“Why I’m a Vet Nurse” – Georgia Woods-Lee

16 May 2025

May is Veterinary Nursing Awareness Month (VNAM), led by the BVNA to recognise and promote the vital work of veterinary nurses. This year’s theme, ‘Progression’, focuses on the skills, development, and achievements of veterinary nurses, showcasing how the profession continues to grow and evolve.

To do this, we spoke to several BSAVA volunteers about why they are a veterinary nurse, what their journey has looked like so far, the most rewarding parts of their career, any challenges they’ve faced and most of all, what inspired them to become a vet nurse.

The next story we have is from Georgia Woods-Lee, Clinical Lead for the Obesity Care Clinic at the University of Liverpool and incoming Chair of BSAVA’s Publications Committee.

What inspired you to become a Vet Nurse?

I was born an animal lover. We lived on a small holding with dogs, cats, sheep, a pig, chickens, ducks, geese, a couple of cows, canaries and even a locust called Luke! My free time was spent with the little ‘zoo’, caring for them and making their lives as good as we could. It was therefore such a natural step for me into veterinary nursing. I wanted to make a difference and so it was the perfect opportunity to have a career when I got to learn and to care for even more animals.

How did you get into the profession?

I was always at a little bit of a loss as to ‘what to do when I grow up’ so after GCSEs I went on to an odd combination of A levels – biology, technology and art. From there I completed my foundation course in art but knew art wasn’t really my path. So, whilst looking for other opportunities a training position became available at my own family vets, I applied, got the job and the rest is history!

What has your journey as a vet nurse looked like so far?

My first training practice was a mixed practice in Shropshire with its own large and small animal hospital areas and where many RSPCA cases were brought. This meant that I saw and worked with a huge variety of species. Farm animals (before foot and mouth hit in 2001), a lot of different wildlife species and all domestic pet species. My tasks were varied, not only assisting with all the daily procedures during the day, going to farms to help with cow caesareans, horse dental work but also taking energy calls  for both farm and small animal clients, while looking after any inpatients. I completed a year in practice before starting my formal VN training which I commenced at Myerscough College, Preston on a block release basis. The practice had a high nurse to vet ratio (4 VNs to 6 vets) which meant the practical nursing skills e.g. taking blood etc were difficult to learn and practice as the vets performed the majority of these tasks. So, at the end of my first year in college I moved to my second practice where I felt I could gain much better practical skills.

My second practice in Northwich, Cheshire was both a big first opinion hospital and a referral centre. Although the number of species reduced to small animals only, I was now involved in much more specialist care, both during the day and on-call, particularly of the referral patients. Here I completed my nursing portfolio (the old version of the current NPL) and qualified with an NVQ in Veterinary Nursing in 2004. It was here that I started to become interested in nursing consultations and began running weight clinics. I wanted to progress further and asked if I could start my nursing diploma in medicine, however I was denied the chance.

A change of personal circumstance at the same time meant that shortly after this I moved to south Manchester and took a role in a very busy dedicated emergency and critical care service which covered half of greater Manchester, working night shifts. This was another new challenge, and I gained a huge amount of experience with many emergency procedures and critically ill patients. Inpatient care was one of my favourite parts, as many did not eat well during the day, but at night when all was quiet, patients would often start to eat much better for me.

After 5 years of working nights, I had my first daughter (Martha) and during my maternity leave it became apparent that returning to night shifts was not going to be a viable option. As luck would have it, the practice group I worked for had just purchased a new veterinary practice and needed a head nurse. I had at this time often asked myself, “what’s next” so I jumped at the chance to build a branch practice from scratch.

This new branch opened in 2010, and I quickly established many types of nursing consultation, puppy parties and delivered information directly to clients during client evenings. I had 1-2 trainee nurses with me and so I developed my clinical coaching skills to support them to qualification also. In 2013, I then had my second daughter (Willow) and returned to work following the maternity leave and continued to learn more about nutrition, specifically weight management, rolling out plans for weight clinics across the group. I again in 2015 found myself wondering “what’s next” so when I saw an opportunity at the University of Liverpool to specialise as a weight management clinic nurse, I had to apply.

