Linnaeus-owned Village Vet, which has 30 practices across London, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire, has recently appointed Kerry Jackson as its regional nursing manager (RNM), working with around 160 associates across Village Vet surgeries, including patient care assistants (PCA), student veterinary nurses (SVN) and registered veterinary nurses (RVN). Kerry will be heading up a new nursing structure at Village Vet which will also incorporate clinical nurse managers (CNM), who will work with her to identify and support development within their team.
Lead nurses will also be appointed to work in conjunction with CNMs to help steer nursing teams at specific sites or in a certain area of practice. The lead nurse role will also provide opportunities to develop clinical and leadership skills for both the individual and practice as a whole.
The new nursing structure at Village Vet will see a number of senior roles created and Kerry said these positions would allow nurses to be recognised, empowered and to progress their leadership roles and skills in line with their interests.
Kerry said: “We feel it’s essential our nursing team feel valued and are developed to their full potential. This is the driving force behind introducing this innovative Linnaeus nursing structure across our 30 practices.
“The aim is to fully support the progression of our team members at all levels, aiding their career progression and providing a clear pathway from PCA to SVN to RVN and beyond, along with creating a number of opportunities across our group of practices.”
Village Vet is one of a number of Linnaeus primary care practices to introduce the group’s new structure for its nursing team. This follows a clear emphasis being placed on the nursing community by Linnaeus, which, with the addition of Chief Nursing Officer Andrea Jeffery, has had a nursing presence on its Executive Board since 2019.
Andrea, who has recently completed a PhD investigating the factors that influence retention within the vet nursing profession, has spearheaded the creation of a unique central support veterinary nursing team (CSVNT) at Linnaeus to help its nursing population develop a clear career framework to facilitate the skill set development of RVNs throughout their careers.
She said: “We’re really excited to see the implementation of this new nursing structure at Village Vet, which, as part of Linnaeus, is very much leading the way for primary care practices with this approach to supporting its nursing team.
“We place a real emphasis on the importance our nurses play in helping us provide a better world for pets and this move really highlights the opportunities and support on offer at Village Vet.”
Kerry is supported in her position at Village Vet by the VN Central Support Team at Linnaeus and, in particular, by field nursing manager, Claire Roberts, pre-registration experience manager Larissa May and the professional development team.
Claire said the role of regional nursing manager within the Village Vet people framework was key to supporting the Linnaeus strategy. She observed: “The position of the RNM in the business is testament to the high regard that Linnaeus shows for its nursing population and the importance we place on positioning veterinary nurses to be able to contribute and impact change at a senior level.”
For more information on Village Vet, visit their website or search for Village Vet on social media.
