BEVA Congress, Europe’s largest equine veterinary event, taking place at the ICC Birmingham from 9-12 September 2026, is shining a spotlight on veterinary nurses this year with a dedicated nursing stream designed to support them at every stage of their career.

Neatly reflecting the Veterinary Nursing Awareness Month (VNAM) theme of compassion and empathy, BEVA Congress’s VN programme emphasises the vital role veterinary nurses play within equine practice and aligns closely with the overarching BEVA Congress theme of ‘doing the right thing’.

Taking place on the Friday of Congress, the nursing stream has been developed to deliver practical, take-home skills alongside professional development opportunities, with a strong focus on building confidence, communication and the influence nurses can have within veterinary teams.

“I really wanted to create a stream that covers all bases,” said Kassie Hill the VN programme stream guardian at BEVA Congress. “From newer nurses who are building confidence, to experienced head nurses asking ‘what’s next?’ - everyone should come away with tools they can actually use back in practice.”

The programme has been designed to support early-career nurses looking to build confidence as well as experienced and head nurses seeking progression or new challenges.

Sessions will combine clinical and non-clinical skill development while encouraging nurses to strengthen their voice within practice, particularly around patient advocacy and welfare.

The nursing stream also reflects the wider Congress focus on welfare and ethical decision-making in equine practice - ‘doing the right thing’. Content throughout the day will support nurses in:

• Identifying and responding to pain and stress more effectively
• Advocating confidently for patient welfare
• Translating observations into action within the clinical team
• Applying welfare-focused nursing approaches in real-world scenarios

Kassie Hill added: “Welfare is always at the forefront of nursing. It’s what we push for every day, often behind the scenes.”

Key topics within the programme include pain recognition and management, reducing stress during clinical procedures, ethical decision-making in practice, opportunities within ambulatory nursing and the future direction of the veterinary nursing profession.

Highlighted sessions include:

Nursing: Prioritising welfare in our patients and team, chaired by Kassie Hill in Hall 10 on Friday at 11am.

• “Keep the bloody thing still!” Taking the stress out of procedures and handling for calm, presented by Jenny Hindmarsh
• “See what horses can’t say: The vital role of nurses in equine pain care”, presented by Ruth Morgan

Equine veterinary nursing profession chaired by Marie Rippingale in Hall 10 on Friday at 15:40.

• “The VN Vision Project – RCVS”, presented by Julie Dugmore
• “On the road with responsibility: Ethics in ambulatory nursing”, presented by Cassie Woods

“We are proud to raise awareness of our excellent VN Congress programme during VNAM,” said Marie Rippingale Chair of BEVA’s VN Committee. “VNAM’s campaign theme of compassion and empathy not only reflects the dedication and passion that is required to both train and practise as a veterinary nurse but also highlights the compassion towards patients and people which underpins the skilled care provided by veterinary nurses every day. Our VN Congress programme this year aims to celebrate and support the invaluable compassion and empathy of equine VNs everywhere.”

Super early bird tickets for BEVA Congress are now available and include access to all lecture theatres and exhibition halls, full access to the virtual Congress hub and on-demand access to Congress content for six months after the event.

BEVA members receive 50% off ticket prices, with an additional 15% discount available until the super early bird deadline of Wednesday 1 July 2026.

Nurse members can attend all three days for £188.37, or £89.70 for a single day.

To view the programme and book tickets, visit: www.bevacongress.org
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