Paraveterinary workers in North America

Paraveterinary workers in North America
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In North America, the principle paraveterinary workers are called veterinary technicians or veterinary technologists


Contents

Job description

Technical skills include: venipuncture; collecting urine; performing skin scrapings; taking and processing radiographs; and performing routine lab procedures and tests in: hematology, blood chemistry, microbiology, urinalysis, and microscopy. They assist the veterinarian with physical examinations that help determine the nature of the illness or injury. Veterinary technicians also induce and maintain anesthesia, and administer medications, fluids and blood products as prescribed by the veterinarian. Tasks in patient care include: recording temperature, pulse and respiration, dressing wounds, applying splints and other protective devices, and dental procedures. They perform catheterizations - urinary, arterial, and venous; ear flushes; intravenous feedings and tube feedings. Equipment use includes operating various types of patient monitors and imaging devices to include electrocardiographic, radiographic and ultrasonographic equipment. Larger referral practices and teaching hospitals may also find veterinary technicians operating computed tomography equipment, magnetic resonance imagers, gamma cameras and other advanced medical devices. Veterinary technicians commonly assist veterinarians in surgery by providing correct equipment and instruments and by assuring that monitoring and support equipment are in good working condition. They may also maintain treatment records and inventory of all pharmaceuticals, equipment and supplies, and help with other administrative tasks within a veterinary practice such as client education. Unlike their more specialized counterparts among medical paraprofessionals, the veterinary technician is usually the only paraprofessional found in a veterinary practice and is thus often called upon to be a jack-of-all-trades.

Education and credentialing

To become a credentialed veterinary technician, one must complete a two-year or three-year AVMA or CVMA-accredited school, most of which terminate in the awarding of an associate of applied science degree in veterinary technology (those enduring a four-year AVMA accredited school terminating in the awarding of a bachelor's degree are considered veterinary technologists though the distinction is rarely made an issue with the term technician being used generally, in Canada the terms are synonymous).[1][2] The education a credentialed technician receives is in-depth and crucial for medical understanding and to give proper health care. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) are responsible for accrediting schools with either Associate's degrees or Bachelor's degrees, though in some states or provinces this is not necessary. The AVMA also accredits schools that offer distance education. As a requirement of AVMA-accreditation, all distance learning programs require a significant amount of practical clinical experience before the student will be allowed to graduate. Clinical experience is usually obtained by employment or volunteer hours at an animal clinic. Preceptors must be a veterinarian or a credentialed vet technician and are required to instruct and sign off on clinical tasks, and then submit the records to the school for approval; some tasks must be videotaped and submitted to the school for grading. Though rare and competitive, there exists, in some large multi-specialty practices, one-year rotational internships available to veterinary technology students upon graduation.

Gaining a degree in veterinary technology is only a part of the requirements for credentialing. Veterinary technology degree holders who wish to be credentialed must generally also pass some sort of credentialing exams based upon the requirements of the state, province or country in which they live. In the United States, these exams are usually the Veterinary Technician National Exam ([3])and an exam written by whatever governing body bestows credentials to veterinary technicians in that state. Depending on the state that a technician is working towards credentialing in, these tests may be administered by a United States licensing board, state veterinary medical association or state veterinary technician association. The type of credential granted to technicians also varies from state to state based upon the laws that govern that state and the type of organization granting credentals. Veterinary technicians may be licensed [LVT (LVMT—Licensed Veterinary Medical Technician in Tennessee)], registered (RVT) or certified (CVT). Some veterinary technologists have adopted the custom of adding a terminal lower-case "g" as a distinguishing factor (e.g. RVTg, LVTg, LVMTg, CVTg). Licensure is granted by a legal governing body such as a state licensing board and indicates that only people who hold a license may represent themselves as a "veterinary technician" or perform certain tasks. Registration refers to the keeping of lists of people who have met specific requirements to be a veterinary technician but in most instances doesn't limit certain actions or the use of the term "veterinary technician" to only those who are registered. Certification is generally bestowed by a private organization such as a school or professional organization and holds no legal connotation. Certification is often granted by the state veterinary technician association in states where neither the laws nor the veterinary medical association require or recommend credentialing of technicians. The term Animal Health Technician (AHT) is still used in some provinces of Canada and was once commonly used in the United States before giving way to the current moniker of veterinary technician. As with VT's there are (or have been) RAHT's, LAHT's, and CAHT's.

