For brevity, I’m going to use the term ‘Vet Nurse’ throughout this article to refer to all qualified veterinary nurses (VNs, RVNs and SVNs), veterinary technicians and technologists (CVTs and LVTs), Animal Health Technicians and equivalent.
As a travelling vet, last month I finally sat down to answer the question, why are there so many different names for veterinary nurses (or techs) around the world?
Turns out, the answer was a lot more complicated that I expected! (and I’ve done my best to explain the correct terminology on a regional basis in this article).
But what really struck me was this- most of these professionals would prefer to be known by one simple, globally-recognised naming system. And yet, in most countries around the world, this isn’t possible- largely down to the lack of Vet Nurse Title protection.
Let’s go into a little depth on what the vet nurse title debate is all about, and why title protection is essential for the future of the profession.
What does it mean to protect a title?
Put simply, protecting a title means putting in place legislation that prevents people using that title unless they are appropriately qualified and registered.
It would mean that if you wanted to introduce yourself as a ‘Veterinary Nurse’ to clients at your clinic, you would have to have obtained an approved qualification (a certificate, diploma or degree), and have your name on a register with the relevant regulatory body.
We already have this legislation for a ton of professions, notably doctors and veterinarians. Its put in place to protect the public, and also to protect the reputation of qualified professionals.
And just as it would detrimental to have untrained people calling themselves doctors, having unqualified people share the title of vet nurse is harmful to the profession.
Which countries currently protect the Veterinary Nurse (or equivalent) Title?
Protected
- Republic of Ireland
- Sweden
- Norway
- The Netherlands
- Romania
Partially Protected
- Australia
- United Kingdom
- USA
- Canada
These countries do not protect the title of ‘Veterinary Nurse’ or equivalent. Instead, they use optional titles to delineate qualified professionals e.g. LVT (Licensed Veterinary Technician) or RVT (Registered Veterinary Nurse). In Canada, the US and Australia, the rules vary per state or province.
Not Protected
- New Zealand
- Sri Lanka
- Japan
- Hungary
- Iceland
- France
- Spain
- Portugal
- Italy
- Many developing nations
Why Would Anyone Oppose Title Protection?
Protecting the titles of skilled and qualified professionals might seem like an obvious next step for the industry- but there has actually been a number of roadblocks on this front.
In North America, a lot of the difficulty has come from the naming conventions. In different states, vet nurses may be known as vet techs, RVTs, LVTs, animal health technicians, veterinary technologists, and many more variations. Because some of these titles denote qualified professionals, and some refer to unqualified assistants, it can be difficult to rally the profession under one banner. Whatsmore, the rules and level of qualification vary greatly by state, so it would be difficult to determine which terms are equivalent.
In the United States, opposition to title protection has also come from human nursing groups- who (in some states) already lay claim to the title ‘nurse’. They argue that by allowing veterinary nurses to share the ‘nurse’ title, they would be undermining the reputation of their profession. In some cases they’ve had this backed up in court.
In the UK, there was a big push to attain Veterinary Nurse title protection in 2015. It culminated in the submission of a petition to parliament which garnered of 36,000 signatures. However, it was quickly dismissed by Defra.
Another group that often opposes title protection is the experienced veterinary assistants who were trained on the job- never gaining an official qualification despite their vast expertise. These professionals are invaluable to the practice, and often have a hand in training the new generation of vet nursing students. However, some of them are concerned that their lack of qualifications will put them at a disadvantage if title protection legislation is implemented. Realistically, any move to protect the veterinary nurse title will need to make allowances for this group of professionals to have their vast experience officially recognised- as many practices could not function without them.
Does it really matter if the title is protected? Isn’t it just a name?
Yes, it matters!
Names and titles hold power. And protecting a title makes a huge difference to both those who have obtained a qualification, as well as to the public perception of the profession itself.
In fact, protecting the vet nurse title is vital to the future of the Vet Nursing Profession. Head onto the final article in this series to find out why.
Or if you’d like a refresher on which terms are used for veterinary nurses across the globe, head back to The Ultimate Guide to International Vet Nurse Titles.
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