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XLVets Practice
Focus
02
small
talk
In order to practise all vets and
registered veterinary nurses
have to be members of the
Royal College of Veterinary
Surgeons, and one of the
requirements of membership is
that all vets must complete an
appropriate, and documented,
amount of CPD annually.
CPD can be a brilliant
opportunity to do some further
studying in a particular area of
interest, or just to make sure
that vets and nurses are up to
date on the latest research and
techniques. Practices that are
members of the XLVets
community have a unique
opportunity to take part in the
XLVets CPD courses that are run
across the country. The XLVets
Small Animal National Meeting
is an invaluable opportunity for
small animal vets and nurses
to gain some useful CPD as
well as getting to know new
colleagues, which can be a
great opportunity to share
experiences and knowledge.
This year the CPD was focused
on cardiology, and provided
some insightful teaching on
the main categories of cardiac
disease, how to improve the
accuracy of diagnosing them
and treatment. Over the two
days we had lectures and
interactive case discussions
with two highly respected
cardiologists. Their invaluable
advice has improved our
confidence in diagnosing
cardiac disease accurately and
quickly, which will improve the
services that we can offer to
our patients. One of the
sessions focused on how to
diagnose and treat heart
disease on a budget - it has
helped us to understand which
tests and drugs to prioritise for
which specific cardiac disease.
By carefully selecting our
diagnostic tests, we can help
to save our clients’ money
which may then be put
towards treating their pets,
we hope this will then improve
the long-term wellbeing of
our patients.
By providing stimulating
discussions and interactive
case studies with a variety of
specialists the XLVets CPD
courses allow us continually to
improve the services we can
offer our clients. These courses
help us to keep our techniques
and practices in line with the
most recent research, which
allows us to continue to provide
our pets with the high quality
treatment they deserve.
The Value of Continued
Professional Development
Juliette Preston
BVetMed (hons) MRCVS
St Boniface Veterinary Clinic
Continued Professional
Development, or CPD,
is an essential part of the
veterinary surgeons’, and
the veterinary nurses’,
training.