VPN Plus+ ExclusiveTech Talk: Empathy and the human animal bond goes a long wayNovember 15, 2023By Jamie Rauscher, LVTUp until it is time for them to cross the Rainbow Bridge, the relationship a person has with their pet is special in its own way. They all hold different meanings to each person. I am no different in that way. I am just as human as the next person, remembering how important my pets are to my family is what helps to bring me closer to my clients. It allows me to be able to truly see their experiences as my own, bringing my knowledge and expertise to the table to help them as I am able to do so.
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveTech Talk: A look at euthanasiaOctober 5, 2023By Jamie Rauscher, LVTTo have to make that decision for someone else brings with it the fear of making the wrong decision and stopping too early, but also the fear of going too far and causing unnecessary suffering. While we can give our opinion or input to a client, the decision is their own to make. All any of us can do is to use the tools available to us to try to understand what our companion is experiencing and trust our hearts to know the right time.
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveTech Talk: Is your clinic a toxic work environment?August 11, 2023By Jamie Rauscher, LVTThere are also those who are determined to bring others down with them, contributing to a toxic workplace. Additionally, they always point out what is going wrong and openly sharing their unhappiness with everything in general in the clinic. Are negative team members really “team members?” Is the management at your hospital being held hostage by people with bad attitudes? Do some employees get away with bad behavior? Let’s discuss why this happens and what you can do to address it.
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveTech Talk: Interviewing tips for techniciansJune 30, 2023By Jamie Rauscher, LVTNAVTA president, Jamie Raucsher, LVT, on job hunting and interviewing tips and guidelines you may not have learned as part of your veterinary education.
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveTech Talk: Promoting wellbeing in veterinary technology programsOctober 6, 2022By Jennifer Serling, CVT, RVT, VTES While there are many studies relating to veterinarians and the mental health crisis they are experiencing, the same cannot be said for the veterinary support staff, particularly credentialed veterinary technicians. Many of the same characteristics that draw students to veterinary medicine are also the same characteristics that contribute to burnout and compassion fatigue. Appalachian State University has become the first veterinary technology program to employ a full-time wellbeing coordinator on their team. The sole purpose of this position is to provide support for the students and faculty, and also develop best practice models for other veterinary technology programs to follow.
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveTech Talk: Purdue's successful approach to educating the entire vet med teamApril 28, 2022By Ashli Selke, RVT, CVTAccomplishments such as this contribute to the veterinary nursing field and how Purdue is excelling in the relationships created between DVM and nursing students. This, I believe, is critical to our profession’s future of understanding each other and our prospective roles.
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveVet technicians need and want title protection; why so inconsistent?March 3, 2022By Ashli Selke, RVT, CVTTitle protection across our profession lacks continuity. The guidelines for this vary across the United States, which creates a huge misunderstanding from within the profession as well as consumers. How can anyone keep up when our title is protected in one state but not even recognized in another? The answer is, we can’t. So, we need to work together to bring the “big” issues to the forefront.
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveProgress in reclaiming a profession in crisisDecember 30, 2021By Ed Carlson, CVT, VTS (nutrition)NAVTA President, Ed Carlson, focuses on what is being done to advance the profession, as well as the groups working on potential solutions to some of these ongoing problems.
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveAre we making headway or losing ground?October 28, 2021By By Ed Carlson, CVT, VTS (nutrition)Veterinary technician underutilization, lack of job satisfaction, lack of professional respect, limited career advancement, low wages, and lack of employee benefits have been reported in multiple surveys for decades as the primary reasons individuals leave the field. I contend these are also reasons we do not have more individuals entering the profession.
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveTech Talk: A look at advanced degreesSeptember 2, 2021By Ed Carlson, CVT, VTS (nutrition)I am a huge supporter of increasing credentialed veterinary technician wages, optimal utilization, credentialing requirements, title protection, and defined scope of practice in all states. However, my question is: Do all these issues need to be addressed in every state before creating a new role?
