Vet Nurse Day Date in the current year: October 11, 2024

Like any other branch of medicine, veterinary medicine does not rely solely on physicians. Veterinary physicians do play a leading role in veterinary care, but they are typically assisted by paraveterinary workers who can have quite a wide range of responsibilities.

Veterinarians have hired staff to assist them for as long as their profession has existed, but it wasn’t until the early 20th century that the role of veterinary nurses was somewhat formalized. In 1908, the Canine Nurses Institute was founded in England, and paraveterinary workers were first referred to as “nurses”. However, it took several more decades for veterinary nurses to get official recognition.

The job role and scope of practice of paraveterinary workers vary depending on the country, but the most common titles include veterinary nurse, veterinary technician, and veterinary assistant. In some countries, paraveterinary workers are restricted to assisting veterinary physicians, while in others they are allowed to practice independently and even perform minor surgeries, provided that they have suitable qualifications and credentials.

Paraveterinary workers typically assist other veterinary professionals or independently perform medical tasks such as monitoring vital signs (pulse, temperature, respiration), managing wounds and injuries (cleaning and dressing wounds, applying splints), carrying out procedures (ear flushing, venipuncture, catheterization), and preparing and analyzing biological samples.

Depending on their training and scope of practice, paraveterinary workers may also be responsible for operating diagnostic screening equipment. In large veterinary hospitals, veterinary technicians may perform blood tests such as complete blood counts, differential counts, and blood morphology examinations. Paraveterinary workers may also assist veterinarians during surgery, maintain treatment records, manage inventory of supplies, equipment and pharmaceuticals, and help out with administrative tacks.

Vet Nurse Day was established by the Veterinary Nurses Council of Australia, a not-for-profit professional association representing the interests of vet nurses and technicians across Australia. In 2022, the celebration was expanded to a week and renamed Veterinary Nurse & Technologist Awareness Week, but some countries still celebrate the second Friday of October as Vet Nurse Day.

If you have pets, celebrate Vet Nurse Day by reaching out to the nurses and technicians working at your vet’s office and expressing your gratitude for everything they have done. You can even buy them a small gift, coffee or lunch as a token of appreciation! And don’t forget to give a shout-out to all the paraveterinary workers out there on social media, using the hashtag #VetNurseDay to spread the word.