Sub Committees:

• NIAG
  
• Education
  
• State Liaison
  

I have been veterinary nursing since 1982 & gained my first vet nurse qualification in 1984. I have been continually employed in small animal practice and currently work in small animal practice on the mid north coast of NSW. Particularly enjoy building rewarding client relations.

Have been involved with VNCA since 1998.  I am current secretary on the national Executive Committee & general committee member on the NSW State division.  I have been president at both national & state levels.

Have been involved with introduction & implementation of the VNTP & ACMTP. Current chair of NSW Industry Advisory Committee and chair of National Industry Advisory Group for Veterinary Nursing.

Great interest in red wine and good food. No current pets but last dog lasted until 17 years of age. Enjoy travelling around Australia by small plane.

Sub Committee Chair Of:

• Governance

Gill has been working as a veterinary Nurse since 1992. She currently manages a mixed animal clinic in a rural area on the outskirts of ACT. With numerous qualifications under her belt, Gill enjoys continuing education and the immense benefits that go with furthering qualifications and education. Gill is also a breeder of Quarter Horses, Paint Horses, Dobermanns and Golden Retrievers and is regularly seen round the equine show circuit.

Subcommittee:

• Financial Planning

Fiona currently works at the Southern Animal Hospital, a fantastic small animal hospital in Adelaide and has been a Vet Nurse since 1995. She joined the VNCA SA Division Committee in 1999 where she has held the positions of Treasurer and President and is now a general committee member. Fiona joined the VNCA Executive Committee in 2003 and feels that being on committees is a great experience and the people you work with are inspiring.

Study and continuous learning has always been important to Fiona, she has a Bachelor of Business, a Diploma of Veterinary Nursing and recently become an Accredited Veterinary nurse.

At the end of the day Fiona arrives home to a beagle that has found new definitions for the word naughty!! Its times like these you remember that vet nursing will always be a challenging profession!!
 

Sub Committee Chair of:

• Sponsorship
• Conference
• Industrial Relations

Born in UK, Jane began nursing in New Zealand in 1975. She qualified as a Veterinary Nurse with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in 1982 and was awarded the BSAVA's "Veterinary Nursing Award" in the same year. She is a Registered Veterinary Nurse with the RCVS. Following work as Nursing Manager for 2 years in Devon UK, Jane and her veterinarian husband set up practice in Cornwall in 1983. The couple immigrated to Australia in 1987.

Jane became committed to raising the standards, professionalism and self-esteem of Australian veterinary nurses in 1992 when she was elected onto the committee of the Veterinary Nurses Association of Victoria. Jane has held a variety of positions on the national Executive of the Veterinary Nurses Council of Australia since 1994; currently she is Immediate Past National President and Chairman of the Education portfolio.

She was a Finalist in the Telstra Business Women's Awards in 1997 and received the AVA's Meritorious Service Award the same year. From 1996-2004 Jane chaired and still sits on the National Industry Advisory Group for Veterinary Nursing and the Australian Animal Welfare Strategy Companion Animal Working Group.

Jane is a board member of the Australian Veterinary Business Association and is consultant to a variety of veterinary nurse training and practice management concerns. She is business partner to Pets at the Vets Hospital, which has recently undergone extensive renovations to become a model veterinary workplace.
 

Sub Committee Chair of:

• Marketing

Sub Committee Chair of:

• INTERNATIONAL
• MEMBERSHIP

Chris has been involved with small animal veterinary practice over a 40 year period. She has seen massive changes in the way veterinary science, medicine and surgery have developed. With her veterinarian husband they have started, from scratch, a small animal practice that has developed from a one vet, one nurse establishment to a three vet, eight nurse practice, not once but twice. Over this time she has always been interested in the development of veterinary nurse training and education, both formal and informal. Although her active involvement with the VNCA is quite recent, she has been a keen supporter of their activities - CPD’s and National Conference for a number of years. Chris is currently the Past President of the Victorian Division and the Treasurer and has been a committee member on the Executive for the past year. She currently has two cats, one dog and three pet sheep and spends spare time working with sheep and cattle on their farm.

Sub Committee:

• Website

Sub Committee:

• Media
  

Qualifications: Certificate IV Veterinary Nursing, Diploma of Veterinary Nursing, Accredited Veterinary Nurse

Job Description & Employer: Veterinary Nurse at Riverside Veterinary Surgery in Gawler, SA. Small animal clinic and the best place to work!

Best thing about the job: Tricky question! Vet nursing has evolved a lot since I started and there are so many great things about the job. Everyday is different but being involved in the care of a really sick patient and seeing them walk out the door happy and healthy is definitely a highlight.

Years on committee: Just over 2 years

Reason for joining the VNCA: To learn more about the industry. Plus a very enthusiastic nurse visited my TAFE course and I signed up straight away.

Reason for joining committee: After I attended my first conference I was amazed at what went on and I wanted to help out more.

Pets & Family Members: Three very cheeky and mischievous cats! Bert and Ernie, 8 year old domestic tabby cats who are brothers and were the clinic cats where I previously worked and Thingy (my husband named him!) a 9 year old ginger domestic who does a great impersonation of Garfield. A blue-tongued lizard named Rupert and not forgetting my Labrador x Rottweiler dog Simba who’s really all Labrador and not much Rotty!

Advice for other nurses: Strive to be the best you can be and keep on learning! You will never ever know it all. Don’t get disheartened if things aren’t going well as you will find other nurses who will pick you up and motivate you especially in the VNCA!

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