IVNA Veterinary Nurse of the Year Award

Melissa O’Brien, a nurse at O’Dowd Veterinary, is delighted to have won Veterinary Nurse of the Year at the recent IVNA Annual Congress. She was chosen out of more than 80 candidates to claim the top prize.

The IVNA nursing awards are prestigious awards for exceptional people. Members of the public, or of the profession, can nominate a candidate who they feel goes over and above the call of duty, whether it be to assist an animal, a client or a member of the practice team.

The team at O’Dowd Veterinary are thrilled for Melissa and have said she more than deserved this high-level recognition for the fantastic work that she does. The awards ceremony took place in Tullamore Court Hotel on Saturday 28th May 2022.

Labelled ‘The Cat Guru’, Melissa has an amazing affinity for cats and each morning, can be seen making her way to the cattery to greet inpatients and Larry, the resident cat.

Melissa graduated from DKIT in 2013 with a Bachelor of Science in Veterinary Nursing. She joined the vibrant team at O'Dowd Veterinary in 2017 and has become a much-valued and integral member of the animal-loving cohort ever since.

Her love and dedication to her patients is reflected in the care and warmth she shows towards their owners and Melissa is always on hand to share her wealth of knowledge. A team player, she is always eager to get her colleagues involved with her hobbies. In recent times they have enjoyed beach walks and yoga, keeping everyone motivated and in good spirits.