The RCVS has announced that the Codes of Professional Conduct for veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses have been updated to state that you should not refer to yourselves or others as 'veterinary nurses' unless registered.

In fact, the change occurred back in June last year, but was only announced via RCVS News and as a one-liner within the 'Overview of decisions made at RCVS Council'.

The announcement raises the pretty fundamental question of what ARE veterinary surgeons and RVNs to call their unqualified colleagues, if not veterinary nurses? How indeed are those unqualified staff working in veterinary practice to describe their job title to their friends, down at the pub? 

VetSurgeon.org sought to clarify the situation with the College, and the first point to make is that the new part of the CoPCs refers only to the use of the words 'veterinary nurse' when used in conjunction. The words 'nurse' or 'nursing' are not protected at all. 

The College says that it is not within its remit to instruct veterinary surgeons or registered nurses as to how they should address unqualified staff, but suggested: 'Care Assistant' or 'Auxilliary'.

However, Ben Myring, RCVS Senior Policy and Public Affairs Officer said: "There is nothing to stop someone calling themselves a 'nursing assistant' or a 'head nurse'".

The Codes of Professional Conduct obviously apply only to those who are regulated by it. The title 'veterinary nurse' in unprotected in law and can therefore be used by anyone else. 

So, the immediate implications seem to be as follows:

• Veterinary surgeons and nurses must not refer to unqualified nursing colleagues as 'veterinary nurses'. 
• Currently acceptable alternatives (for the moment at least) are 'nurse' (on its own), 'care assistant, 'auxilliary' or 'nursing assistant'.
• Marketing and other materials which a regulated individual has responsibility for should be updated to reflect the change (for example, if a small practice owned by a veterinary surgeon refers to its unqualified nursing assistants as veterinary nurses on its website, that should be changed).
• When asked, down the pub, what they do, unqualified nursing assistants are legally still entitled to describe themselves as 'veterinary nurses'.

Do you have any other suggestions as to how unqualified nursing staff should be styled? Post them below.

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