It didn’t take long for accountancy graduate Katie Brady to calculate that her caring nature would profit from a switch to veterinary nursing.
Katie quickly figured out that a life crunching numbers would not add up to a completely fulfilling career, so quickly cut her losses and entered the veterinary world.
She is now a student vet nurse at Pets’n’Vets Roundhouse Hospital in Glasgow and gives a glowing account of her new life caring for sick and injured animals.
Katie explained: “I graduated with an accounting degree but I soon realised working at a desk was not for me.
“During Covid, I also realised how important every moment of life is and I wanted to do more with my life and give back to others.
“I decided to pursue a career in animal care because I realised being around animals not only brought me joy but improved my wellbeing.
“In other words, I feel that being around animals benefits me just as much as the care I give to animals benefits them.”
Katie quickly contacted Pets’n’Vets and joined the hospital in 2020 as a patient care assistant (PCA) and within a year had progressed to PCA manager.
Last September, she became a student vet nurse (SVN) and is keen to continuing her veterinary adventure.
Katie said: “When I joined Pets’n’Vets I felt at home and every team member feels like part of my family.
“I loved every part of the PCA role, particularly working on ward caring for the patients one-on-one.
“I decided then I wanted to be a registered veterinary nurse (RVN) whilst working on ward and I was truly inspired by the nurse-patient connection.
“It has all progressed so well for me. I soon became PCA manager and thrived in the role, teaching new starters and supporting them through their own careers.
“One day, I would like to return to that sort of management role, although this time working within the nursing team.
“For now, though, I am loving being a SVN at Pets’n’Vets and have developed numerous new skills and knowledge while working within the nursing team and shadowing everything they do.
“I have passed my first exam, am meeting my NPL targets and I’m really looking forward to learning new skills including placing IV catheters, blood sampling and going onto to learn all about anaesthesia, which is daunting but very exciting.
“I have a wonderful and supportive clinical supervisor, Vikki Harvey, who has been there for me throughout and I want to be the best SVN I can be and become an important member of the nursing team.
“If you believe in yourself you can achieve what you want through hard work and commitment to, not only yourself, but the team around you.
“I honestly feel empowered in my role as the ball in now in my court and it is me that will get me where I want to be through my dedication to becoming a vet nurse.
“To me, empowerment means being in control of your own learning and development therefore being in control of your own path and that’s exactly what I’m doing with Pets’n’Vets.”
Pets’n’Vets has seven practices in the Glasgow area including Roundhouse Veterinary Hospital, Pets’n’Vets Crookfur, Hairmyres Vets, Queens Park Vets, McDonalds Scotstoun, McDonalds Queen Margaret Drive and Blantyre Vets
