By Raquel Mueller
Briana Champagne thought she was exactly where she wanted to be when she graduated in 2015 from the bachelor’s track of MSU’s Veterinary Nursing Program. But since then, she’s found much more to learn and love.
Champagne was hired and dove straight into her dream job—veterinary nurse at a small animal clinic. At Fowlerville Veterinary Clinic, Champagne is involved in many aspects of veterinary care—that’s what drew her to veterinary nursing in the first place.
“It’s been a great place to learn and grow. It’s everything that I pictured myself doing when I graduated. We’ve got a good dynamic with our doctors and our nurses, really working together to get the job done. Honestly, I think I’m doing more than I thought that I would!” says Champagne.
Over time, Champagne has taken on a bigger role as a lead veterinary nurse. Her work now includes assisting during appointments and surgery, especially anesthesia. Additionally, she’s one of the main dental technicians at the clinic.
“Working in surgery and anesthesia brings me joy—it’s where my heart is, although all the different types of work I do are really rewarding in their own way,” she says.
Reflecting on her time as a Veterinary Nursing student, Champagne acknowledges the challenges she faced, but also the pride of working hard and pushing through. “I went in with minimal clinical experience, but I told myself I’d do the best with what I had. I proved to myself that I can do difficult things,” she says. “I loved that the instructors were working veterinary nurses, so they have been in the students’ shoes, worked in clinical settings, and know how the real world is. To learn from that—it’s invaluable. I felt prepared when I left, ready to start in a practice somewhere.”
That feeling—knowing that she could face any challenge because she had done it before—led her to forge forward in her new position despite her inhibitions and take on a leading role. Which eventually brought her to start a new journey, one that in the past she hadn’t thought she was suited for: mentorship.
Fowlerville Veterinary Clinic, under the umbrella of Mission Veterinary Partners, is linked to a mentorship program with the Penn Foster Veterinary Technician Program.
I loved that the instructors were working veterinary nurses, so they have been in the students’ shoes, worked in clinical settings, and know how the real world is. To learn from that—it’s invaluable. I felt prepared when I left, ready to start in a practice somewhere.
- Champagne“We have a small group of Penn Foster students, and I am a mentor for some of them. As a mentor, I check in on their progress. If they need help with anything along the way, I am here for them. I help train and teach the in-clinic hands-on part of their training. I really enjoy that, although I wasn’t sure at first. I always said I didn’t want to work at a university clinic because I didn’t want to teach, but it turns out teaching found me anyway,” says Champagne.
For Champagne, mentorship has become a way of paying forward the guidance she received in her own education.
“I’ve enjoyed mentoring students who are where I was. It’s incredible how it’s come back around. Having a mentor to help you get through those tough spots in school in your learning when you think you don’t want to do it anymore—it made a difference to me. So, I’m trying to be someone mentees can lean on and help get them through. Just like my instructors at MSU, they were where I was, and now to take on that role for someone else has been really fulfilling,” explains Champagne.
Champagne’s mentorship doesn’t end with the Penn Foster students. She and a fellow lead nurse have begun teaching wet labs three to four times a year for veterinary assistants in the clinic. Topics range from scrubbing in for surgery to basic blood draws.
“As my mentorship has grown, it’s become one of my new favorite parts of the job—it’s one of my newfound joys,” says Champagne. “I’ve had some great mentors along the way. If I had a mentor like that right when I was starting in my practice as a new veterinary nurse, I would have been much more confident about my transition into my career. That’s why I’m trying to be that for other people and be that extra reassurance for my mentees.”
Moving forward, Champagne is opening herself up to more new experiences to continue to grow as a veterinary nurse. She says, “I’m considering getting my Veterinary Nursing Specialist (VTS) certification. Maybe in dentistry or anesthesia and analgesia because I am so heavily involved there. It would prove to myself I can take my career to the next level.”
“For any other future or current veterinary nurses out there who aren’t sure where to head next, you can do challenging things if you get out of your comfort zone,” Champagne advises. “Find
your person, your mentor, your support, and
we’ll all make it through.” 