HISTORY OF THE PROFESSION
History of veterinary nursing and allied animal healthcare in New Zealand
Animal healthcare has a long history in New Zealand, much of which has been influenced by progress overseas, particularly in North America and the United Kingdom. What sets New Zealand apart is a rich history of farming with agricultural animals at the heart. This is why New Zealand has such a strong workforce of rural animal allied animal healthcare workers.
1961 - 1961 RCVS approved first Animal Nursing Auxiliary (ANA) training scheme in England. In the USA, the first ‘animal technician’ education program is established.
1965 - British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA) was formed in England (it became the British Veterinary Nursing Auxiliaries Association the following year as the term ‘nurse’ was protected until 1984).
1970 - Animal nursing course established at Auckland Polytechnic (AIT).
1972 - The American Veterinary Medical Association declares the use of the word ‘veterinary’ to likely be easily confused with the title ‘veterinarian,’ and the title of ‘nurse’ was protected by law resulting in the updated title of ‘animal health technician.’
1977 - Morehead State University in Kentucky, USA becomes the first college to offer a 4-year veterinary technology degree, resulting in the first credentialed animal health technologists.
1981 - The North American Veterinary Technician Association (NAVTA) is established in the USA.
1984 - The title ‘veterinary nurse’ is first recognised in England.
1991 - In England, the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 is amended, and the role of ‘nurse’ is formally recognised in law (schedule 3).
1991 - New Zealand Veterinary Nursing Association established as an associate member of the New Zealand veterinary Association.
1995 - The one-year National Certificate in Veterinary Nursing is established in New Zealand and delivered by Unitec and Otago Polytechnic.
2002 - In England, the Veterinary Nurses Council is established.
2002 - In England, the first cohort is awarded BSc Hons in Veterinary Nursing.
2007 - In England, the non-statutory Register of Veterinary Nurses is established.
2012 - Massey University, the first cohort awarded Bachelor of Veterinary Technology resulting in the first New Zealand credentialed Veterinary Technologists.
2014 - NZVNA establishes a working committee tasked with progressing regulation of veterinary nurses. It takes on the name Allied Veterinary Professional Regulatory Council (AVPRC) in an effort to be inclusive of all professional and allied professional roles in the veterinary team.
2015 - AVPRC establishes the first non-statutory Register of Veterinary Nurses an Allied Veterinary Professionals.
2017 - University of Glasgow offers the first Master of Science (MSc) in Advanced Practice in Veterinary Nursing.
2019 - Unitec offers the first New Zealand Bachelor of Veterinary Nursing degree.
Timeline
Historical Perspectives on Nursing
While the first veterinary school was established in France in the mid-1700s, it wasn’t until the mid1960s that a designated animal ‘nursing’ training scheme was recognised in history at a global level. Since that time, the title of veterinary nurse has been used in describing highly trained animal healthcare providers.
The title of ‘nurse’ is well known in human medicine, beginning in the mid-1800s with the work of Florence Nightingale’s first training school at St Thomas's Hospital in London in 1860. Nightingale brought an element of respectability to nursing taking the role from a low-class woman’s job of cleaner, and caretaker, to one of a skilled and educated care provider. Of importance is an entrenched gender and power dynamic that prevailed into modern times, characterising the role of the nurse as an obedient servant of moral character. This perception has shaped the identity of the role even to this day and the focus on obedience has created gender and hierarchical constraints to evolution of the profession.
There is no doubt about it, veterinary nursing identity has been shaped by human nursing identity. We are following a similar path to human nursing; however, building on the experience of human nursing, we are progressing at a much faster pace. Veterinary nursing is coming together with globally accepted standards, titles and qualifications. Now, entry level veterinary nursing education includes qualifications at diploma level (like human enrolled nurses), a bachelors’ level (like registered nurses), and a master’s level qualification that could eventually look like a nurse practitioner.
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