2026 has not been a quiet year for veterinary practice. The CMA published its final decision in March, bringing confirmed changes that will affect how practices operate, communicate with clients and handle prescriptions. The ongoing push for legislative protection of the veterinary nurse title has continued to gather pace and across the profession, the pressure on clinical teams has not eased.
Veterinary Nursing Awareness Month (VNAM) in May, led by the BVNA, carries the theme of championing the veterinary nursing profession this year. The timing could not be better and the data behind it makes a strong case for year-round investment in nursing teams beyond May.
What the data says
The RCVS Survey of the Veterinary Nursing Profession 2024 found that nurses felt clients valued the work of vets more than their own contribution. That finding lands differently in the context of heightened public scrutiny since the CMA review, where it is often nursing and reception teams who absorb the sharpest client frustration. The same survey found that 66% of vet nurses identified poor financial reward as one of the top three challenges facing the profession, with staff shortages entering the top three alongside stress levels at 47%.
54% of nurses who left the RCVS register between 2022 and 2024 did so to leave the profession entirely
RCVS Exit Survey 2022-2024, published November 2025
More than a quarter of RVNs are not currently using all the practical skills they are trained to carry out
BVNA VN Profession Survey, preliminary findings, October 2024
That second figure is particularly relevant to VNAM. A nurse who has trained for years and is not given the opportunity to work at the full extent of that training is a nurse who is gradually disengaging. Unused capability is one of the quieter but more consistent drivers of leaving.
Three practical things to do this month
VNAM is a useful prompt. Here is what the practices that retain their nursing teams tend to do consistently.
- Have a one-to-one with each nurse. Not a performance review. A conversation about what they want to develop, what is working and what would make their working life better. The conversation itself signals that the practice is paying attention.
- Make CPD happen, not just possible. RVNs need 45 hours over a rolling three-year period, with at least 15 verifiable hours. Telling nurses they can do CPD is not the same as protecting time for it. Online CPD through iLearn means nurses can work through accredited courses around clinical commitments, and you can see where the whole team stands without chasing anyone. Browse our vet nurse CPD options or explore our selection of free veterinary CPD courses.
- Let nurses work at the top of their scope. If nurses in your practice are not regularly performing the procedures they are trained and qualified to carry out, it is worth understanding why. Clear protocols and structured online training can make a practical difference.
A free starting point
If you want to introduce online CPD to your team this month, iLearn currently offers the Animal Care Assistant Award (Bronze Level, Part 1) at no cost. It is a practical, accredited course suited to support staff and those newer to practice, and a straightforward way for the team to experience the platform before building out a wider programme.
The practices that come through this period well will be the ones that invest in their nursing teams consistently, not just during awareness month. Development, career structure and the chance to practise at the full extent of their training are what keeps good nurses in the profession. iLearn is designed to make the CPD side of that straightforward.
Sources
RCVS Survey of the Veterinary Nursing Profession 2024 – Institute for Employment Studies, published November 2024 | rcvs.org.uk
RCVS Exit Survey 2022-2024 – published November 2025 | rcvs.org.uk
BVNA VN Profession Survey – preliminary findings, October 2024 | bvna.org.uk