This is the second in the 2-part series where Julie South interviews veterinary nurse practice manager and author of Tales of a Vet Nurse, Jade Pengelly.  

We dive into the controversial topic of how vet nurses are trained and perceived in the UK versus New Zealand. 

Jade Pengelly, shares her insights on the similarities and differences between the two nations and her views on what needs to change in New Zealand clinics to help vet nurses reach their full potential. 

We discuss the importance of building trust and rapport with vets to gain more responsibilities and recognition, as well as the need for culture shifts in some veterinary practices. 

We also touch on the mental health of veterinary employees and employers, management's responsibility to ensure the mental health of their staff, and ways to improve mental health in the veterinary profession. 

Tune in for more on this thought-provoking episode.

Could Your Kind of People recognise Their Kind of Clinic?

A job ad may catch a vet’s or nurse’s eye. But it’s their own due diligence that determines whether they apply—or keep in touch.

Culture Story Centres turn real experiences from inside your team into credible, discoverable recruitment evidence, giving vets and nurses meaningful reasons to choose your clinic.

Explore Culture Story Centres for veterinary clinics

Are you a veterinary nurse looking to take your career to the next level? If so, you won't want to miss today’s episode!

In this first of two episodes, we sit down with Jade Pengelly, a veterinary nurse and published author whose book, "Tales of a Vet Nurse," is a must-read for anyone in the field.

Jade is on a mission to help veterinary nurses gain the recognition they deserve both with the public and in clinic.

Join us as we dive into Jade's journey, the inspiration behind her book, and her mission to help vet nurses find greater job satisfaction and why she describes herself as one of those people that vet nurses love to hate.


Revive Your Drive - Mental Health Awareness bite sized videos for Mental Health Awareness Month of May - for veterinary employees and employers.

Purchase "Tales of a Vet Nurse" on Amazon:  softback or Kindle versions:

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BH6RYTX4
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperCollins (March 1, 2023)
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 1, 2023
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 270 pages
• Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 1775542173

Could Your Kind of People recognise Their Kind of Clinic?

A job ad may catch a vet’s or nurse’s eye. But it’s their own due diligence that determines whether they apply—or keep in touch.

Culture Story Centres turn real experiences from inside your team into credible, discoverable recruitment evidence, giving vets and nurses meaningful reasons to choose your clinic.

Explore Culture Story Centres for veterinary clinics

Are you an employer looking for ways to enhance the quality of life for yourself and your team in the workplace?

Do you often find your team feeling overwhelmed and out of control?

As a team leader, do you struggle to provide the right support during difficult times?

While the saying "focus on what you can control" can seem trite and unhelpful, it's critical for the well-being of your team.

Today is all about practical strategies to help you and your team regain balance and empowerment in your work life.

Keep listening to discover how to improve the quality of life at work for you and your employees.

Other Episodes Mentioned:
https://www.vetstaff.co.nz/quality-of-life-factors-workplace/
https://www.vetstaff.co.nz/sceptics-guide-to-gratitude-discovering-benefits-of-cultivating-thankfulness/
https://www.vetstaff.co.nz/dr-megan-alderson-the-vetthrive-collective-ep-102/
https://www.vetstaff.co.nz/veterinary-part-timers-how-to-attract-embrace-veterinary-part-timers-to-run-profitable-vet-clinic-pt2/

Could Your Kind of People recognise Their Kind of Clinic?

A job ad may catch a vet’s or nurse’s eye. But it’s their own due diligence that determines whether they apply—or keep in touch.

Culture Story Centres turn real experiences from inside your team into credible, discoverable recruitment evidence, giving vets and nurses meaningful reasons to choose your clinic.

Explore Culture Story Centres for veterinary clinics

Want to improve job satisfaction and attract high-performing employees?

You need to prioritise Quality of Life in your Workplace. 

This Culture-Positive concept is gaining popularity.  

But what is it exactly and how does it benefit both employees and employers? 

Stay tuned as we explore the benefits of Quality of Life in your Workplace, how it can be your clinic’s recruitment superpower and how it can enhance your professional life. 

We look at the original six Quality of Life in the Workplace Factors from the mid-20th Century and how you can make them relevant for life and work in today's 21st Century. 

Could Your Kind of People recognise Their Kind of Clinic?

A job ad may catch a vet’s or nurse’s eye. But it’s their own due diligence that determines whether they apply—or keep in touch.

Culture Story Centres turn real experiences from inside your team into credible, discoverable recruitment evidence, giving vets and nurses meaningful reasons to choose your clinic.

Explore Culture Story Centres for veterinary clinics

Are you curious about the power of gratitude?

Perhaps you're sceptical of its benefits, thinking it's just a trendy buzzword. 

What if I told you that there's scientific evidence that practicing gratitude can enhance your mental and physical health? 

Join me:  today we dive deep into the world of gratitude, exploring its benefits and giving you practical tips on how to cultivate thankfulness in your daily life. 

It's not uncommon to be sceptical of the concept of gratitude. 

Some may view it as a new-age trend or an unrealistic expectation in a world that can often be challenging and unfair.  However, research has shown that practicing gratitude can have significant positive effects on both our physical and mental health.

Today we look at:

• Gratitude
• Forgiveness
• Reframing
• Actioning

Could Your Kind of People recognise Their Kind of Clinic?

A job ad may catch a vet’s or nurse’s eye. But it’s their own due diligence that determines whether they apply—or keep in touch.

Culture Story Centres turn real experiences from inside your team into credible, discoverable recruitment evidence, giving vets and nurses meaningful reasons to choose your clinic.

Explore Culture Story Centres for veterinary clinics

Are you struggling to juggle your professional and personal life?

