Navigating nursing through the pandemic and thriving as an RVN with Izzy

In some ways, it feels like it never happened, but in other ways not…

It’s very easy to forget that, just a few years ago, the way we were working (and living) was completely different, thanks to the small matter of a global pandemic and a profession suddenly full of emergency-only clinics, furlough leave, and a growing queue of ‘lockdown pets’ to contend with.

And in the middle of that, there we were, trying to continue nursing our patients the best we could, still working hard, and in the case of our student nurses, still trying to train through it all.

Today, I’m sitting down with Medical Nursing Academy member Izzy. Izzy began nursing in 2020 and shares with me how training through the pandemic impacted her and her career, her love for medical nursing, and how she’s becoming a better nurse each day.

It began at a cattery…

Izzy came to the profession as a second career after working in an unrelated field until 2019. It was when she started volunteering at a cattery that she discovered her love for animal care. Having come from a family of (human) nurses, her parents pushed her to retrain and follow her passion.

Fast forward a little, and Izzy secures a PCA role… and then in mid-2020, her SVN training begins.

We all remember our student nurse days (even if mine were a long time ago now!)
The struggle of training AND working was real - throw a global pandemic into the mix, and they get even more challenging.

Izzy was navigating being the first at her clinic to use a brand-new training provider, virtual learning, and trying to collect cases during a time where we weren’t seeing ‘routine’ patients - making completing her studies much harder.

“I know everyone says it, but studying and working were hard. It truly has been one of the most challenging things I have done. I wanted to give up so many times for so many different reasons. I was held back and joined multiple cohorts along the way. The number of student vet nurse WhatsApp groups I was in was bananas.”

It was so challenging that it was February this year when Izzy finally got the chance to sit her practical exams and enter the register as an RVN - a real tough training period like so many of our students have been contending with over the last few years - but so worth it for the reward of being a registered VN.

“I still feel like it has not really happened or that someone may turn around and take it all away! But I really do try to quieten those imposter syndrome thoughts. I have to constantly remind myself of all the hard work and how long it took me to get to where I am now.”

Training was NOT an easy process for Izzy, and it came with a lot of challenges - but it also taught her lots not just about nursing, but about looking after herself along the way, too.

“My training was a huge challenge. There were many moments when my mental health took a real beating, being signed off on multiple occasions. It really tested my resilience, and overcoming all those voices and thoughts in my head taught me so much.

It helped me become a better nurse (and person) by helping me realise you must take care of yourself before you can take care of others, to be present and remember my ‘why’ as often as I could and to be continually kind to oneself and others.”

And now, as an RVN, Izzy is discovering her love of medicine.

Her current clinic is small and busy, with a real family feel. And it was when one of her vets started their internal medicine certificate that Izzy started thinking more about medical nursing…

“My good friend who is a vet is doing their certificate at the moment on internal medicine, and having conversations with them about cases or papers/studies they’ve read always gets me excited and sparks a fire within my brain!”

There’s nothing she loves more than getting stuck in with wards, or doing lab work, and thinking about the specific nursing needs for her patients.

“Even from the start of my training, I have never really been much of a fan of anaesthetic monitoring and the surgical sort of side of vet nursing (although I realise anaesthetics is a huge part of our role as VNs).

I have enjoyed more of the ‘caring’ part of vet nursing, such as ward rounds, running lab tests, or lab-related things. I also enjoy anticipating how to look after patients and what we can do to manage conditions as opposed to ‘slice and dice’ approaches.

Reaping the rewards of your nursing care

Izzy’s passion for inpatient care and nursing interventions also brings her SO much job satisfaction—you can directly see the benefits of your nursing interventions as you watch your patients improve in front of your eyes!

“In my career so far, I think what I find most rewarding is seeing the improvement of patients.
We recently had a doggy in, who we do not see often in the branch.
She had lost so much weight, she had horrendous HGE and was so very sad in herself.
After running blood tests we discovered that she had EPI and I thought to myself - wow. It is so amazing that something so drastic could be resolved so “easily”, and since the diagnosis, she has been putting on weight and back to her happy chatty self!”

One of the other great things about medicine is the variety - you’re always learning!

Izzy’s been working in practice for 5 years, but still has so much she wants to see - and the great news is that nursing allows us to learn constantly! She has an entire career ahead of her to nurse different patients, manage different diseases, and learn new skills.

“Although I have been in practice for… nearly five years, there is still so much to learn and acquaint myself with. I have only ever been in general/first-opinion practice, and although I have worked with many skilled and experienced colleagues, there is so much more out there to learn and nurse!”

What advice would you give to others?

I asked Izzy the same questions I ask all of the Academy members who share their stories here on the blog - her most valuable lessons and advice for anyone wanting to focus on medicine.

Her advice? Always stay curious, embrace your learning mindset, and don’t overlook how AMAZING the body is!

What has been the most valuable lesson you’ve learned in your career so far?

“To not be afraid to ask questions. I think at whatever stage of your career always keep curious.”

What advice would you give to someone wanting to pursue a career in medical nursing?

“I think we should really take note of how amazing the body is, whether it be our own, feline, canine or any other species! 
Evolution is amazing and the advancement of medicine and our understanding of how we can help all the varying conditions is astounding.”

Let’s talk practical tips and tricks…

I also asked Izzy to share her favourite hacks, tips and nursing interventions she uses to win over her hospitalised patients.

And it was the “little” things that added up to make the biggest difference to her hospitalised patients - things like warming food, tempting patients to eat, and taking the time to spend with them away from treatments and medications. Though they’re easy to overlook, they really do make an enormous difference.

“It may seem very basic but warming up food for patients - it may not always work and I may have cremated some portions by accident! 
This may not be appropriate for all patients, but offering feline wet food to canine patients where appropriate, to encourage those lacking appetite, too.
And then spending quality time with patients! I feel it can be easy in the clinical setting to forget to just pay them attention or sit and talk with them.”

It was that passion for patient care and medical nursing that led Izzy to the academy.

Izzy joined the academy in 2024, with the goal to further her learning and knowledge and to challenge herself.

She also wanted to join a community of people she could learn from, outside of the people in her clinic. 

She’s now busy putting the lessons inside to good use, reminding herself of the importance of holistic nursing care, and using everyone inside’s experiences to further her own knowledge.

“It is certainly making me, or reminding me rather, to think of patients holistically.
Considering the individual patient as well as utilising the resources and experiences of others allows me to better care for my patients in the hospital. 
Every day is a chance to learn something new!”

Izzy’s story is a testament to her dedication, hard work and resilience, navigating the most challenging time to train in our profession, and caring for herself and her patients throughout.

Her passion and care for her patients is inspiring and the academy is lucky to have her as part of it!

So if you’re navigating a difficult time in your career, struggling with your training, or are stuck in the midst of circumstances you can’t control - remember: this too shall pass. Keep looking after YOU, as well as your patients, and lean on the people around you (be that in person, or online) for support. You’ve got this!