Megan with her dog Eddie in the Orkneys.

Election candidate discusses the future of the nursing profession

Megan Whitehead describes herself as someone who “likes to think about her opinion and voice it!”. She is standing for election to the VN Council in order to improve opportunities for veterinary nurses, promote the profession and support patient welfare.

Prior to qualifying as a veterinary nurse in Canada, Megan achieved a science Masters and worked in human clinical trials and research. Megan explains that she left this career path for veterinary nursing as this is where her “real interest” lies.

Concerns that decisions are being made without input from nurses working in practice has prompted Megan to stand in council elections. She hopes to ensure that VN Council becomes “a well-respected and important voice at the RCVS.”

1. Why did you decide to stand for election?
I decided to run because I care about the decisions that are being made now that will affect the future of our profession. I have always been a letter-writer, the type of person who likes to think about her opinion and voice it!

I worry that decisions are being made without on-the-job nurses at the table. The VN Council does have nurses who work in practice, but more are needed to represent the average RVN voice. I also feel that my overseas qualification (I qualified in Canada) affords me a unique perspective, which may be valuable as the VN Council is set to discuss a system to consider recognition of overseas-qualified nurses.

2. What are you hoping to achieve if you are elected to the council?
In general I hope to advance the importance of the council in contributing to the college goals and to the profession in general. I think RVNs will be more engaged with the council if they feel it is a well-respected and important voice at the RCVS.

That is why it is so vital that the VN Council reflects the population of RVNs. Specifically I hope to contribute to issues the council is currently engaged with, such as statutory regulation and recognition of overseas-qualified nurses. If elected to council I also hope to lobby strongly for a VN Council working group to be involved in a rewrite of the Veterinary Surgeons Act, which will hopefully be revised in the coming years.

3. What changes would you like to see in the profession?
In my mind, entering a profession means you are undertaking a lifelong commitment – not just to a job but to the development of a career. We have significant problems right now both finding practices to support nurses in their training, and in retaining nurses once they are qualified. This says to me that the framework of our young profession is weak – the new Royal Charter and statutory regulation are going to go a long way to building that support, but as these are our profession's problems we need to be the solution seekers.

I feel that we must look seriously at RVN attrition and determine why people leave the profession so that we may make changes beyond regulation to keep nurses working. Personally I feel we need to maximize the use of our skills in practice, but we desperately need changes to the Veterinary Surgeons Act to move forward in that respect.

4. Where do you see the college in five years?
I see the college strengthening its public image as first-rate regulators of the professions that support animal health and welfare. I feel that the incorporation of nurses into the Royal Charter is a very exciting step forward in the increasing professionalisation of veterinary nursing. However, it can only represent the views of its members if they take the time to be involved with the college. We all have a lot to gain by working together to advance our professions.

5. Why should our members vote for you?
I'm a tenacious and passionate person. I constantly seek to improve care for my patients and my working environment. Back in Nova Scotia when I first qualified, legislation to protect our title came to member review, and although I was only newly qualified, I submitted my concerns. Some of those concerns were ultimately incorporated into the final draft of the legislation, and as a result, lay people may not conduct "animal physiotherapy" in Nova Scotia.

I have experience taking on big challenges from my years working in human hospitals, and in one instance got approval for a depression treatment trial over nine different health authorities so that we would not have to deny any Nova Scotian access to the trial because of where they lived, which had previously been the case. I left research for veterinary nursing because it was where my real interest lay. If elected I would constantly seek to improve our opportunities, support our patients' welfare and promote our profession.

6. How can the college connect better with the veterinary profession?
The more we can understand what veterinary surgeons and RVNs expect from the RCVS, the better connection we can make. One way to bridge that gap is to vote in the elections and make sure you pick people who represent you and your concerns. Based on personal experience, I know the RCVS will respond to your complaint letters! If you have a concern, make sure you let them know.

Veterinary nurses can vote for up to two of the five candidates standing for election – either online or using the ballot papers sent in the post. All votes must be cast by April 25 at 5pm.