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Technician Utilization, Again

By Katherine Dobbs, RVT, CVPM, PHR

When I spoke at NAVC in Orlando last week, I had been asked to speak on the topic of technician utilization. My first response was, “seriously, are we STILL talking about this? Is this still a problem now, twenty years after I joined the profession?” As you can guess, the answer is yes.

So when the audience shuffled into the NAVC ballroom, I began by saying how disappointed I was to see them all … kind of a strange way to start, but I am genuinely disappointed that this continues to be an issue for so many in veterinary medicine.

I could have used that hour to enlighten everyone on what tasks a technician can and SHOULD be doing in the practice now, but I didn’t … because technicians out there KNOW what they are capable of doing, they know what they were taught and what skills they possess, so the problem is not a lack of knowledge on their part. From there, it’s easy to turn to the veterinarians and say, “hey, you’re the problem, you need to use your technicians more!” Yet, are they really the problem? If the veterinarians knew what skills and knowledge the technician possessed, then yes, perhaps it would be their fault. But I would challenge you that most veterinarians do NOT know what a technician learns in school or on the job, particularly those technicians who then become credentialed. The veterinarians went to vet school, not tech school, so it is actually silly for us to think the veterinarians are intentionally ignoring what a technician can do to help them in the practice.

My challenge to the audience that day was this: you, the technician, must take it upon yourself to educate your doctor and practice owner. And no, this isn’t best done when you walk in and say, “hey, Doc, step aside and let me do that.” Instead, it is best presented in an organized fashion, with an outline or summary of your technician skills, knowledge, and abilities, at a time when you can meet privately with the veterinarian away from the bustle of the floor. They may be astonished to see the breadth of your knowledge and experience. Now, you’ll still have to build the trust that goes along with actually doing these tasks in your practice, but it will be easier for the doctor to give you a chance if you’ve explained your training and education. Build a convincing argument of how leveraging you as a technician can free the doctor up to do more “doctor things” that in turn generate revenue for the practice. Show the doctor how utilizing smart, educated veterinary technicians may exemplify the mission or vision of the practice that wants to provide the “best medicine” to pets. Display your genuine desire to play a larger role in the patient care of your practice. How can the doctor argue with that?

That day at NAVC, most of my slides were directed at the technicians. In fact, there was only one at the end that contained a message to the veterinarian, and that is that you should be paying your technician for using the most advanced skills they have … and, if you don’t know what those skills are, you need to clear some time on your schedule to have a meeting with your technician.

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Technician Utilization, Again

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Katherine is completely right in this case. It's time (long overdue) for the technician to become an advocate for the profession. This is something I have be saying for years and years. What about the technician that was trained in the alternative method? Good question. If your vet taught you in practice then they should KNOW what you are capable of. If you passed your boards, then you should be doing the work and getting the pay of a licensed techician. That is all good and well on paper- but does it happen that way? Unfortunately no. Did it matter to my boss that I had over 500 hours of CE credits? No. Did it matter that I went to the convention every year and actually sat through all of the lectures? No. I still got paid less than anyone else in the county that did my job and I was licensed in two states! So perception is where the value lies. It is going to be an uphill battle still for techicians, and especially ones that consider this a career, not just a job. We need help from the outside- but we need to step up and speak for ourselves also. Retired but still active. Jana Connell RVT, CVT Jana, Sonora, CA Posted: 2/8/2010 2:37:13 PM