Kara M. Burns
MS, MEd, LVT, VTS (Nutrition), VTS-H (Internal Medicine, Dentistry), Editor in Chief
Kara Burns is an LVT with master’s degrees in physiology and counseling psychology. She began her career in human medicine working as an emergency psychologist and a poison specialist for humans and animals. Kara is the founder and president of the Academy of Veterinary Nutrition Technicians and has attained her VTS (Nutrition). She is the editor in chief of Today’s Veterinary Nurse. She also works as an independent nutritional consultant, and is the immediate past president of NAVTA. She has authored many articles, textbooks, and textbook chapters and is an internationally invited speaker, focusing on topics of nutrition, leadership, and technician utilization.
Read Articles Written by Kara M. Burns
“A single sunbeam is enough to drive away many shadows.” This quote by St. Francis of Assisi, paired with the strengthening sun, reminds us that we have made it through another winter and the promise of the summer season is here to lend warmth, sunshine, and rejuvenation. The summer brings a feeling of empowerment—to improve our skills, to enhance our knowledge, and to try new things. This issue of Today’s Veterinary Nurse has education aimed at all of these! Long summer days are the perfect time to revive, so why not use this season to check our skills when it comes to soft tissue imaging positioning? We all love math, so let’s refresh our important nutrition calculations. And don’t let summer slip away without exploring ways to manage pain in companion animals without the use of opioids. The arrival of summer enables us to break out of the shadows, take some time to develop ourselves, and feel rejuvenated in our work—we deserve it, and our patients benefit as well. Let’s make this summer unforgettable!
Apply for the 2024 Dr. Earl H. Rippie Veterinary Nurse Leadership Scholarship
Veterinary nurses/technicians who have demonstrated leadership abilities and have made a positive impact on the growth of the profession or in their practice are invited to apply for the NAVC’s Dr. Earl H. Rippie Veterinary Nurse Leadership Scholarship. Winners will be awarded free registration to VMX 2024, taking place January 13–17, with a travel package that includes airfare, hotel, per diem, a VMX Hands-on Workshop, as well as special events. To be eligible, domestic applicants must be credentialed; international applicants must be qualified or credentialed in their country of residence.
Visit bit.ly/3xUOVop to apply.
Incarcerated Students Gain Skills, Confidence Through Veterinary Assistant Program
Watch StudioNAVC’s video story exploring how a veterinary nurse shares her passion for helping animals through a veterinary assistant program at Elmwood Correctional Facility in California.
Read the article here.