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722 Australian Veterinary Journal Volume 82, No 12, December 2004

Australian

VETERINARYJOURNAL

MANAGING EDITOR MARK THORNLEY

SCIENTIFIC EDITORCOLIN WILKS

CLINICAL EDITORMAUREEN REVINGTON

DESIGNSOUTHERN DESIGN AND PRINT GROUP

PHOTOGRAPHYMARK THORNLEY

NATIONAL ADVERTISING MANAGERMcGOWEN & COX MEDIA SALES

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS CO-ORDINATOR

ANGELA JACKSON

BOARD MEMBER RESPONSIBLE FOR PUBLICATIONSDAVID LOVELL

AUSTRALIAN VETERINARY ASSOCIATION

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICERMARGARET CONLEY

AVA BOARDPRESIDENT NORM BLACKMAN, PAST-PRESIDENT

JO SILLINCE, BOARD MEMBERS BILL DARMODY, DAVIDLOVELL, DIANE SHEEHAN, LYNDY SCOTT, DEREK MAJOR,

MATT MAKIN AND SAM McMAHON.

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Cover photo: Bull Mastiff buddies

have fun on the beach.Photo by Mark Thornley.

AVA Vet Ed reaches milestoneStories by Mark Thornley. Photo by Jenny Doherty

Vet nurse puts teamwork into practice

Dr Philip Brain of AllambieVeterinary Clinic is the firstveterinarian to achieve 120 AVA

Vet Ed points and was presented with hiscertificate on 28th October, 2004 by DrNorm Blackman, President.

Completion of 120 AVA Vet Ed pointswithin a triennium (three year period)entitles AVA members to use a post-nominal – Chartered Member AVA(CMAVA).

This post-nominal can also be used bymembers to market themselves asprofessionals maintaining high qualitystandards in their field of endeavour to helpset them apart from those who do notachieve this status.

“If you’re attending a lot of conferenceslike myself it’s pretty easy to accumulate alot of continuing education points. You justhave to keep your paper work and get it intothe AVA, it’s that easy,” Dr Brain said.

Over 100 veterinarians are currentlyactive participants in AVA Vet Ed.

As members of a self-regulatingprofession, veterinarians are under a

professional obligation to maintain theircompetence and should seek to makecontinuous improvements to the standardof service that they provide to their patients,clients, colleagues and employers.

AVA Vet Ed is designed “to be theprovider of the pre-eminent continuingeducation scheme to enhance the quality ofthe professional services provided by AVAmembers”.

Successful members also receive acertificate plus a lapel pin/brooch with theyear of CE attainment.

Melbourne based veterinary nursePatrice Naylor recently returnedfrom her Veterinary Nurses

Council of Australia (VNCA) EducationScholarship.

Travelling to Texas to work with DrSteve Garner’s Safari Animal Hospital whoare world-renowned leaders in teamconsulting, she spent three days studyingthe latest veterinary workflow methods.

Patrice furthered her knowledge base byattending the Central VeterinaryConference in Kansas City, Missouri foranother three days and will share thevaluable insights she has gained bydeveloping a variety of training aids to helpeducate veterinary nurses in teamconsulting.

Currently serving as a vet nurse at thePascoe Vale Veterinary Hospital, Ms Naylorsaid this style of consultation involves vetnurses spending more time in theconsultation room and interacting withclients.

“The nurses take any samples that needto be collected and check all the vital signs

of the patient and prepare the animal forthe veterinarian to come into the consultroom to diagnose and prescribe themedications,” Ms Naylor said.

“The patients love it because they getlonger consults, the nurses love it becausethey’re using more of their skills and gettingbetter job satisfaction and the veterinarianshave more time to see more clients throughthe practice.”

The scholarship offers up to $5000distributed between a number of applicantsannually.

Dr Philip Brain with a patient.

Vet nurse Patrice Naylor (right) assisting at the clinic.