The full line-up of speakers is now confirmed for PURINA Petcare UK’s Nurse Nutrition Symposium, which will be held virtually on Thursday 29 and Friday 30 April. The symposium offers over 20 hours of free CPD, with participants able to watch up to 10 hours live and access the remaining recorded lectures after the event. The latest speakers to join the line-up include Drs Sarah Heath and Andy Sparkes, who will join an impressive panel of UK and international experts including Drs Marge Chandler and Alison Lambert and RVNs Nicola Ackermann and Alexandra Taylor. The symposium is open to RVNs, VCAs, ANAs and anyone studying for these qualifications, and those interested can view the full programme and register online.
The symposium will begin on Thursday 29 April at 12.30pm, with two lecture streams delving into gastrointestinal issues and how to integrate nutrition into general practice. Specialist in behavioural medicine Sarah Heath will offer insights into behaviour and the microbiome, while Alison Lambert, Honorary Associate Professor at Nottingham University’s School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, will discuss generating revenue and building client loyalty from nutrition and nurse consults.
Expert RVNs will also deliver valuable talks in these streams, with Alexandra Taylor, The Cat Nurse and Junior Vice President of the BVNA Council, providing practical recommendations on nutrition for cats with GI disease. Nicola Ackerman, respected author and Consultant Editor of The Veterinary Nurse, will also give useful tips on feeding nutrition into consultations. Other experienced and engaging speakers include Zoë Jackson RVN, certificate holder in Small Animal Nutrition and now Veterinary Nurse Development Manager at PURINA for the UK and Ireland, and Dr Libby Sheridan MRCVS, PURINA Scientific Affairs Manager for the UK and Ireland.
The Friday morning will see speakers giving practical advice about obesity, with handy hints on obesity management provided by Dr Marge Chandler, Co-Chair of the WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee and WSAVA Liaison to the American Academy of Veterinary Nutrition. Later in the session, well-respected RVN Elizabeth Thundercliffe will give valuable insights into the nurse’s role in managing obesity through rehab and feeding strategies.
A final lecture stream will explore feline urinary disease and hydration. This will include talks from feline specialists Drs Sarah Caney and Andy Sparkes, as well as Dr Cecilia Villaverde, European Specialist in Veterinary and Comparative Nutrition, and Ellie Groves MRCVS, PURINA Veterinary Technical Manager for the UK and Ireland.
Zoë Jackson RVN, PURINA Veterinary Nurse Development Manager for the UK and Ireland, says PURINA is pleased to finalise the programme. “We’re delighted to confirm that we’ll be joined by such a stellar panel of expert vets and nurses,” she says. “With this line-up of speakers, the event promises to deliver high-quality CPD and we’re pleased to be able to support nurses by offering it at no cost. We’ve designed the event to suit busy nurses in practice, as people can pop in and out of the virtual lectures and catch up on any they didn’t attend afterwards.”
The event will run from 12.30pm-17.30pm on Thursday 29 April and 9am-1.30pm on Friday 30 April. All nurses interested in the symposium can view the programme and register online. For more information, contact the PURINA Veterinary Nutrition Team on 0800 212161.
