National recognition for lecturer shaping future of veterinary nursing

• Applied Animal Health lecturer Lauren Prior is one of three finalists for the prestigious NZVNA Vet Nurse of the Year, which will be announced on 9 October 2026.
• The national award recognises excellence in patient care, professionalism, leadership and advancing the profession.

Applied Animal Health lecturer Lauren Prior has been recognised as one of the best in Aotearoa New Zealand in veterinary nursing.

Lauren is one of three finalists for the prestigious New Zealand Veterinary Nursing Association (NZVNA) Vet Nurse of the Year award.

The national award celebrates veterinary nurses who demonstrate excellence in patient care, professionalism, leadership and commitment to advancing the profession.

The winner will be announced on 9 October 2026, at the conclusion of Vet Nurse Appreciation Week.

Lauren’s recognition is a significant achievement for both her and the veterinary nursing community at MIT and Unitec.

“The whole EAS team is so proud that Lauren’s excellent teaching, student support and clinical nursing skills have been recognised by this nomination. To be one of three finalists across the whole country is testament to her hard work,” says Head of School Environmental and Animal Sciences Associate Professor Laura Harvey.

Doing what she loves. Helping out SPAW (South Pacific Animal Welfare) in Tonga,
an annual partnership with MIT and Unitec

For Lauren, who has spent more than a decade working across veterinary nursing, specialist practice and education, the nomination came as a complete surprise.

“My first reaction was … shocked. It’s incredibly humbling knowing that other people have taken the time and effort to nominate me,” she says.

After completing a Bachelor of Science in Biology at University of Auckland, Lauren was unsure whether her future lay in teaching or animal sciences. Veterinary nursing provided a way to combine both her love of science and animals, launching a career that has taken her from general practice to specialist veterinary care and, ultimately, the classroom.

Her experience includes working at Veterinary Specialists Aotearoa (VSA), as well as caring for an extraordinary range of animals – “from tiny kittens to tigers at Auckland Zoo”.

In 2018, Lauren moved from frontline veterinary nursing into teaching, joining  School of Environment and Animal Sciences at Mt Albert Campus to help prepare the next generation of veterinary nurses.

“I feel very lucky to now have all three things I love in one role here – science, animals, teaching and learning!”

That industry experience continues to inform her teaching. Lauren still works one day a month at VSA Emergency – Auckland West, allowing her to remain connected to current clinical practice and specialist colleagues while bringing that knowledge back to her ākonga ‘learners’.

Ms Prior completed a Master of Science in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia through University of Edinburgh in 2024.

Anaesthesia became a particular area of interest early in Lauren’s career, after she discovered that it was often the part of veterinary practice that made other nurses nervous.

“Because I was genuinely interested in it, it tended to fall to me by default,” she says. “As a result, I was fortunate to gain a lot of practical experience early on.”

Studying alongside experts in the profession and gaining experience in leading animal hospitals strengthened her ambition to make veterinary anaesthesia more approachable for others.

“My goal is to become really good at it, not just for my own practice, but so I can teach and support others.”

That philosophy – continually learning and then sharing that knowledge – sits at the heart of Lauren’s approach to teaching.

She hopes her students graduate not simply knowing the technical aspects of veterinary nursing but understanding the reasons behind them and retaining the curiosity to keep learning throughout their careers.

“My hope is that they (students) leave with a clear understanding of the ‘why’ behind what we teach… that they leave with an ongoing passion for learning and remain curious and open,” she explains.

Some of Lauren’s most rewarding moments come when students make that breakthrough in their learning.

“When something clicks for a student when you’re teaching them, it’s the best moment.”

Her commitment to hands-on learning also extends well beyond the classroom.

For twelve years, Lauren has been part of South Pacific Animal Welfare (SPAW), joining teams of veterinarians, veterinary nurses and students working in Tonga, where there are no local veterinarians.

The teams treat hundreds of animals during each visit and perform around 40 to 50 surgeries a day, providing an important service to communities while giving students an intensive clinical learning experience.

“They start nervous and unsure at the beginning and by the end of the week they’re not needing us.

“The transformation is so rewarding to see and a reminder of how important it is to not just lecture but get hands-on experience.”

Ms Prior believes academic knowledge, current clinical practice and practical experience is essential to developing outstanding veterinary nurses.

For her, the best nurses never stop learning, strive for best practice, work collaboratively with veterinarians and, importantly, understand the human side of animal care.

“They’re great with people, who are often emotional and in stressful situations, and can stay calm and empathetic.”

The NZVNAs are important not only because they recognise individual achievement, but due to the light they shine on the profession itself.

The awards can also inspire students and early-career veterinary nurses by showing them the breadth of opportunities available.

“The finalists’ journeys in previous years have often been inspiring for me.

“Vet nursing is not just a job, it’s a job that’s rewarding and makes a difference to people and animals’ lives, every day.”

Now as one of only three finalists nationwide for Vet Nurse of the Year, Lauren Prior is in turn inspiring her students and others in veterinary nursing education.