Veterinary nurses are to receive advanced training in emergency and critical care. Image Ken and Emilia Cook with Emily Thomas (far left) Nurses within the University of Edinburgh’s Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies will be selected to pursue the structured training programme. Participants will be guided towards attaining the leading qualification in the field – the Veterinary Technician Specialist (Emergency and Critical Care) certification.At present, there are fewer than ten veterinary nurses with the specialised qualification in the whole of the UK.Until now, there has been no formal programme to help nurses prepare for the exam, which can only be taken in the US where the awarding body is based.The programme will initially be open to nurses practising in the School’s Hospital for Small Animals only, but the hope is that it could eventually be rolled out on a wider scale.A scholarship fund supported by the Sir Hamish McTavish Memorial Fund will cover the costs of training and certification for up to three nurses.Nurses from the programme will have opportunities to share their training with others outside of the Hospital, with a view to improving critical care nursing across the UK.We are all very excited about this innovative project, which will help us build both our nursing team and the future of critical care nursing within the UK.Emily ThomasLecturer in Emergency and Critical CareThe Sir Hamish McTavish Memorial Fund was set up by Ken and Emilia Cook from Northumberland in memory of Sir Hamish, their beloved West Highland White Terrier. The charity campaigns to improve veterinary care for animals everywhere.We are delighted to be associated with this remarkable milestone in the history of the University of Edinburgh’s Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies Training Programmes. We are certainly aware of the enormous value to be gained in the field of Veterinary, Emergency and Critical Care in the UK and overseas and the need for such a specialty.We will, of course, all be watching with great interest, the progress of the three Veterinary Nurses who are selected to progress through the Veterinary Technician Specialist (Emergency and Critical Care) course.Congratulations University of Edinburgh’s Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies for your initiatives and pioneering work in the field of Veterinary Care.Ken CookCo-founder of the Sir Hamish McTavish Memorial Fund Related LinksThe Hospital for Small AnimalsThe Emergency and Critical Care Service Publication date 21 Feb, 2017
