Julie Beckett: The deaf veterinary nurse who is passionate about sharing information in BSL (BSL vlog with transcript)

BSL video (scroll down for transcript!):

Transcript:

Hello! My name is Julie Beckett, this is my sign name. I’ve been profoundly deaf from birth and I am a British Sign Language user. I work here at a Veterinary practice, I am a veterinary nurse assistant and animal care assistant which involves treating and looking after animals.

What does my job involve? You can see behind me the entrance to a surgical theatre, I work in there assisting surgical operations. This involves monitoring the animals heart rate and assisting the surgeon with tools they may need or physically holding an animal during an operation.

I assist with animal X-rays and scans they may need too. I conduct and check blood and urine tests on animals. I also look after animals who are submitted to our hospital, perhaps bandaging wounds or injuries, administering medicine and fluids too. I also chat to clients who come in asking for advice about their pet.

I have worked here for seventeen years. I have set up my own Facebook page called Pet Health and Tips in BSL where I often share vlogs in BSL with animal advice. Lots of deaf people view my videos as they’re easy to access in sign for BSL users.

I also offer FaceTime calls to deaf people across the world including Australia, New Zealand, Germany, USA, Italy, Canada- so many countries. They call me and we talk about their pets health problems or issues they want advice about. The video call gives them the chance to ask questions. Having that access in sign language is so important.

I also visit schools, mainstream ones and those with deaf children too, primary schools as well and during visits I talk about my job and what the role of a vet is. I also give talks to those in higher education who are considering career paths and want to find out more about what is expected to do this sort of job and how they can aim to achieve it. Seeing BSL and having access to information in BSL is really vital.

I’ve visited deaf youth centres and also deaf clubs to talk to adults as well. I feel strongly it’s so important to offer information in BSL. Hearing people have so much access to information, whether its listening to things on the radio or reading things in English, so I’ve made it my aim to share as much as I can in BSL freely to share knowledge amongst deaf people.

I’ve created two BSL videos offering advice for pet owners during the winter months that you can view through my page here. Thank you for watching.

 

Julie is a deaf veterinary nurse assistant who lives in the North East with her many pets! You can find her Facebook page here with details of her work.