Veterinary technician

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A veterinary technician, (also called a vet tech), is a person trained and licensed to assist veterinarians. Their job is similar to that of a nurse: They are working directly with a veterinarian, executing the procedures requested and needed to diagnose and treat animals, but are not legally qualified to make a diagnosis and/or practice veterinary medicine without proper supervision by a licensed veterinarian.

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[edit] Job description

Common tasks performed by a veterinary technician include: taking histories, providing treatment to routine problems, and giving counseling to clients. Technical skills include: venipuncture; collecting urine; performing skin scrapings; taking and processing radiographs; and performing routine lab procedures and tests in: hematology, biochemistry, chemistry, microbiology, urinalysis, and serology. They assist the veterinarian with physical examinations that help determine the nature of the illness or injury. Veterinary technicians also perform 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 cleaning teeth. They perform catheterizations - urinary, arterial,and venous; ear flushes; intravenous feedings and tube feedings. Equipment use includes operating electrocardiographic and radiographic equipment. Veterinary technicians commonly assist veterinarians in surgery by providing correct equipment and instruments and by assuring that monitoring and support equipment such as anesthetic machines, cardiac monitors, scopes and breathing apparatus 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.

Veterinary technicians are very different from veterinary assistants. Veterinary assistants are there to aid technicians, but they do not have a license, which is needed in most states by law, to perform specific procedures. An assistant has not gone through the classes and requirements for an associates degree in veterinary technology. The education a licensed technician receives is in depth and crucial for medical understanding and to give proper health care.

[edit] Education

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) is responsible for some accrediting schools with either a 2-year Associate's degree or a 4-year Bachelor's degree, though in some states this is not necessary. The organization just recently started to accredit 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 while some tasks are required to be videotaped and submitted to the school for grading. All distance-learning students in an AVMA-accredited program are held to the same standards as on-campus students in order to be eligible for graduation.

Different states have different titles for veterinary technicians. Some call them Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT), some, Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT), and still others Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT). However, graduates of any AVMA accredited program ( and some non-accredited) may take a national certification exam, (Veterianry Tecnician National Exam- VTNE. In some states a state exam and/or references are required as well) and, upon passing, become certified/registered/licensed in most states. The technician is then subject to the regulations of the state Veterinary Medical Practice Act of the state she or he practices in.

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In the United Kingdom veterinary technicians are known as Veterinary Nurses (VNs). The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons awards the veterinary nursing qualification and maintains a statutory list of veterinary nurses. VNs on the list are entitled by law to give animals medical treatment, and carry out certain minor surgery, under veterinary direction.

Many are employees are self proclaimed or called "Veterinary Technician" but are not. To be a "Technician", one must be Certified, Registered, or Licensed (varies by state). To become a Certified/Registered/Licensed Vet Tech you must attend a 2 year accredited school in some states (some like Nevada have an alternate program which is 9 months, but the student must have a minimum of 4,000 hours the field), obtain an Associates in Vet. Technology (in some states) and pass your states' board exam (some states allow on the job training, usually five years, to substitute for a degree then require sitting for the National Boards). Vet Assistants are different than a licensed/registered/certified technician. Vet Assistants cannot legally perform as many procedures as a technician can (again, in some states).

Laws differ greatly from state to state. Contact your states Veterinary Medical Board to find out what laws bind Veterinary Technicians in your state.

[edit] 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."

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