Jennifer Jupp, RVN: Advancing Surgical Nursing and Leadership While Thriving as a Working Mum

What do you love most about your job as a vet nurse? 

I know it’s a bit of a cliché, but I love how every day is different. You never know what will come through the door, and that keeps my brain active. I’m a natural problem solver, and I find the day-to-day challenges and tasks really engaging. Because of this, the number of skills we vet nurses develop is incredible.
 

Why did you become a vet nurse? 

Growing up, I always wanted to be a vet, but I didn’t know that it was an option to become a veterinary nurse as a career, School pushed me to be a vet, but after I did work experience in a vet practice, I discovered that I really wanted to be a nurse! I was so keen to get stuck in and directly care for patients. I went to an open day at the Royal Veterinary College and had an amazing chat with the nursing team, and I knew it was for me - being a vet nurse is the perfect fit for me!
 

What’s one thing you would want everyone to know about being a vet nurse? 

I’d want everyone to understand the care we give to the animals that come to us. Clients tend to come in and see the vets and then they leave; they don’t realise that we are the ones who care for their animals for much of the time that they’re in the practice. We feed them, monitor them, and give them TLC. Sometimes I reflect on the fact that as a vet nurse, many people - even my own family and friends - don’t realise the extent of what’s involved in this job.

How has your role changed throughout your career? 
In the six years since qualifying as an RVN, I have become increasingly interested in surgical nursing. Downland (my clinic) and IVC Evidensia have made it easy for me to explore this interest and undertake further training. After having my daughter a couple of years ago, I came back from maternity leave and have been able to develop into a deputy-head nurse role, which is amazing. I was worried I’d go backwards, but not only was my transition back to work very easy, I was propelled forward!
 

How does your role as Deputy Head Nurse differ from other vet nurses in your practice? 

In a nutshell, I deal more with people than animals. I love to care for the animals where I can, but I’m now part of the bigger picture of the practice, which is something I’m very passionate about. I make sure things are running smoothly so the other nurses can do their jobs well and concentrate on caring for the animals.

Can you tell us about the additional training you have undertaken? 
I’ve completed my surgical nursing certificate, which I actually finished whilst on maternity leave! It was part-funded by IVC Evidensia, which made much more feasible for me. 

What aspects of medical pet care are vet nurses qualified to provide?

Do you think this should be expanded? One thing you should know about us vet nurses is that we are so thirsty for knowledge. We’re always keen to learn and we’re so capable of taking on more. A lot of nurses are very keen on knowing more about anaesthesia, which is an area I also find interesting.
 

As a vet nurse, what is your role in deciding the right treatment course and presenting the pet owner with options? 

The vet tends to be the face-to-face contact with the owner, but the nurse has a massive contribution to the treatment course. We look at the animals so closely; we’re there with them, notice changes, and we relay everything to the vet. We then, together, devise a treatment plan for the animal.
 

Is there anything else you want to share with us about your role, training, or career journey? 

A lot of women work as Registered Vet Nurses and there are lot of mums too. I was worried about balancing my career after the birth of my child. I received a lot of support from IVC Evidensia, which has meant I haven’t had to sacrifice anything in order to do the job I love and be a mum. If you’re loving being a mum but also want to continue your work (which we’ve all trained so hard for) then it’s absolutely possible.