I felt a huge degree of imposter syndrome when I applied and subsequently interviewed for the UoL position as weight management clinic nurse (though I didn’t know that what this feeling was called at the time) and very nearly didn’t apply, thinking I was not going to be good enough. However, by some miracle it felt like, I was offered the role and have worked there ever since.

The weight management clinic not only offers a clinical referral service but is a centre of research excellence producing a vast array of research outputs over its 20-year history. My current role has changed hugely over the last 10 years. I didn’t really understand what the role truly was at the start, but it has never been just running a dedicated referral weight clinic. As the only centre globally that works as we do, it has brought me so many opportunities to grow both professionally and personally. As such in 2016, I achieved my certificate in canine and feline veterinary health nutrition, and in 2019 I completed the arduous task of completing the American Veterinary Technician Specialist (VTS) in nutrition qualification – being only 1 of 25 nurses/techs globally to hold this title at the time and I remain only the second in the UK to have achieved it.

Now in 2025, I am clinical lead for the Obesity Care Clinic (we have recently changed our name to better reflect the care we offer) at the University of Liverpool and although I continue to run the clinical referral service, I am now undertaking my own research by doing a PhD by prior publication. In preparation for the PhD I had to gain an honours degree, so in 2020 I enrolled on a veterinary nursing top-up degree at Napier University. I completed this in 2022 with a first-class BSc(hons) and was awarded with the class medal for achieving the highest mark in my cohort. In the last 10 years I have continued to use all of my nursing skills, but I have also had the opportunity to speak, teach, lecture and write in many different countries. My work now is grounded by the clients and patients I care for in the clinic, but I continue to learn and grow as a researcher which is hugely fulfilling.

What’s been the most rewarding moment of your career?

I don’t think I can narrow it down to just one, but it’s always been the patient for me. Weight loss is hard to achieve and although my input is not direct (I don’t actually feed the cats and dogs I see in my clinic ) to see them and their owner persevere and achieve huge amounts of weight loss in some cases and massively improve their health and quality of life is all the reward I ever need. I feel I make a difference and there is no bigger reward.

What’s a challenge you’ve faced, and how did you overcome it?

There have been so many challenges along the way. I think to overcome them I’ve refused to settle for something that I didn’t want, I have worked hard, pushed myself, gone out of my comfort zone, took opportunities, volunteered for things and generally tried in any way I could to keep moving forward with my career – even when I was asked in my first practice “is veterinary nursing really for you??”… I think I also realised (eventually) that I didn’t need to be like everyone else. I didn’t ever enjoy anaesthesia or theatre practice and felt that I was failing in some way because of this. Turns out, my skills lie elsewhere but are no less valuable for this fact.

What do you wish more people knew about vet nurses?

I wish people understood not only the work, time and dedication it required to become an RVN but also the HUGE number of skills we have. These skills are not only the professional ones which people might imagine but the many ‘soft skills’, the client communication, the empathy we need for both our patients and their owners, the ability to run a busy operation day like clockwork, to skills to support other staff when things get tough, all while continuing to learn and develop skills ourselves. I also wish they saw the resilience it requires, the on-going work, the emotional toll and the will to do what is best for each and every one of our patients that we care for.

How do you see the role of vet nurses evolving in the future?

I am really hoping to see huge changes in the future. Recognition of what an RVN can do as a start. I also hope to see RVNs with more autonomy, more clinical authority and to be given the ability to use our qualification to the fullest. It is starting, I am encouraged that I am one of 13 other RVNs in the UK also doing PhDs and I hope we can blaze a trail for many others to follow and smash through the barriers to get there.

What advice would you give to someone thinking of becoming a vet nurse?

Do it. It will be the most worthwhile thing you can do to make a difference. The job can be tough at times, and you will need resilience and a passion to push on, but the personal rewards are high, the job satisfaction can be excellent, and it is always absolutely worth it. You will be joining a strong community of RVNs who will support you, cheer for you and who will celebrate the wins with you.