Meet the vet nursing team: Kat Hart

As we draw closer to our next Virtual Open Day, we’d like to introduce you to more of our excellent staff that help provide degrees that matter.

Kat Hart is a Registered Veterinary Nursing and Teaching Assistant who teaches within the Veterinary Nursing, Veterinary Health and Animal Sciences departments. With specialist knowledge in infection control, diagnostic imaging, medical nursing, and practical veterinary nursing her experience helps students to gain a deeper understanding of their studies.

Talking about her career journey, Kat said: “I qualified as a Registered Veterinary Nurse in 2013 with a Foundation Degree in Veterinary Nursing, awarded by Harper Adams University.

“I then went on to work day and night shifts in a large busy veterinary hospital in Wolverhampton. Whilst working full time, I was also studying part time for the RCVS Diploma in Advanced Veterinary Nursing and the top-up degree in Veterinary Nursing, both through Harper Adams.

“I achieved my Diploma in 2017 just before beginning my career at Harper and I went on to achieve my top-up degree the following year. I decided to make the move into teaching in 2017 as I loved the student training and clinical coaching aspects of my practice role.”

Having studied at Harper Adams herself, Kat’s position helps to share in the student experience. Likewise, her external working experience puts learning into context to help students understand the realities of practice.

On the subject of her specialisms, Kat commented: “I enjoy teaching infection control as this is often an overlooked but essential topic to anyone working within the Veterinary Practice. I also enjoy teaching practical skills as I love the hands-on role in nursing.

A degree in veterinary nursing is a challenge but it is extremely rewarding and can open up further career opportunities including teaching, additional practice roles and research.”

Kat spoke on her working experience, saying: “The veterinary nursing industry is hugely varied and each shift can be very different! One minute you could be providing nutritional advice to a new puppy owner and the next you could be assisting the veterinary surgeon with complex emergency surgery in the theatre.

“It is an extremely rewarding career and there are many different routes you can take to develop your interests and specialisms.

“Veterinary nursing is a growing profession and with the advances in veterinary treatments and the continued rise in pet numbers within the UK, nurses are now practising to their full potential with very good job prospects. The recent launch of new postgraduate nursing qualifications will allow RVNs to develop further skills in several specialist areas.”

Outside of work, Kat is continuing to develop her professional training. She said: “At the moment, I spend a lot of time studying for my Master’s Degree in Veterinary Nursing.

“When I am not doing this, I enjoy long walks with my Shetland Sheepdog named Drake. Keeping Drake looking so good also takes a lot of time and effort! Drake enjoys getting involved in practical teaching at the university as he has been doing this since he was around six months old. I also enjoy going to the gym and vegan cooking and baking.”

To meet other members of the veterinary nursing team, please click here.