Unknowingly breaking law at work (vets)

Elliewall1

I would like some advice. I am currently working as a veterinary care assistant and have been for 8 months. I have had no previous experience in the field and am hoping to go to nursing college soon.

There are alot of issues going on at work and the main things is negativity from management, poor training and then being bollocking for doing things wrong.
However I've been reading up about my job role as a veterinary nursing assistant and what I'm legally allowed to do. I have now realised I've been breaking the law via doing things that only qualified or student nurses (under the supervision of a qualified nurse) should do.
The governing website even states this...
"The RCVS considers that there are certain tasks that should not be delegated to unqualified members of staff; examples include intramuscular or intravenous injections, and invasive procedures such as the introduction of an IV catheter or the passage of a urinary catheter."


What should I do. I've been working night shifts on my own where I have given injections etc and asked to do things by my senior team. When I've asked for them to witness I've been told" you've done it before"

I've tried to raise it but I get shrugged off. Please help I'm scared that I may loose my job if I ruffle feathers.

martinthebandit

I suspect this is the answer you know is right but you don't want to hear it, sorry.

Get your head down and do the best job you can.

Anything else will see you out of work.

It is not your role, responsibility etc to decide how the vet practice should be run, it is your job to do as you are told to the best of your ability.

maninthestreet

Is this really law-breaking? The RCVS doesn't make laws - perhaps these are just guidelines?

comeandgo

You are not breaking the law. The statement only says the RCVS considers, it does not say disallows, and I don't think anything the RCVS involves itself in legalities.

tacpot12

Best thing to do is to learn how to perform the procedures properly and what the risks are. Ask the staff who are trained about this, if there are any.

If your raise this with the RCVS you will be sacked; it is unlikely that there are enough staff in the practice for the whistleblower not to be easily identifiable.

TELLIT01

Try viewing the procedures you've been doing as a positive for your own development. If you ever move on from that practice you can still list them amongst the skills you have.
As others have said, what is being done isn't illegal although if anything went seriously wrong I can see the RCVS taking a very dim view of that vet's working methods.
You are doing nothing wrong.

agrinnall

While I agree with the other posters that if you do raise this then it's likely that you'll lose your job, I don't think that's the only thing to be considered. I'd imagine that the welfare of the animals in your care is a very important consideration for you, and you need to think about whether not saying something is in their best interests. Unfortunately that's not an easy decision to make when balanced against your own future.

If you have an opportunity to look for a similar job elsewhere that might be a good idea, and then report what's happening in the practice after you've left.

There's information about whistleblowing and legal protection offered to whistleblowers here.

https://www.gov.uk/whistleblowing

TBagpuss

It doesn't sound as if you are breaking the law - what you have quoted sounds more like guidance.

If you are really worried you could see whether the RCVS has an ethics helpline, which you could call anonymously for advice.

But the ultimate responsibility lies with your employer, not with you.

What I would suggest is that you do stand firm if you are asked to do something that you don't feel you know how to do. For instance, you may feel reasonably confident with injections but if you were asked to do something more complex, or on an exotic or difficult animal, do ask for help

Elliewall1

Thanks for all you're replies it has put my mind at rest

lincroft1710

From what I have read about the RCVS, they aren't the most pro-active in disciplining members where there is no 3rd party involved or there has not been blatant malpractice. Also the use of the phrase "The RCVS considers" seems to imply that "we think it would be better if this was not done" rather than "you must not".

TELLIT01

I suspect that the RCVS, much like any other 'trade body' (for want of a better description) may be more focussed on protecting the interests of their members than anything else. Unless there is severe malpractice, which could tarnish the reputation of the RCVS, they may have little interest in the activities described by the OP.