Vets Now’s Louise Hosford, Principal Nurse Manager our clinic in Sheffield, has become the sixth winner of a bursary in memory of legendary vet nurse Louise O’Dwyer, who sadly passed away in 2019.
Louise Hosford was named the bursary winner at the ECC Congress 2024 in November, where over 900 vets and nurses gathered in Leeds.
A new Louise O’Dwyer bursary winner is announced each year at Congress. Open to all vet nurses within Vets Now, the bursary awards the winner an extra £2,000 CPD allowance to the candidate who best demonstrates their commitment to making a difference in their chosen discipline, while furthering Louise’s legacy of sharing learning.
Here, we get to know this year’s winner, Louise Hosford…
What important experiences, milestones, and insights that have helped shape the person you are today?
From a young age, I always wanted to be a veterinary nurse. My passion began with volunteering at the RSPCA on weekends and completing my school work placement at a local veterinary practice.
After leaving school at 17, I started as a trainee veterinary nurse, completing my Pre-Veterinary Nursing Certificate through the BVNA.
I then joined a training practice, earning my NVQ Level 2 and Level 3 in Small Animal Veterinary Nursing. I briefly worked in a Manchester clinic, where I achieved my veterinary nurse assessor qualification, before joining a large charitable veterinary hospital. There, I spent 11 years in various roles, including veterinary nurse, Team Leader, and Head Nurse (maternity cover), and completed my SQP qualification and a Graduate Diploma in Professional and Clinical Veterinary Nursing from the Royal Veterinary College.
After having twins, I sought a slower pace, moving to a local practice and completing the ISFM Certificate in Feline Nursing. I also began working in emergency and critical care (ECC) at Vets Now, where I later secured a permanent role and completed the Veterinary Nurse Certificate in ECC.
In 2022, I started the Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Nursing Anaesthesia (CertAVN) while working in an administrative role within Vets Now. I’ve since returned to clinical practice, completed the CertAVN, and now serve as Principal Nurse Manager at Vets Now Sheffield – a role I thoroughly enjoy.
Describe your typical day from waking to sleeping?
My day starts early as I get my three children ready for school. I then tackle clinic emails, staff queries, and administration duties. Between tasks, I squeeze in some housework and enjoy a lunchtime episode of my guilty pleasure The Big Bang Theory.
If I’m working a night shift, I’ll take a quick nap before the school run. After dinner with the kids and my husband, it’s time to head off to work. On nights off, I wind down with TV, study, a bath, and bed!
How would you describe yourself in a sentence?
A busy mum of three, and animal lover.
How would others describe you in a sentence?
A busy, hardworking, conscientious, passionate, dependable, and caring veterinary nurse.
What has been your top success and what have you learned from this?
My biggest success in life is, without a doubt, my three children. I have learned that parenthood tests you in ways you don’t know are possible, but there is nothing quite like it and the rewards are immeasurable!
Professionally, I’m absolutely over the moon to have been awarded the Louise O’Dwyer bursary – and am incredibly grateful for the support and opportunity provided by Vets Now. I have worked in practice for some 26 years now and was lucky enough to attend several of Louise’s emergency and critical care nursing lectures at a variety of veterinary conferences over the years. Her lectures were inspiring and full of humour.
I intend to use the bursary to undertake the Post Graduate Certificate in Advanced Practice in Veterinary Nursing (PgCert APVN) through the University of Glasgow. I am incredibly excited to embark on this new learning journey – and hope that I can share these skills with other RVNs, and encourage others to keep following their dreams within the veterinary nursing profession, just as Louise O’Dwyer did.
What has been your biggest challenge, setback or failure and how have you overcome it? How did you grow or change as a result?
Adapting my career to balance motherhood has been my greatest challenge. Shifting from full-time daytime work to part-time and remote roles, and eventually full-time nights, was a learning curve. It took time to find the right balance between family and career, but the journey taught me adaptability and perseverance, and I feel I’ve finally cracked it.
What compromises have you had to make, and what, if anything, could have helped?
Childcare commitments limited the jobs I could apply for, but I was fortunate to secure a school-hours contract when my children were younger. This flexibility was a game-changer, allowing me to focus on my family while continuing to grow professionally.
What advice would you have given to your younger self that you would now give to others wanting to follow your path?
Don’t be afraid of new challenges and opportunities – believe in yourself and the rest will follow. Louise O’Dwyer was particularly passionate about bringing through our next generation of vet nurses and I’d like to think believing in yourself was her mantra too.
Her published works are remarkable and have been accessed by so many – contributing to significant improvements in veterinary nursing standards over the years.
Louise showed that the possibilities are endless for veterinary nurse progression and further education. I hope I can help reflect Louise’s passion for education and her drive to make a positive difference in veterinary nursing, particularly for younger people coming through the ranks.
What are your three top likes?
• Animals – particularly old, male guinea pigs!
• Films – The Goonies is my all-time favourite watch.
• Diet Coke – I’m obsessed!
What are your three top dislikes?
• Clipping nails—whether it’s kids or animals!
• Laziness—it drives me mad.
• Peas—they make me feel sick (it’s a family joke!).
What is the most helpful book you’ve read and why?
Without a doubt, the book that I was up reading during my early student days, the point of reference for most budding veterinary nurses – the BSAVA Textbook of Veterinary Nursing. Even now, I’ll still look for information or direct others to the pages 😊
Vets Now launched the Louise O’Dwyer Bursary as a tribute to Louise’s passion for her role in ECC and the culture of shared learning she helped to create.
Applications for next year’s Louise O’Dwyer bursary will open in spring 2025.