Empowering Veterinary Nurses is a great way to increase efficiency at your hospital and retain top talent. Not only will this free up your time to focus on treating patients, it will elevate your hospital’s standards of care. Learn how you can better utilize your veterinary nurses and develop their skills to strengthen your hospital.

What does Veterinary Nurse utilization look like?

Veterinary Nurses are knowledgeable, trained individuals that given the opportunity can assist in many of the functions that Veterinarians hold. Optimize your Veterinary Nurses’ skills to spread out workload more evenly, promote collaboration and mitigate burnout. For example, Nurses can do fluid calculations, anesthesia, intubation, surgical prep and more depending on state regulations. Additionally, Nurses are great client educators and can answer many client questions just as effectively as the Veterinarian. Developing a climate of trust and partnership with the Nurses at the practice is key to transforming them into leaders.

How can mentorship play a role at my hospital?

Mentorship is one of the best ways for Nurses to continue to grow their skills to the fullest potential and progress to leaders at the hospital. It is important that Veterinarians take time to walk through case studies with Nurses to diversify their skill set and knowledge base. Furthermore, role-playing can also help Nurses better understand how to approach conversations with clients and communicate more effectively. With time, Nurses can also act as thought partners when it comes to developing medical protocols for the hospital team.

Is investing in continuing education worth it?

Investing in accredited trainings and continuing education can further develop skills and specific areas of expertise. CE is a great way to stay aware of new techniques, research and trends that are transferrable to Nurses’ day-to-day tasks. Learnings from trainings can have a real impact on patients’ lives and can also help the entire team evolve.

How will this impact my hospital long-term?

Beyond being a great clinical resource for the Veterinarian, Nurses are a great resource for other team members. Trusted Nurses can train others on various aspects of the practice and grow their skills in turn. With time, Nurses can make exceptional practice managers with a complex understanding of both the clinical and business elements of the hospital.

What other resources are out there?

Communities such as National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA) that can interact online to exchange information and advice are also great growth resources for Veterinary Nurses. These groups act as advocates for the profession and support their members with CE opportunities, state chapters and more. Developing a network outside of your hospital is a great way to broaden perspective and gain new ideas.

Interested in learning more about how CareVet supports and empowers our Veterinary Nurses through a living wage, continuing education, revenue sharing programs and best-in-class benefits? Start the conversation today.