VNCA Vet Nurse of the Year AwardsHonouring excellence in the Veterinary Nurse profession |
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Veterinary nurses are an essential part of any veterinary practice. They are highly skilled, have ever increasing responsibilities and play a valuable role, whether in surgery, practice administration or consultations. The VNCA Vet Nurse of the Year Awards have been developed to celebrate excellence in our profession.
We invite veterinary health care team members, employees, clients and teachers to nominate a veterinary nurse who provides exceptional service, delivers the highest possible standard of care and occupies a pivotal position in the veterinary health care team.
Monday 31 August 2020: Nominations NOW CLOSED
Friday 9 October 2020: Winners announced
Winners of Veterinary Nurse and Student Veterinary Nurse of the Year awards will receive:
The VNCA congratulates all nominees of the 2019 Vet Nurse of the Year Awards. The recipients of the 2019 awards were announced on Friday 11 October and will receive their award formally at the 2020 VNCA Conference. Congratulations:
2019 Vet Nurse of the Year – Kate Simon-MenasseWith almost 20 years of experience in the veterinary nursing profession, Kate Simon-Menasse has an extraordinary breadth and depth of clinical experience as a veterinary nurse. In addition to her 18-year career in zoos, she has worked in private practice, in an orthopaedic referral hospital, and in a university teaching hospital. As a senior nurse in the Perth zoo veterinary team, Kate plays an important role in mentoring nurses, instructing veterinary students and developing the health management skills of rehabilitators. Kate has also acted in the Nursing Supervisor role on a number of occasions. |
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2019 Student Vet Nurse of the Year – Martina SmithMartina joined the UQ VETS team two and a half years ago when she successfully obtained an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Trainee Animal Attendant position working in the Clinical Studies Centre. During her traineeship, she completed a Certificate III Companion Animal Studies and became a valued member of the team as a dedicated, enthusiastic and hardworking employee.
Martina is now working within both the UQ equine and small animal teaching hospitals and is completing her Cert IV in Veterinary Nursing through TAFE QLD. ‘Over the last 6 months working in the hospital, she has become an asset to my team of nurses and technicians’, notes Martina’s nominator. ‘She has shown particular commitment to improving the care and husbandry of our hospitalised patients, specifically to our long stay orthopaedic patients. She has also shown strength in customer service and is always happy to jump onto reception to assist when needed.’
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We warmly congratulate both Kate and Martina and are particularly grateful to Hill's for their support of these important awards.