The Facebook FalloutNovember 30, 2015Originally published in the November 2015 issue of Veterinary Practice News. Did you enjoy this article? Then subscribe today! Are you on Facebook? Well, you either love it or hate it. You either spend countless hours each month poring over posts, stopping at funny kitty and dog videos, or you ignore it altogether. I have only recently gotten to where I visit Facebook regularly. Yep, I resisted for years, until I figured out how to trim my newsfeed down so I only get updates on the people I really want to know about. (Yes, that’s the other problem, my total ineptness at the technical realm of the site.) So as I was perusing Facebook a few months ago, I came across an article for parents about the effect Facebook may have on a child. No, it wasn’t the “Internet stalker” warning, but something much more prevalent and more impactful. It was all about how kids on Facebook often see their friends hanging with other people, even people they don’t know well, surrounding themselves with friends and fun activities in …
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About Veterinary SpecialistsOctober 29, 2015When a pet has a health issue, a trip to your regular veterinarian is in order. But sometimes, as in human medicine, that might just be step one in the treatment of more complex medical conditions. As in human medicine, a general practitioner who suspects a patient may be suffering from something more than the run-of-the-mill illness or chronic condition may call in a veterinary specialist to help. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), 11,000 veterinarians in the United States have been recognized as specialists in 40 distinct areas of veterinary medicine. Those 40 areas are grouped into 22 specialty organizations based on subject area, each with their own set of requirements that a veterinarian must complete to specialize in a given area or to become “board-certified.” Basically, according to the AVMA, a veterinary specialist is: “… is a veterinarian who has completed additional training in a specific area of veterinary medicine and has passed an examination that evaluates their knowledge and skills in that specialty area.” KatarzynaBialasiewicz/istock/Thinkstock Veterinary specialists require additional education and training. …
Vet Techs Say Sedation Is UnderutilizedOctober 27, 2015Being bitten, scratched or kicked by a patient is an accepted part of life at a veterinary hospital. But members of the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA) believe the risk of injury would be reduced if more animals were sedated. A survey published in the October/November issue of The NAVTA Journal found that a veterinary technician is called upon to physically restrain a patient an average of 11 times a week and that sedation was used in less than half of the cases where it would have been appropriate. The American Animal Hospital Association’s “Anesthesia Guidelines for Dogs and Cats” states that sedation may be suitable during short, minimally invasive procedures such as diagnostics, joint injections, suture removal and wound management. More complex cases and treatments lasting more than 30 minutes may require anesthesia. The 1,262 NAVTA members who responded to the survey reported that sedation was used most often during exploration or repair of wounds or cuts, during euthanasia and when an animal had a troublesome temperament. Other top cases that called for sedation were during radiology procedures, fracture stabilization and the removal of foreign objects. “Interestingly, you reported that procedure type has more influence on …
Common Vet Assistant Interview QuestionsOctober 26, 2015To ask the right interview questions when hiring a veterinary assistant, you must first know what a veterinary assistant IS, and how they function in your veterinary practice. According to the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA), this is the definition of a veterinary assistant: “While every position within the veterinary practice team is important, veterinary assistants play a pivotal role, literally. In the course of a single day, an assistant provides help to veterinarians and veterinary technicians, which in turn allows those team members to perform the tasks and responsibilities of their positions. The next minute, the assistant may be helping a client understand why having their pet's teeth cleaned is so important or providing a receptionist with a second set of hands at the front desk. Helping to fill scripts, keeping exams rooms cleaned and prepped, setting up lab work, helping with inventory, updating medical records, assisting with nursing care — there are more things that veterinary assistants do in a day than most people realize.” Does this describe a veterinary …
Halloween Horrors: 3 Spooky Vet Surgery Situations to AvoidOctober 22, 2015Picture this: Everything is running smoothly in your practice. Then suddenly, your technician shrieks! HORROR; disaster strikes! All kinds of spooky situations can occur at veterinary clinics. Whether similar situations occur around Halloween or not, there are cheap, simple, effective solutions to avoid getting in trouble. 1) Injecting the Wrong Medication Dr. Frankie was about to perform ACL surgery on Raven. He asked for the syringe that contained the local anesthetic (bupivacaine), which he was going to inject in the knee. His technician Morticia realized with horror that she had given the local anesthetic IV by mistake, thinking it was cefazolin! Fortunately, no ill effects occurred, even though bupivacaine is cardiotoxic. Similar incidents do occur, such as the poor rushed colleague who injected (pink) euthanasia solution instead of a (pink) vaccine, after grabbing an unmarked syringe off the counter. The solution is easy: Invest a few dollars in stickers that indicate the name of the medication. You can also use blank labels, that the veterinary technicians can fill in with the names of the drugs …
