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Certified Veterinary Assistants?

It’s likely you’ve already heard that NAVTA is in the process of developing and approving a program for certified veterinary assistants. After 20 something years in the profession, I found this interesting.

It wasn’t that long ago that registered technicians were fussing about how people who had not attended tech school could sit for the boards to become credentialed. Now moving one step forward—or two steps back?—our national association is making it official that assistants can be their own designated level in our profession. I imagine there are mixed feelings about this news. See if you find your own feelings in some of the voices below:

“It’s about time that the profession realizes that assistants are important!”
“Why would someone spend the time and money to become a CVA, when they could go a little further and become a CVT?”

“Doesn’t NAVTA have its hands full trying to elevate the credentialed technician, and now the VTS folks, to worry about yet another category?”

“Well, now it’s more like human medicine, where there are several levels and they all work together.”

“So does this mean I have to pay a CVA more than Joe-Blow off the street?”
“Would anyone really want to invest in becoming a CVA and stay at that level for any length of time, given what the profession is able to pay CVT’s?”

“As a technician, I couldn’t do my job without good assistants. I’m glad they’ll receive consistent training now.”

“Hmmm, can I just hire CVA’s and avoid having to pay wages for credentialed techs to be on my team?”

“Doesn’t our profession having bigger fish to fry, such as making the credentialing of technicians consistent across states?”

“The general public doesn’t even understand what CVT’s are, and now we’re going to introduce them to CVA’s too? We’re just making it more complicated to earn respect for the technician profession that has already been trying for 30-something years!”

“I really want to work in veterinary medicine, and now I have an option that is affordable and I can easily accomplish!”

“So I wonder what the top pay will be for CVA’s? Can I make a living by remaning a CVA?”

“We now have 10 VTS specialties that no one knows about, and we’re adding yet another level to the mix?”

Regardless of what voices above sound like yours, it’s obvious to see that this move could create some interesting reactions. There is no doubt that it is difficult to look at this topic without wondering how it will affect us as individuals, the profession of animal nursing in general and the veterinary profession overall. Only time will tell…

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Certified Veterinary Assistants?

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I have really mixed feelings about this designation. As many technicians must feel, taking someone that is "kennel help" and training them to a higher level can bring good changes to the profession and to a practice. Owning your job, as we all know, gives a higher sense of purpose to a persons work and with that comes more self-esteem. That all results in higher productivity and better team work. However, having said that, I know from experience that most people who work the kennels do not stay in the position long. But worse than that, is the millions of practices that do not have credentialed technicians on board and are allowing non-trained kennel people act in the capacity of a licensed technician. I said millions because I am sure across the USA that is pretty close to the truth. Think about all of the mom & pop vet practices in small, rural towns all across the nation. But my question is how are these people going to be trained? And in what way will they be regulated? Most of these 'shade-tree' techs are not regulated now, so what makes us think that there won't be a plethora of individuals that become CVAs, start doing a techs job and the vet letting them get away with it? As others have said, what about the fact that the public still doesn't know what a RVT, LVT, or CVT does in the back room now? How are we supposed to get any kind of decent pay, benefits or respect when all a vet thinks that they have to do now is hire a CVA to do the same job? This just dilutes the waters even more. I don't buy the idea that is rings the same with human medicine. CNAs are not the same as a nurse and wouldn't even attempt to do their job, but you can bet your bottom dollar that any CVA given the chance will jump at doing the things a licensed tech is legally allowed to do under the supervision of a veterinarian. And I can assure you that the vet in question will figure the same regulations will hold true for the CVA that do for a RVT. "As long as the Vet is there, it's okay." Well it's not okay, and I really don't see the point in created another mess to mix in with the problems we face now as technicians. Not trying to be a pessimist here, but looking at the big picture, with over 30 yrs of experience behind me, I can see the issues that will possibly crop up. Surprise me and let it not be the case. I would welcome that- but I want to see more forward progress in our own technicians worlds first. Jana Connell RVT, CVT Jana, Sonora, CA Posted: 5/16/2011 10:58:23 PM