we believe that investment in enthusiastic young people reaps huge rewards, with valued long-term employees who are trained to the highest standard.

“But being an outstanding veterinary nurse means being a special kind of person. You must have excellent people skills; it’s not just about the animals – after all they don’t bring themselves to the clinic. It’s very important that you’re able to relate to the owners.

“You must also have the ability to remain calm in a crisis and maintain a cool head. Veterinary nurses need to have a great compassion for both the animals and their owners and not have a tendency to be squeamish.

“Working with animals is not a nine-to-five job so being dedicated to the job is vital. Being able to multi-task is also handy. One of the most important qualities a veterinary nurse needs, however, is the ability to not be too over-emotional.”