The Power of WordsOctober 15, 2015Words have power. You know how the old saying “sticks and stones may break my bones” ends, but it simply is not true. Words said by people who are in a care-giving role are even MORE powerful. Once when I was in the hospital after a laparoscopy, I had urethral spasms that left me unable to “do it” myself. As if being catheterized every 6 to 8 hours wasn’t bad enough, late one night I had a nurse come in and say in a nasty tone of voice, “if you don’t do this on your own you’ll have to go home with a catheter.” Her tone of voice was ugly and condemning. Maybe she was irritated that she had to catheterize me again, as busy as she was, but the results were devastating. I collapsed into tears when she left the room, and had to call my spouse to come sit with me that night. And let me be clear, it was not the thought of going home with the urinary catheter that bothered me, it was the thought that I disappointed that nurse. Most of the time, we do not necessarily say something mean …
Is a Work/Life Balance Possible?September 24, 2015So this whole concept of “work/life balance” is a popular topic these days. Lots of people talk about it, or write articles and books on the subject. A lot of us have tried to learn how to do this balancing act, but it never seems to stick. Usually when they talk about spending time on our own personal pursuits, we just shake our heads and say, “I don’t have the time.” So, they tell us to MAKE the time. It’s funny. You never know how busy you are until you are really forced to fit something else into your schedule. Be I was a parent, I thought I was busy … yeah, right, in comparison, I was NOT that busy. Then I added going to school online to my life, with a young child at home, and THEN I was busy. Then I started a nonprofit organization … THEN, I was REALLY busy! So when they say you have to make time, you usually do really HAVE the time, you just have to believe strongly enough in using that time toward your own endeavors, those personal pursuits that may energize you, recharge your batteries, and …
What is the Formula for Happiness?September 24, 2015Deepak Chopra, the physician, speaker and writer specializing in mind-body connections, is not exactly someone I’d listen to all day. As a veterinary surgeon, I’m a bit too rational for that. But he piqued my interest in explaining* how we can reach happiness. To be happy, he says, we need to reach balance in four areas of life. Material Abundance Reaching worthy goals is a wonderful thing, but it shouldn’t be our only purpose. We all know people who have achieved financial success but are miserable, lonely or addicted. The Hollywood scene is a great (or sad) demonstration. Success cannot be defined by net income only. Love Similarly, being loved is one thing. Giving back is another. A greater goal in life could be: “What can I do to help others?” Chopra reminds himself to help others by considering the three A’s: Attention, affection and appreciation. For example, you can give your undivided attention to someone (a colleague, a friend, a spouse or a child) instead of simultaneously emailing, texting or daydreaming. Health This is one area that needs to be achieved mostly for yourself. Physical well-being leads to …
How to Become a Veterinary AssistantSeptember 16, 2015If you’ve ever thought that spending all day around animals is the best job imaginable, chances are you’ve considered pursuing a career in your veterinarian’s office as a veterinary assistant. Although the ability to whisper to horses or cuddle cats are can certainly help you in that role, it won’t be the only skill that you need. What a Veterinary Assistant’s Job is First of all, it’s important to understand the differences between the various roles in a typical veterinary office. Larger practices have veterinary technicians, veterinary technologists and veterinary assistants. Technologists must pass a four-year program to acquire a bachelor’s degree, while technicians go through at least a two-year program. Both are licensed by the state in which they work, and both may undergo take additional classes or complete continuing education events to gain or maintain a specialty certification. Technicians and technologists play central roles in a patient’s care, from running anesthesia to shooting X-rays, to communicating with clients on the next steps for their pets’ treatment plan. They also tend to take on a leadership role within the medical team in the absence of …
Qualities of a Good Veterinary TechnicianSeptember 14, 2015A good veterinary technician has more than just credentials behind their name, and education and/or experience under their belt. These may get you in the door for employment, but there are certain qualities that will help to keep you in the job that you want, to build the career that you deserve. But first, what is a veterinary technician? According to the article, "How To Become A Vet Tech:" Veterinary technicians have undergone at least a two-year associate's degree program covering a range of topics relating to veterinary science and covering all species. Veterinary technologists are those who have completed a four-year bachelor's degree program. Both technicians and technologists are required to pass the same state examination to be licensed to work in their state." Here are some of the top qualities in a good veterinary technician, in no particular order, because they are all equally important: Patience Respect Integrity Learnability Resilience Self-awareness Let's explore each quality in depth. Patience: Because Animals and People are Complicated Patience is manifested in many ways. A good technician has patience with their patients, no …