Do you feel like you're missing out on the things that matter most?

Whether you're an introvert or an extrovert, finding the right balance can be a challenge.

Here are 7 practical strategies tailored to your intro or extro “vert” personality-type that can help you create the balance you've been dreaming of.

A lot of people think that introversion and extroversion is the difference between being shy or not.   Between being able to walk up to a stranger and say hi… or to have the ability to speak in public.

It’s none of those because both can relate to either of those scenarios. 

It’s all about how we each recharge ourselves and maintain our focus.

The suffix vert in introversion and extroversion comes from the Latin word vertere which means to turn. 

In this context, it's about the direction in which your energy is turned or directed - inward or outward.

Having work-life balance refers to the equilibrium between your professional and personal life and whether you’re able to effectively manage both aspects without one negatively impacting the other. 

Work life balance means different things for different people.  Each person’s balance varies and is dependent on your priorities, needs, and values. 

Could Your Kind of People recognise Their Kind of Clinic?

A job ad may catch a vet’s or nurse’s eye. But it’s their own due diligence that determines whether they apply—or keep in touch.

Culture Story Centres turn real experiences from inside your team into credible, discoverable recruitment evidence, giving vets and nurses meaningful reasons to choose your clinic.

Explore Culture Story Centres for veterinary clinics

Are you a veterinary clinic owner, HR, or Practice Manager struggling to recruit and retain top performers? 

Or maybe you're a veterinary professional on the hunt for your next career move? 

Either way, this episode is for you! 

We're diving into Vet Clinic Employer Branding, the power of employee testimonials to showcase the best clinics in town and how they can help you find the good employers.

As a veterinary clinic owner, attracting more, and retaining the top performers you’ve already got, is critical to the success of your practice. 

In today’s highly competitive veterinary industry, it’s essential to differentiate your clinic from others – especially that one down the road - by showcasing your unique culture, values, and work environment. 

One effective way to do this is by leveraging employee testimonials and case studies.

And if you’re the veterinary professional looking to make your next move, you’ll want to know what it’s like to work at a clinic you’ve got your eye on.  

This week’s episode is for you – whether you’re the employer or the employee – because we’re looking at employee testimonials as a way to showcase the best clinics in town. 

Could Your Kind of People recognise Their Kind of Clinic?

A job ad may catch a vet’s or nurse’s eye. But it’s their own due diligence that determines whether they apply—or keep in touch.

Culture Story Centres turn real experiences from inside your team into credible, discoverable recruitment evidence, giving vets and nurses meaningful reasons to choose your clinic.

Explore Culture Story Centres for veterinary clinics

Have you ever felt like you're stuck at the bottom of an insurmountable mountain or in a valley with no way out?

How do you maintain that initial sense of wonder you first had when you started your veterinary career?   

What is "grit"?  How and when do you use it?

In this inspiring and openly honest episode, we continue our conversation with Dr. Crystal Loh, one of New Zealand's three companion animal dental specialists, as she shares the trials and tribulations she faced on her path to specialisation and how she used grit to commit and continue.

Dr Crystal Loh, BSc Hons, DVM MANZCVS, DAVDC - nzvetdentistry.com 

Could Your Kind of People recognise Their Kind of Clinic?

A job ad may catch a vet’s or nurse’s eye. But it’s their own due diligence that determines whether they apply—or keep in touch.

Culture Story Centres turn real experiences from inside your team into credible, discoverable recruitment evidence, giving vets and nurses meaningful reasons to choose your clinic.

Explore Culture Story Centres for veterinary clinics

What would you tell your younger self if you could go back in time?

Where's the most interesting place you've ever found a tooth?

And what does Hobbiton have to do with becoming a boarded dental specialist?

Today, Dr Crystal Loh, one of New Zealand's three companion animal dental specialists, shares her journey towards becoming a Specialist and offers valuable advice for anyone on a similar path.

Dr. Crystal Loh has an impressive resume that includes being a Member of the Australian NZ College of Veterinary Surgeons – Small Animal Dentistry and Oral Surgery – and a Diplomate of the American Dental Veterinary College.   

Her credentials are an impressive mouthful:  BSc Hons, DVM MANZCVS, DAVDC and I got to chat with her – twas a bit of a fan-girl moment!   

Could Your Kind of People recognise Their Kind of Clinic?

A job ad may catch a vet’s or nurse’s eye. But it’s their own due diligence that determines whether they apply—or keep in touch.

Culture Story Centres turn real experiences from inside your team into credible, discoverable recruitment evidence, giving vets and nurses meaningful reasons to choose your clinic.

Explore Culture Story Centres for veterinary clinics

Whether you’re looking to improve your leadership skills or interested in the impact of effective leadership at your vet clinic, today’s 101 Guide to the Situational Leadership Model is for you.

Discover how to tailor your leadership style to fit just about any situation to achieve greater team success.

Four Situational Leadership Styles:

1. Directing
2. Coaching
3. Supporting
4. Delegating

Pros of Situational Leadership Styles

• Flexibility
• Team development
• Improved communication
• Higher staff motivation

Cons of Situational Leadership Styles

• Time consuming
• Can be difficult to implement
• Can lead to lack of clarity
• Has potential for inconsistency

Skills required to be effective

• Assessment
• Adaptation
• Communication
• Empathy

Could Your Kind of People recognise Their Kind of Clinic?

A job ad may catch a vet’s or nurse’s eye. But it’s their own due diligence that determines whether they apply—or keep in touch.

Culture Story Centres turn real experiences from inside your team into credible, discoverable recruitment evidence, giving vets and nurses meaningful reasons to choose your clinic.

Explore Culture Story Centres for veterinary clinics