VPN Plus+ ExclusiveTech Talk: NAVTA surveys say some things change, some stay the sameMay 22, 2025By Beckie Mossor, MPA, RVTThe National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA) 2024 Demographic Survey provides an opportunity to better understand the current veterinary technician landscape and a valuable opportunity to compare the profession’s evolution since the 2022 survey.
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VPN Plus+ ExclusiveWhy title protection mattersFebruary 9, 2023The justification behind title change efforts is multi-faceted. Title change is an effort to simplify public education and understanding of what the veterinary technician's role on the team is. Some proponents believe a title change will translate into better pay for vet techs. Others believe a new title will end the pervasive title misuse currently occurring at all levels within the veterinary profession.
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.
$200k in grants available for veterinary technicians, nursesMay 21, 2020Veterinary technicians, nurses, and assistants facing financial hardship amid the COVID-19 pandemic may be eligible for the AVMF’s COVID-19 Disaster Relief Grant program.
NAVTA adds team leadersNovember 18, 2019A nonprofit organization that supports veterinary technicians across the U.S. has taken a significant step in advancing its representation of the profession.
NAVTA announces diagnostic imaging as 16th specialty for vet techsSeptember 14, 2018The National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA) has announced a 16th specialty academy for veterinary technicians, the Academy of Veterinary Technicians in Diagnostic Imaging (AVTDI). The AVTDI comprises veterinary technicians who wish to perform higher-level diagnostic imaging, including digital radiography, fluoroscopic special procedures, CT, MRI, ultrasonography, and nuclear imaging. The organizing committee for the AVTDI worked diligently to meet the NAVTA Committee on Veterinary Technician Specialties (CVTS) standards for the association's specialty recognition, according to Ed Carlson, interim chair of the CVTS. The AVDTI joins the existing 15 NAVTA-recognized veterinary technician specialties: dentistry, anesthesia, internal medicine, emergency and critical care, equine nursing, zoological medicine, surgery, behavior, clinical practice, nutrition, clinical pathology, dermatology, ophthalmology, laboratory animal medicine, and physical rehabilitation. The NAVTA CVTS, formed in 1994, provides guidelines to veterinary technician organizations to form specialties and assists the existing academies. Academies develop pathways and advanced standards that candidates must complete and maintain in order to be awarded the designation of veterinary technician specialist in a specific discipline.
Veterinary groups support protecting, strengthening licensure requirementsAugust 30, 2018The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB), the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) and the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA) have released a joint statement in support of standardizing and improving licensure requirements and standards for veterinarians and veterinary technicians. Licensure ensures veterinary professionals meet a necessary level of competence through recognized educational programs and successful completion of an examination, said the organizations in a statement. Additionally, licensure ensures that veterinarians are properly trained to comply with state regulations on controlled substances such as opioids. "Veterinarians take care of our pets, protect our food supply, defend against bioterrorism and prevent diseases that threaten public health," said John de Jong, DVM, AVMA president. "It's important we ensure that each member of the veterinary profession, including veterinary technicians, is armed with the necessary knowledge to do these jobs effectively. Strong licensing standards help us do that." "Professional licensure goes to the heart of protecting the health and wellbeing of people and animals," said Andrew T. Maccabe, DVM, MPH, JD, AAVMC CEO. "It also affects the future development …
Veterinary ethics group supports Veterinary Nurse InitiativeAugust 27, 2018The Society for Veterinary Medical Ethics (SVME), which promotes discussion and debate of ethical issues relevant to veterinary practice, has announced its support of the Veterinary Nurse Initiative to create a registered veterinary nurse credential. This initiative seeks to bring continuity to the title through a multiyear, state to state strategy to work within legislation overseeing credentialing for veterinary technicians. "The SVME fully recognizes the professionalism and essential knowledge and skill brought to the team by veterinary technicians as vital members of the healthcare team and has expanded its own executive board membership to ensure the inclusion of veterinary technicians, who face many different as well as many of the same ethical concerns as their veterinarian team members," the association said in a statement. Veterinary technicians currently are identified under various titles, including certified veterinary technician, registered veterinary technician, and licensed veterinary technicians, which leads to confusion and decreased public understanding of the education and skill required of the position, the group added. "The SVME is in support of title unification and consistent educational standards nationwide to reduce confusion from inconsistent nomenclature and to increase the awareness of the role of veterinary technicians, the profession of …
NAVTA veterinary nurse initiative receives additional corporate supportMay 22, 2018Midmark Corp. has announced its support for the effort to make registered veterinary nurse the standard credential in the U.S. veterinary technician profession. To unite the profession under a single set of credentialing requirements and scope of practice, the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA) initiative aims to establish the credential of registered veterinary nurse as a substitute for the current titles of registered veterinary technician, licensed veterinary technician, certified veterinary technician, and licensed veterinary medical technician. The result, NAVTA believes, is allowing practice at a higher standard of care. Additionally, the alignment of current veterinary technician titles under a single credential will open avenues for better reciprocity across the nation, allowing technicians to work outside of the state where they were originally credentialed. A key outcome is to establish a nationwide standard for obtaining and maintaining credentialing requirements that are appropriate for veterinary nurses in every state. NAVTA is actively seeking insights and feedback to ensure this standard meets private credential levels. Interested parties are encouraged to email vetnurse@navta.net and contact their state associations to provide feedback regarding this proposed standard. "… we believe that creating a single, unified title that elevates and …
Patterson pledges support of Veterinary Nurse InitiativeMay 2, 2018Patterson Veterinary has announced its support of the Veterinary Nurse Initiative, an effort proposed by the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA) to unite those working in the veterinary technician profession under a single title, with single credentialing requirements and a single scope of practice. The initiative will pursue legislative amendments in all 50 states to establish the credential of registered veterinary nurse (RVN), substituting registered veterinary technician (RVT), licensed veterinary technician (LVT), certified veterinary technician or licensed veterinary medical technician. NAVTA asserts standardization of the credential will align public perceptions of the role technicians play in veterinary clinics, effectively elevating practice standards and leading to better patient care. Heather Prendergast, RVT, CVPM, SPHR, Patterson Veterinary's education development specialist, agrees with NAVTA's stance. An active supporter of the initiative, Prendergast is a member of the Veterinary Nurse Initiative workgroup and acting co-chair of the National Credential Task Force. She argues the term "veterinary nurse" will better reflect RVTs and LVTs position as caregivers for patients as well as scientific technicians. "There has long been a need for common credentialing in this area," said Prendergast. "The responsibilities and job tasks of a …
