Sustainability in Veterinary Practice

Learn more about this course:

What will I learn?

• Definitions and understanding of One Health, One Medicine and One Welfare with the aim of giving learners a supportive and purpose-led journey towards implementing a new sustainability initiative within their veterinary practice. 
  
  
• Why collaboration within all healthcare systems could help you discover new and innovative approaches to sustainability. 
  
  
• Improved leadership and self-advocacy skills. Allowing for structured and balanced communication on sustainability topics with various team members and peers. 
  
  
• The current narrative on economic, climate and wellbeing benefits of a more sustainable workplace. Using existing tools designed to assist you when evaluating an opportunity for change. 
  
  
• Growth of your sustainability literacy for the future development of further sustainable initiatives.

 

How will I learn?

This is an online distance learning course where you will be taught through our virtual learning environment, Moodle. Using this dynamic digital portfolio and collaborative platform, you will be asked to record your research and report on the creation process using reflective accounts using different mediums. Vlogs/blogs, photos and diary entries will form a part of the learning process with the opportunity for collaboration and brainstorming with other learners or the course lead.

Your course will include:

• Guided learning: videos, recorded lectures, evaluation of reading material, and asynchronous tutor-learner interactions.
  
  
• Independent learning: set reading and reflections using video blogs/vlogs or diary lectures.
  
  
• Preparation of a final portfolio assessment. 

How will I be assessed?

You will be required to complete three assessments for this course. The assessments are spread throughout the course's 12 weeks with the final assessment consisting of a Sustainability Report including the submission of a portfolio of evidence and reflection using SRUC’s digital portfolio platform (Padlet).

This will include weekly evidence of reflection using Vlog/blog or diary entry, analysis of existing sustainability models within both the veterinary and wider healthcare settings, evidence of leadership/advocacy skills, and written evaluation of your own initiative. 

By the end of the course what will I be able to do?

• Evaluate the terms 'One Health', 'One Medicine' and 'One Welfare' and justify why implementing sustainability within the human/animal/environment triad is relevant to veterinary practice. 
  
  
• Critique existing sustainability initiatives, proposing recommendations for overcoming any opportunities, challenges, and obstacles. 
  
  
• Practice leadership, autonomy and advocacy skills in the design, implementation and evaluation of a sustainability initiative in practice. 

How long does the course last for and how much time will I need to spend on it each week?

Course duration:

• The course is self-paced, allowing you to progress at your own speed. 
• You have 52 weeks from the time of enrolment to complete the course. 

Typical completion time: The course is generally designed to be completed in 12 weeks. 

Weekly time commitment: To complete a course in 12 weeks, expect to spend 2-3 hours per week on directed online learning activities and at least one day per week dedicated to independent learning and assessment work. 

Who will be teaching me?

Laura Edwards BA RVN TQFE AFHEA CertVNECC
Course Lecturer & Joint Content Creator

Laura qualified as a RVN after working as an Animal Care Assistant at Edinburgh University’s Royal (Dick) Hospital for Small Animals. Having worked as a Critical Care nurse for the last 6 years alongside the last 4 as a Veterinary Nursing lecturer for SRUC, Laura has moved at a fast pace to become a Veterinary Nursing advocate and educator.

Laura created and chairs the first Veterinary committee to be included within a human centred nursing association. The British Association of Critical Care Nurses (BACCN) started Laura’s journey into One Health and collaborative nursing for the improvement of patient care.

Organising cross disciplinary working between critical care veterinary nurses and human centred nurses. Veterinary tracheostomy care and maintenance emergency algorithm and check lists, webinars to address common ground in nursing care between sectors which continues to expand with the involvement of the British Veterinary Nursing association (BVNA)

Having completed her carbon literacy certificate. Laura was able to build on her existing relationships within the sector to start creating a series of qualifications that would aim to get veterinary nurses leading the way in creating a more sustainable and healthy future for all of us both human and animal.

 

Helen Ballantyne PG Dip BSC (Hons) RN RVN
Course Consultant & Joint Course Content Creator 

Helen graduated with a degree in Pharmacology in 2002, qualifying as a Registered Veterinary Nurse in 2005. She has worked nationally and internationally, gathering experience in referral medicine and surgery, charity practice, emergency nursing and exotics.

In 2013 she qualified as a human centred nurse, initially working in cardiothoracic intensive care. Currently she works as a Transplant Clinical Nurse Specialist. Day to day she supports living kidney donors through the process of donation. She also holds an on-call role, managing the logistics of matching, retrieving, and transplanting abdominal organs from deceased donors.

While her primary role is now within the NHS, Helen remains a RVN and has developed a strong interest in the principles of One Health. She regularly lectures and writes about concepts and ways of working that may be shared between the professions to support clinical and professional practice. Her first textbook, Veterinary Nursing Care Plans: Theory and Practice was published in 2018. She completed a MSc in Healthcare Management in 2021 and is currently working on her next book.