09/10/2026
🏆 Introducing our 2026 NZVNA & Hill’s Vet Nurse of the Year… Lauren Prior! 🏆
Congratulations, Lauren! 🎉💛
Nominated by a colleague and supported by more than 30 additional letters of support from colleagues, vets, fellow nurses and students she has worked with and taught, it’s clear just how far Lauren’s impact reaches across the veterinary nursing profession.
Lauren is an exceptional educator who has a gift for making complex concepts easy to understand, inspiring curiosity and building confidence in her students. Her support extends well beyond the classroom, from mentoring students during volunteer trips to Tonga with South Pacific Animal Welfare (SPAW), to taking on challenging anaesthetic cases at VSA&E on her weekends. Her dedication to these volunteer trips has also earned her one of SPAW’s first Honorary Lifetime Volunteer awards. 🐾
As one former student shared in their nomination, Lauren’s knowledge, kindness and genuine support made a lasting difference throughout their Bachelor of Veterinary Nursing degree. She always made time for questions, offered guidance when it was needed, and demonstrated a genuine commitment to both her students and the profession.
Lauren embodies the qualities of an outstanding veterinary nurse: compassion, clinical excellence, leadership and a passion for education. Her influence extends far beyond her own work, helping to shape confident, knowledgeable and compassionate veterinary nurses for the future.
Congratulations, Lauren, on this well-deserved recognition! Thank you for the incredible contribution you make to veterinary nursing, your students and the wider profession. 💛
