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BVNA NI Vet Nurse Of The Year 2011 Winners

13 years ago
3213 views

Posted
2nd June, 2011 13h43


The BVNA NI Vet Nurse of the Year award, supported by Hill’s Pet Nutrition, is now in its fourth year and the quality of the winners continues to be extremely high. The NI Vet Nurse of the Year 2011 is Claire McConaghy of Firmount Veterinary Clinic in Antrim who received a fantastic 12 nominations from clients and colleagues, enabling her to win the award trophy and a £250 gift voucher. Gemma Snodgrass of Parkview Veterinary Clinic in Strabane is Animal Nursing Assistant of the Year and Mairead Mulvenna of Balmoral Veterinary Clinic in Belfast is Trainee Veterinary Nurse of the Year. Both Gemma and Mairead received a £100 gift voucher along with their award trophy. Left to right, Mairead Mulvenna, Sue Badger, BVNA President, Claire McConaghy, Susie Turner, Gemma Snodgrass Left to right, Mairead Mulvenna, Sue Badger, BVNA President, Claire McConaghy, Susie Turner, Gemma Snodgrass Claire McConaghy, NI Veterinary Nurse of the Year Nominations in support of Claire have demonstrated that she is a veterinary nurse who is a real credit to her profession. As one vet at her practice put it, “Claire is loved by our trainees, vet students, vets and reception staff, giving up her own time to encourage them in their work.” Claire hand-rears puppies or kittens, re-homes waifs and strays and goes out of her way to help clients, whether that’s an eighty year old pensioner that can’t make it down a snow bound country lane to get to the practice, or a pet owner in a panic. An aggressive elderly diabetic cat is treated with ‘kindness and a smile’ and dogs hurtle into the practice when they see her. “Claire’s extensive knowledge and practical abilities are outstanding and she impresses me continually with regard to how much she knows, and how she genuinely cares about each patient she comes into contact with,” says a colleague. As well as setting up a Facebook page to help re-home animals, Claire has also organised weight reduction clinics, achieving “…incredible results, with the consequence that the health, wellbeing and indeed, quality of life of our previously overweight patients has been immensely improved.” The case of ‘Rodney’ perhaps best illustrates Claire’s caring attitude. Found as a stray after being involved in a road accident and with no one interested in claiming him, Rodney’s future looked grim. Claire championed his cause and when his leg had to be amputated, she took responsibility for rehabilitating him and finding him the perfect owners, while he was still being treated at the practice. His now very proud owners describe it this way, “Rodney arrived alone, with no one who truly loved and cared for him. Claire stepped into this breach and gave Rodney a voice. A voice that eventually gave him a new lease of life and possibly a better life than the one he was used to.” Perhaps not surprisingly they describe Claire as a ‘shining example of what being a veterinary nurse should be all about.” NI Student Veterinary Nurse and ANA of the Year Both Gemma and Mairead are talked about in equally glowing terms. One of the puppies Gemma has hand reared has now qualified for Crufts 2011 and her support for clients at difficult times has clearly been much appreciated. Both award winners were singled out for their caring manner and their willingness to act as an advocate for animals in pain or distress. Paula Quinn RVN MBVNA, Northern Ireland Regional Co-ordinator of the BVNA commented, “It’s so heartening to hear about these exceptional individuals, year after year. The quality of entries never diminishes and it is wonderful to be able to recognise the efforts of these unsung heros in such a public way.” Speaking on behalf of the sponsors, Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Susie Turner thanked everyone who took the time to complete a nomination, “I rarely get through reading all the entries without developing a lump in my throat and feeling hugely proud to be associated with the veterinary nursing community. Our warmest congratulations go to the winners, well done!”

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