Vets Now’s Louise Hosford, a Principal Nurse Manager who works at an emergency and critical care clinic in Sheffield has become the sixth winner of a bursary in memory of legendary vet nurse Louise O’Dwyer.
Louise Hosford (Figure 1) was named the bursary winner at a dinner at the UK’s sole dedicated emergency and critical care (ECC) Congress for the vet professions, where over 900 vets and nurses gathered in Leeds last week. The 2024 Congress, organised by Vets Now, allowed veterinary professionals looking to enhance their ECC skills and knowledge, the chance to choose from 75 hours of CPD over two days.
A new Louise O’Dwyer bursary winner is announced each year at Congress. Open to all vet nurses within Vets Now, the bursary awards the winner an extra £2,000 CPD allowance to the candidate who best demonstrates their commitment to making a difference in their chosen discipline, while furthering Louise’s legacy of sharing learning.
Speaking from the Vets Now ECC Congress, Louise Hosford said: “I’m absolutely over the moon to have been awarded the Louise O’Dwyer bursary – and am incredibly grateful for the support and opportunity provided by Vets Now. I have worked in practice for some 26 years now and was lucky enough to attend several of Louise’s emergency and critical care nursing lectures at a variety of veterinary conferences over the years. Her lectures were inspiring and full of humour.”
Louise O’Dwyer was one of the world’s leading emergency and critical care veterinary nurses and a huge influence on the thousands of vet professionals who encountered her through her lectures, practical guide books and journal papers.
After Louise’s death in 2019 Vets Now launched the Louise O’Dwyer Bursary as a tribute to Louise’s passion for her role in ECC and the culture of shared learning she helped to create.
Louise Hosford continued: “I intend to use the bursary to undertake the Post Graduate Certificate in Advanced Practice in Veterinary Nursing (PgCert APVN) through the University of Glasgow. I am incredibly excited to embark on this new learning journey – and hope that I can share these skills with other RVNs, and encourage others to keep following their dreams within the veterinary nursing profession, just as Louise did.”
Racheal Marshall, head of clinical nursing at Vets Now said: “It was important to all of us at Vets Now to find a way of honouring Louise’s work and to keep her memory alive. The Louise O’Dwyer bursary is our way of thanking her for all that she contributed to the Vets Now family and the veterinary community.
“I am delighted to congratulate Louise Hosford on winning the bursary, it was an exceptional application which reflected Louise O’Dwyer’s passion for education and her drive to make a positive difference in veterinary medicine and veterinary nursing. Louise Hosford’s dedication to supporting the growth of veterinary nurses and her commitment to enhancing standards of care exemplifies the qualities that Louise championed.”
Applications for next year’s Louise O’Dwyer bursary will open in spring 2025. To enter, applicants are asked to answer three set questions.
Remembering one of the greats in veterinary nursing
An RVN and clinical support manager at Vets Now, Louise O’Dwyer was one of the world’s leading emergency and critical care veterinary nurses, described by friends as “a true force of nature”, with an infectious personality which lit up rooms worldwide.
Louise Hosford continued: “Louise’s published works are remarkable and have been accessed by so many – contributing to significant improvements in veterinary nursing standards over the years. Louise was relatable, very down to earth and showed that the possibilities are endless for veterinary nurse progression and further education.
Her passion for veterinary nursing was second-to-none, she was a much-loved colleague and friend to those who knew and worked with her, and a huge help and inspiration to thousands of vet nurses.
