Shirley Bell

Registered Veterinary Nurse

Qualifications

• BSc Hons
• GradDip
• RVN

Shirley graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 2003 with a BSc Hons Degree in Veterinary Nursing. She spent a period of time working in a first opinion practice in London, before moving to a large referral hospital in Hertfordshire where she developed her interests in surgery and anaesthesia. While there, she became the theatre supervisor, managing five busy theatres.

Shirley went on to study a post graduate diploma in Veterinary Nursing at the Royal Veterinary College whilst working full time. After this, Shirley took a 6 months break from work and travelled around New Zealand, but found she was never far from animals. She spent time working on farms and in Massey University Veterinary Hospital, as well as encountering some of the local wildlife, such as dolphins and penguins.

Shirley moved back to Northern Ireland in 2014 and worked in a busy mixed first and second opinion hospital.

Shirley has been at NIVS from the start, helping to set up the clinic and form the team here today. Shirley leads the nursing team and with them, she strives to deliver excellent patient care, ensuring that a patient’s time in hospital is pain free and of minimal stress.  Shirley is involved in training multiple members of staff as they start their journey at NIVS. This means NIVS is a place she is proud to work in and provides the high standard of care her own pet, Mr Bojangles, would want to avail of. When time allows, Shirley has delivered external CPD for BSAVA and Duggans Veterinary Supplies.

Outside of work, Shirley enjoys sea swimming and stand-up paddle boarding. She is an active member of her church. She enjoys travelling and particularly, hiking in foreign places. Shirley also volunteers once a month with the charity Streetpaws providing Veterinary care to the pets of homeless people in Belfast.

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