Grafts, Flaps & Complex Wounds

Rhonda has over 20 years of experience spanning general practice, specialty surgery and anaesthesia, emergency and critical care, as well as management and professional development. She holds Diplomas in Veterinary Nursing (General Practice and Surgery), is RECOVER certified, an accredited Mental Health First Aid Officer, and has maintained VNCA Accreditation since 2009. One of the first AVNAT Registered Veterinary Nurses in Australia, Rhonda was named VNCA National Veterinary Nurse of the Year in 2023. Passionate about advancing veterinary nursing, she lectures and teaches nationally and internationally, with clinical interests in anaesthesia, loco-regional analgesia, surgery and critical care.

Janine Irwin is VetPrac’s Education Coordinator and a qualified veterinary technician with extensive experience in clinical practice and training. Before joining VetPrac, she worked in both general and emergency veterinary settings, developing a deep understanding of wound care and practical patient management.

Beyond the clinic, Janine has served as a long-term volunteer and group training officer with the State Emergency Service, where she developed a deep understanding of leadership, crisis management, and resilience. She’s also an Emergency Services Peer Support Officer, dedicated to supporting mental health and interpersonal wellbeing across professions.

With additional education in interpersonal relationships and human behaviour, Janine creates learning spaces that are practical, encouraging, and grounded in empathy.

With a lifelong passion for animal behaviour that began in her early teens through dog training, Sam has dedicated more than 25 years to veterinary education. Her career began with training veterinary nurses at TAFE before moving into the university sector, where she supported the education of both veterinarians and veterinary technicians.

Now an Online Course Facilitator with VetPrac, Sam combines her love of teaching, animal behaviour, and supporting the veterinary profession. Outside of work, she enjoys recharging by spending time with family and exploring the outdoors through camping.

Jessica has been a veterinary nurse for more than 15 years, with experience in both general practice and referral clinics. She is currently the Referral Team Leader in the Peninsula Vet Emergency & Referral Hospital Surgery department. Her professional interests lie in anaesthesia and analgesia, and she is undertaking an Advanced Nursing Anaesthesia Certificate with Improve International. Jessica is particularly passionate about local analgesia techniques and their role in providing effective alternative pain relief for patients.
She has contributed to the profession by publishing an article in the VNCA journal and presenting a case study at the VNCA conference. Outside of work, Jessica shares her home with three foster rescues, her cats Nikita, Bella, and Holly.