Recently the VNCA Executive committee made a significant change that will alter the course of it’s future.
It is an exciting time as we develop the roadmap to ensure the VNCA’s longevity.
For those who do not know, the VNCA has a rich history, owes much to many volunteers and holds close our members, the profession and the ideals of Veterinary Nursing. If you know nothing else, know that we were born out of an idea to do things better. To improve veterinary nursing. To develop. To progress. (For further info look up our mission statement on our website www.vnca.asn.au).
For some time we had Secretariat Services provided by the same company facilitating the day to day operations of our National Office but we also knew that there was a need to change and adapt or die.
It might seem like an ultimatum and melodramatic but it’s not.
Like Darwin’s survival of the fittest we have to keep changing and keep moving to survive. To ensure we are relevant to our members. To know that we will be here to be a significant voice in our industry looking after veterinary nurses and veterinary nursing.
Much has changed since the inception of the VNCA over 20 years ago. Sponsorship is harder to come by and whilst our membership remains steady we do not see the increase in Certificate IV VN enrolments translate in the same manner to VNCA memberships.
Disruptive technology, scarcity of resources, changes to the Award and legislation, an oversupply of educational opportunities all challenge the VNCA to remain visible and viable in a fast paced and complex environment.
Some say the only things that don’t change are death and taxes. But they forget about a third thing that doesn’t change. And that’s change.
Change is all around us, is constant and has the ability to cause organisations to fall from grace, large once thought unsinkable companies to fail and not-for-profit organisations like us, the VNCA, fold.
So really, the choice was easy. We could either engage a new organisation with the skills and experience to facilitate the vision of the VNCA, deliver on our values and mission ensuring our longevity so we can submit and fight for what is right on Award and Training Package Reviews or go silently into the night.
We chose to change. We chose to fight.
We chose to put ourselves in the best position to be here for Veterinary Nurses of Australia now and into the future.
So the change journey has begun. The first milestone is our change at National Office. We have warmly welcomed Association Professionals to the helm in our day to day running. Not only do they keep the ship on course, they are also assisting the Executive team in identifying and addressing areas that require action.
At Conference next year, you will see a new Conference Convenor Lucy, who brings a breadth of knowledge and experience to the role. Already, we are benefiting from her expertise to ensure we can continue to provide a wonderful experience for our nurses and greatest supporters.
We know that these changes are not going to be without challenges.
There will be false starts and hurdles. Expected and unexpected twists. Some challenges may tax our emotions and strain our bonds with each other. We are passionate people and there will be hard, trying times. Patience will be a virtue. Decisions will be debated. Some may stretch us and we will enter what initially may be unchartered territory. Fear, anxiety and uncertainty will be awash with optimism and tenacity.
We will hold firm that our overarching goal is to ensure that the VNCA is the most robust organisation it can be for our veterinary nurses. That we remain true to our values and deliver on our mission.
The last piece of our change puzzle is dependent on you.
Yes, even with our unifying vision and planned efforts our changes need you.
We need veterinary nurses to understand the benefits of membership – not only for yourselves but for our profession.
To put it simply we are stronger when we stand together and we are strongest when there are many.
We need people to consider joining our committees or working groups and becoming involved in exciting changes and new initiatives as they happen.
We need our members to consider our changes, understand them at our AGM next year and vote with conviction so that your Executive team can deliver changes that really will enable the VNCA to prosper for your benefit.
And lastly, we need champions of change.
We need people who love their veterinary nurse life and careers, are proud to say they can calmly discuss parasites, infection and surgery at the dinner table, can juggle phones, clients and a beeping drip pump all with a smile on their face and know that all pay grumbles aside they really do have the best job in the world. We need our supporters to continue to support us. To keep spreading the word about the VNCA. To be patient as we change and to join us on our change journey.
So here’s to the future of the VNCA. It is what we make it!
To find out more about the VNCA visit their website by clicking here
About Jacque
Jacque has been within the pet and veterinary industry for over 10 years working in a variety of roles including veterinary nursing, practice management and integrations.
Jacque is currently President Elect for the Veterinary Nurses Council of Australia and is owned by a cheeky Irish Setter, an obedient Border Collie, some cool cats and a lorikeet who thinks he's a dog.
