Spotlight on our Emergency and Critical Care dynamic duo
At ARC, we’re incredibly lucky to have two amazing women at the top of their game caring for the sickest of the sick.
Research Authors
Summary
We are the only facility in New Zealand with a registered veterinary specialist in Emergency and Critical Care (also known as a “Criticalist”), AND a veterinary technician specialist in Emergency and Critical Care (VTS ECC). The combined knowledge and skills of these two powerhouse women allow us to provide top quality care for those patients with life-threatening disease. Íde and Ashleigh are excited to move their ECC skills to the ARC central site when it opens. They’ll be operating out of a new dedicated ICU there. This new state-of-the-art facility will be equipped with oxygen cages, advanced ICU ventilators, continuous bed-side monitoring and lab equipment.
Dr Íde Gillespie BVMS(Hons) DACVECC
Our registered specialist in Emergency and Critical Care. Íde actually started her career as a veterinary nurse and it was in that role that she discovered a love for the challenge of dealing with emergency and critically ill patients.
Following her vet degree, two internships, a residency and successfully passing her boards (whew!) she joined the ARC team in June 2021. And now the team doesn’t know what they’d do without her!
She collaborates with all departments on case management when patients are critical, as well as receiving direct emergency referrals. Those cases that maybe your worst nightmare in GP practice (patients in respiratory crisis, collapsed and septic patients, polytrauma and toxicity cases etc.) are what she thrives on. Having Íde on board has provided a massive learning opportunity for all of our specialists and she also works with our Emergency vet team, assisting with training and further education.
Ashleigh Walsh Dip.VN VTS (ECC)
A nurse with 13 years of dedicated emergency and critical care nursing under her belt. She is a kiwi that obtained her Diploma from Unitec before heading over to Australia to work in a busy emergency department there for 10 years.
We lured Ashleigh back to NZ in 2020 and ARC supported her in her dream of obtaining her VTS ECC (Vet Technician Specialist in Emergency and Critical Care). After a lot of hard work (case logs, case studies, demonstration of advanced skills and then completion of some grueling final exams), she was successful in attaining the coveted VTS qualification in 2022.
Since joining the team at ARC, Ashleigh has been a source of inspiration to our nursing team with her impressive skill set, her cool head in a crisis and her passion for education.