While it used to be very common that people with a set number of years or hours of experience assisting a veterinarian could sit for these exams that is now only allowed in a handful of states and will be phased out by 2011 in any state which uses the Veterinary Technician National Exam. (a deadline set by the owners of the Veterinary Technician National Exam).[4]

Laws differ greatly from state to state. Contact your state's Veterinary Medical Board to find out what laws bind Veterinary Technicians in your state. Veterinary technicians' interests are represented nationally in the United States and Canada by the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA—formerly the North American Veterinary Technician Association), whose members are individuals, and the Canadian Association of Animal Health Technicians (CAAHT), whose membership is made up of representatives of the provincial associations (with the exception of Ontario), respectively. Each state also tends to have its own veterinary technician association which represents the interests of veterinary technicians in that particular state. Membership in state veterinary technician associations is very important as these are the groups that present the needs and desires of veterinary technicians to the state lawmakers and veterinary medical associations. As it is each state's right to set the laws and rules which govern the practice of veterinary technology and veterinary medicine, representation on a state level is necessary to address the specific needs of veterinary technicians in their state.

Specialty certification

Beyond credentialing as a veterinary technician specialty certification is also available to technicians with advanced skills. To date there are specialty recognitions in: emergency & critical care, anesthesiology, dentistry, small animal internal medicine, large animal internal medicine, cardiology, oncology, neurology, zoological medicine, equine veterinary nursing, surgery, behavior, nutrition, and clinical practice (canine/feline, exotic companion animal, and production animal sub-specialties). Veterinary Technician Specialists carry the additional post-nominal letters "VTS" with their particular specialties indicated in parentheses. As veterinary technology evolves more specialty academy recognitions are anticipated.

Veterinary assistants

Main article: Veterinary assistant

Non-credentialed personnel who perform similar tasks to veterinary technicians are usually referred to as veterinary assistants though the term technician is often applied generously. In many states, a veterinary assistant cannot legally perform as many procedures as a technician. Veterinary assistants often have no formal education related to veterinary medicine or veterinary technology, however, NAVTA recently approved the designation of Approved Veterinary Assistant (AVA) for those successfully completing approved educational programs. In larger facilities with tiered hierarchies veterinary assistants typically assist veterinary technicians in their duties.

History

Veterinary technology as an organized and credentialed career option is relatively young, only existing since the mid 20th century (although the seeds had been planted earlier in 1908 when the Canine Nurses Institute was established in England, and as such is still struggling for recognition in many parts of the world. The first training program for technicians in the United States was established by the Air Force in 1951. The first civilian program was established ten years later in 1961 at the State University of New York (SUNY) Agricultural and Technical College at Delhi. In 1965 Walter Collins, DVM received federal funding to develop model curricula for training technicians. He produced several guides over the next seven years, and for this work he is considered the "father of veterinary technology" in the United States[5]).

Veterinary Technician Oath

"I solemnly dedicate myself to aiding animals and society by providing excellent care and services for animals, by alleviating animal suffering, and promoting public health. I accept my obligations to practice my profession conscientiously and with sensitivity, adhering to the profession's Code of Ethics, and furthering my knowledge and competence through a commitment to lifelong learning."

See also

References

  1. ^ "AVMA Policy on Veterinary Technology". American Veterinary Medical Association. http://www.avma.org/issues/policy/veterinary_technology.asp. Retrieved 5 feb 2009. 
  2. ^ "Technologist vs Technician?". Canadian Association of Animal Health Technologists and Technicians. http://caahtt-acttsa.ca/careers/information-on-ahtvt-career-2/aht-vs-vt. Retrieved 24 jul 2011. 
  3. ^ "VTNE". American Association of Veterinary State Boards. http://www.aavsb.org/VTNE/. Retrieved 24 jul 2011. 
  4. ^ "Policy Update Memo April 25, 2008: Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE) 2010 Eligibility Requirements". American Association of Veterinary State Boards. http://www.aavsb.org/PDF/VTNE/VTNE%202010%20Memo%20April%202008.pdf. Retrieved 24 jul 2011. 
  5. ^ McCurnin, Dennis M.; Bassert, Joanna M. (2006). Clinical Textbook for Veterinary Technicians, Sixth Edition. St. Louis, Missouri: Elsevier Saunders. p. inside front cover. ISBN 0-7216-0612-1. 

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