RVN Clare Lackenby has always been a highflyer!
After beginning her working life as an air stewardess, Clare swapped the skies for a consult room when she became a veterinary nurse at Galedin Vets in Berwick-upon-Tweed.
She rose through the ranks to senior nurse and, now, Nurse Manager.
Completing the VetPartners Senior Leaders course in 2024 helped to boost her knowledge and skills, sending her practice career into take-off….
IT was a chance conversation with a fellow air stewardess that changed Clare Lackenby’s career flightpath.
Her colleague revealed how she’d given up her dream of veterinary nursing after finding the training too difficult before landing a job as an air stewardess.
It sparked an idea in Clare, who was beginning to tire of her role with Eastern Airways.
She loved animals and, as a child, she had dreamed of becoming a vet. She’d never heard of veterinary nursing and just because it had not worked out for her airline colleague, it didn’t mean that Clare would not be able to succeed.
Using her annual leave from the airline, she began volunteering at Galedin Vets in Berwick and at a rescue centre, loving every moment and deciding she was on the right course for a new career.
She quit her job as an air stewardess, took a part-time role at M&S to help support her while she increased her volunteer work.
Securing a place at the College of Animal Welfare to become an animal care assistant was another stepping stone to her dream of becoming a veterinary nurse but then, out of the blue halfway through the course, a student veterinary nurse position became available at Galedin Vets in 2016.
It proved to be the perfect introduction to life in practice.
“There is such a big, varied caseload at Galedin Vets and lots of good equipment for a first opinion practice, so it was huge learning experience for me,” said Clare.
“While it was predominantly small animal work, I went out on pig castrations, cow postmortems, sponging ewes. I trained in anaesthesia, running nurse consults, the role of nurses in theatre and inpatient care.
“It is a very busy practice with a lot going on, so I was able to be very hands-on which is a great way to learn.”
Clare believes finding a mentor in practice is highly useful for new nurses – and vets, too – to ensure they have lots of support along the way and someone to turn to for advice.
“I was very lucky to have a great mentor in Lesley Punton, who is still our head nurse,” she said.
“Lesley was a role model for me – and still is – as she has so much experience.”
Since qualifying as an RVN, Clare has been committed to her professional development and continual learning.
Two years ago, she completed her Level 5 Diploma in Advance Veterinary Nursing (Practice Nurse) which had a focus on consulting and included an SQP qualification giving her certain prescribing rights.
Whilst studying she successfully applied for a senior nurse role at the practice.
Clare said: “Consulting is my favourite aspect of my role, and I’ve set up new clinical for weight management, senior pets and dental care. It has given me more confidence in seeing certain cases like taking swab samples, vaccinations and weight management.
“I’ve always enjoyed speaking to clients and enjoy caring for a supporting people and animals. My role enables me to combine my love of animals with the joy of educating clients.
“One of the things I’ve learned is that persuading owners to get on board with treatment plans is quite a skill if you want to ensure a positive outcome. You need to build a good rapport with clients to be able to do that.
“I enjoy learning and I’m always curious. People used to joke that I ask too many questions! I think that side of my personality spurred me on to do more qualifications.”
In February 2023 Clare was promoted to Nurse Manager, a role which involved overseeing the alignment of nursing services across Galedin’s sites in Berwick, Galashiels, Duns, Coldstream, Eyemouth and Kelso in the Scottish Borders. The practice employs 36 RVNs, SVNs and ACAs.
She also became the first and only RVN to join the Galedin Vets board and enjoyed the opportunity to be a speaker at one of VetPartners’ regional meetings.
It led her to apply for a place on the VetPartners Senior Leaders course which provided the opportunity to upskills on key topics to enhance her leadership and people skills and business knowledge. It also opened up a new support network and chance to collaborate with like-minded colleagues from across the group.
“My role is very much around people and supporting nurses on their training needs, recruitment improving standards through learning and development and the Practice Standards Scheme, along with being an active board member,” said Clare.
“The Senior Leaders course was certainly useful to broaden my mindset to a more strategic way of thinking.
“It was useful to speak to senior leaders from other practices, find out what they do and get ideas on fresh ways of working and learn from their experiences. I’d not done a lot of business planning, and I had no experience of finance, so they were two really useful aspects of the course. You also learn skills that are useful for your day to day role like giving feedback and having challenging conversations if necessary.
“Completing the Senior Leaders course gave me great tools to do my role and more confidence to make decisions.”
Clare is now studying for an Advanced Diploma in Applied Animal Behaviour (Canine) which she hopes to complete in 2025. It will enable the practice to run behaviour consults for dog owners and Clare will be able to support colleagues with her new skills.
She added: “Veterinary nursing is such a rewarding career that has taken me in unexpected directions. There are lots of challenges but that’s what keeps you motivated and striving to learn more.”
For media enquiries, please contact Amanda Little, VetPartners PR and Communications Director, at amanda.little@vetpartners.co.uk or 07970 198492
