Vet Nurse Awareness Month: Q&A with Lara McHale

Lara Mchale

May is Veterinary Nursing Awareness Month, a whole month dedicated to raising awareness of the veterinary nursing profession and the vital role they play in animal care and treatment.

What was started as an awareness day by the British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA) in 2005 quickly grew into a week and expanded even further to a month in 2012.

Lara McHale is a veterinary nurse and senior pet health adviser at Calder Vets’ Dewsbury practice and she kindly took time out to tell us about life as a vet nurse. 

How long have you been a vet nurse and what training did you have to do to achieve your qualifications?

I have been a qualified veterinary nurse for 22 years.  I went to college on block release for two years, sitting two exams at the end of each year, along with a practical exam.

What attracted you to a career as a vet nurse?

I wanted to be a veterinary nurse from a very young age. I have a huge love for all animals and want to nurse them back to health.

What are the best things about being a vet nurse?

The best thing about being a vet nurse is the variety, as you never know what’s going to come through the door and, of course, seeing the animals go back home after recovering from their operations or a stay in hospital.

What kind of attributes do you need to be a good vet nurse?

To be a good vet nurse you need to be caring, confident, conscientious and patient.

What advice would you give someone thinking about a career as a vet nurse?

The advice I would give to someone wanting to train as a vet nurse would be to get as much experience as possible of working with animals, whether it’s with the RSPCA, or at kennels or stables.  It all adds up.

What are the best things about working at Calder Vets?

The best things about working at Calder Vets are our patients, our clients and, of course, our staff.

For more information on Vet Nurse Awareness Month, visit www.bvna.org.uk/about-us/veterinary-nursing-awareness-month.