Sarah is a qualified registered veterinary nurse (RVN) for six years. She has been in practice for thirteen years and has experience in first opinion, emergency critical care (ECC) and referral nursing. Her particular interest is in surgical nursing. Sarah has spent two months in Africa, wildlife nursing. For the last three years, she has been working as a small animal nurse in the Middle East.
Meet Sarah:
When I decided to make the move to work abroad and nurse out of my comfort zone, I didn’t know what to expect. I was initially sceptical in moving to a part of the world that is very different from what I am used to back home in Liverpool, UK. The images created by social media and the stories I’d seen in newspapers put forward an uneasy story in my head.
I’ve been nursing in the Middle East now for nearly three years. Do I ever regret my decision to leave the UK? Absolutely not. You may wonder why, well… where do I start?
My current location is Muscat, Oman. I work at a first opinion clinic, with a team of seven vets, five nurses, a large reception team and several hospital care assistants. Within Muscat, which is geographically 1,400 sq km in size, there are maybe four or five well-established clinics. We are the leading clinic. On average, we have around twenty in-patients daily and around ten or more procedures.
I’m the head nurse for the nursing team, who are all trained on the job from various backgrounds. Sometimes my role can be challenging and stressful as I’m the most qualified nurse of the team.
A lot of responsibility lies with me. However, this is outweighed most days by the satisfaction of working with a team who grow every day in knowledge and nursing skills from my help and guidance.
I love the challenges I face daily: adapting treatment plans to the limited resources we have available, wrestling fractious street cats to trap, neuter and release (TNR) and interacting with work colleagues from different parts of the globe. This has greatly improved my English, from local scouse slang to formal English and speaking slowly and clearly.
It brings humour amongst staff members, as we have friendly banter over our dialects. Communicating with clients can also be difficult. What would normally be a ten-minute consultation in the UK, can take up to twenty minutes plus in Oman.
My daily duties vary from nursing medical to surgical cases to educating local schools about animal welfare and communicating with local owners about how to care for their animals.
When I think of all the cases that I have been involved with so far, and what can be achieved as a veterinary nurse, my heart truly warms. Due to different legislation in Oman, some types of medication, such as certain antibiotics and analgesics cannot be administered.
Our clinic has limited diagnostic testing available. Referring a patient here is not an option as there are no referral hospitals. So when we are presented with a complex case, we try our best for the animal, and when successful, it brings that warm, fuzzy feeling.
Quite recently, we had a severely anaemic cocker spaniel with a packed cell volume (PCV) of 6%. She needed a blood transfusion and fast. It was really touch-and-go if we could proceed with treatment or lay her to rest. After discussions with the owners, we decided to go ahead with the treatment.
In Oman, there are no facilities to request animal blood from, so we put out a social media post to see if a member of the public would like to help. The team were totally taken back at the response we got. We had over ten people come forward and wish to help. Luckily, we found a suitable donor and proceeded with the transfusion.
Now, a few months later, she continues to live a happy life. Since this event, awareness has been raised about blood transfusions in small animals, and now we keep a small register of donors in the clinic to aid with any future situations.
Clinic work aside, living in Oman is wonderful. I can finish work, grab a coffee by the beach and soak up the sun all year round. I can spend my weekends on adventures, like boating in the glorious Arabian sea, camping in the desert or climbing the beautiful mountains.
When I want to relax, I can just unwind by the swimming pool at luxury resorts with a nice gin and tonic. Some weekends I’m lucky enough to be able to drive to Dubai or jump on a quick flight to surrounding countries for a break. The work-life balance is wonderful.
Since being in Oman, I have met some great people. The locals are very friendly and make you feel at home. Travelling alone is always a scary thought for any individual, and the initial step is the toughest. However, if you feel the urge to do it, follow your gut and jump right in. I’m pretty sure you won’t be disappointed.
Working outside of the UK has truly opened my eyes to the blessings we have in our country. Animals have a certain degree of protection, thanks to the following: The Animal Welfare Act, registered animal charities such as the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) and governing bodies such as the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS). Unfortunately, in many parts of the world, these are not obvious.
However, there are kind people out there who donate their time and efforts to improve the welfare of animals, and without that, many animals would suffer. So far, I have witnessed some wonderful charity work being carried out in the Middle East.
People donate so much of their time and finances to providing street animals with happier and safer lives. As a travelling veterinary nurse, you can help with this. There are plenty of opportunities to work with overseas charities, within hospitals and communities and make a difference.
FAQs
Why did I want to work abroad?
Veterinary nurses in the UK are truly privileged with the high skill set they learn. I felt it an obligation to travel and help educate others in different countries. Luckily, I didn’t need further qualifications to work in Oman.
Would I recommend RVNs to work abroad?
Absolutely! The benefits are endless: competitive salary, experience travelling the world, interacting with people from all over the globe, improving your nursing skills, and a happy work-life balance. Every day is a different day.
What advice would I give to a nurse travelling abroad?
- Look up the country you’re travelling to, seek out advice about safety and law
- If needed, acquire a working or tourist visa before you set off
- Outline your contract with the employee: time, benefits, salary, etc
- Check out if any vaccinations or health precautions are advised before you travel
Are there any downsides to working abroad?
Missing family and friends, but you can Skype, Zoom or Facetime regularly. When it comes to animal welfare, nursing can be upsetting at times. Especially when you see some difficult cases and are limited in how much aid you can provide.
You can connect with me via e-mail: sconleyrvn@gmail.com
Hi, I’m Sophie!
I very briefly worked with Sarah during my time locumming. We were both locums together at a practice in Liverpool, UK.
Further posts…
A Vet Nurse Working as a Sales Representative in the UK
Meet Stella: I decided I wanted to work with animals after going home for lunch from working for a photo gallery and watching the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) animal rescue show back in…
Working at the PDSA as a Vet Nurse
The People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) is the UK’s leading veterinary charity, founded in 1917 by Maria Dicken. It provides free and low-cost treatments to animals whose owners are on benefits and live within the catchment area of…
My Time as a Locum Vet Nurse in the UK
Meet Sophie: Deciding to locum in 2012, a year after having qualified, was a daunting thought for me. My training practice, which I am still grateful for to this day, gave me very little opportunity to utilise or develop…
Veterinary Blog 