Introduction to Veterinary Technology Course Notes

Course Overview and Objectives

• Course Details:

  • Course Title: Introduction to Veterinary Technology

  • Course Code: VET 105

  • Institution: Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA)

  • Instructor: Lauren Krzywicki, MS, LVT

• Lecture Objectives:

  • Introduce the history of veterinary technology.

  • Explore veterinary technology career opportunities.

  • Understand how to obtain and maintain licensures and specialties.

  • Understand the veterinary technician's role on the medical team.

  • Understand the veterinary technician's scope of practice.

  • Understand veterinary governing bodies.

  • Understand veterinary professionalism, ethics, and laws.

  • Understand veterinary levels of supervision.

Veterinary Technician Oath

• Text of the Oath:

  • "I solemnly dedicate myself to aiding animals and society by providing excellent care and services for animals by alleviating animal suffering, and by promoting public health. I accept my obligations to practice my profession conscientiously and with sensitivity, adhering to the profession’s Code of Ethics and furthering my knowledge and competence through a commitment to lifelong learning."

History of Veterinary Technology

• Historical Timeline:

  • $1908$: The Canine Nurses Institute begins to train veterinary assistants.

  • $1951$: Dr. Walter Collins creates a model of study for use in the training of veterinary technicians.

  • $1965$: The first two formal programs begin at Michigan State University and Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture.

  • $1972$:

    • The United States Air Force (USAF) creates the first veterinary technology program for USAF enlisted members.

    • Veterinary Medical Associations (VMA) institute established criteria for animal training programs.

  • $1973$: The first written state examination is administered in New York (NY).

  • $1977$: The National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA) is formed.

  • $1989$: The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) officially adopts the title "Veterinary Technician."

Modern Career Opportunities and Fields

• Diverse Career Paths for Veterinary Technicians:

  • Small animal practice

  • Large animal practice

  • Zoo and wildlife care

  • Emergency and critical care

  • Shelter medicine

  • Research and laboratory animal medicine

  • Aquarium medicine

  • Sales representative roles

  • Entrepreneurs and business owners

  • Instructors in Veterinary Technology academic programs

Veterinary Technician Specialties (VTS)

• Governing Body: National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA) Committee on Veterinary Technician Specialties.

• Academies with Full Recognition:

  • Emergency and Critical Care

  • Dentistry

  • Internal Medicine

  • Anesthesia and Analgesia

  • Zoological Medicine

  • Clinical Practice

  • Nutrition

  • Ophthalmic

  • Surgical

  • Diagnostic Imaging

• Academies with Provisional Recognition:

  • Laboratory Animal

  • Behavior

  • Clinical Pathology

  • Dermatology

  • Equine Veterinary Nursing

  • Physical Rehabilitation

Employment Statistics, Salary, and Market Trends

• Employment Growth & Demand:

  • Projected Increase: $20\%$ growth from $2014\text{--}2031$.

  • Market Dynamics: A high rate of attrition contributes directly to an ongoing shortage of veterinary technicians.

  • Job Openings: Projected average of $14,300$ job openings each year.

• Compensation Data (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May $2024$):

  • National Average Annual Salary: $\\text{\$}45,980/\text{year}$

  • National Average Hourly Wage: $\\text{\$}22.11/\text{hour}$

• Variables Impacting Salary:

  • Years and level of experience

  • Geographic location of work

  • Specific field or sector of interest

Educational Pathways, Accreditation, and Continuing Education

• Degree Programs:

  • Veterinary Technician: Associate's degree, typically requiring two ($2$) years of study (e.g., Associate of Applied Science [AAS] at Northern Virginia Community College).

  • Veterinary Technologist: Bachelor's degree, requiring four ($4$) years of study.

• Accreditation Standards:

  • Programs must be accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities (CVTEA).

  • Curriculum incorporates essential and recommended hands-on clinical skills mandated by the CVTEA.

• Continuing Education (CE):

  • Must be certified through RACE (Registry of Approved Continuing Education), a program under the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB).

  • Licensed Veterinary Technicians (LVTs) in Virginia are required to complete $8\,\text{hours}$ of CE annually.

Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE)

• Administrative Body: American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB).

• Examination Format & Logistics:

  • Total Items: $150$ items

  • Time Limit: Three ($3$) hours

  • Application Fee: $\\text{\$}375$

• VTNE Content Domain Breakdown:

  • Pharmacy and Pharmacology: $20$ items ($13\%$)

  • Surgical Nursing: $20$ items ($13\%$)

  • Dentistry: $10$ items ($7\%$)

  • Laboratory Procedures: $14$ items ($9\%$)

  • Animal Care and Nursing: $30$ items ($20\%$)

  • Diagnostic Imaging: $6$ items ($6\%$)

  • Anesthesia: $20$ items ($13\%$)

  • Emergency Medicine/Critical Care: $10$ items ($7\%$)

  • Pain Management/Analgesia: $10$ items ($7\%$)

  • Communication & Veterinary Professional Support Services: $7$ items ($5\%$)

  • Total Content: $150$ items ($100\%$)

Professional Organizations

• Key Professional Entities:

  • AVMA: American Veterinary Medical Association

  • NAVTA: National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America

  • AAVSB: American Association of Veterinary State Boards

  • VVMA: Virginia Veterinary Medical Association

  • VALVT: Virginia Association of Licensed Veterinary Technicians

  • Virginia Department of Health Professions: Board of Veterinary Medicine

Members and Roles within the Veterinary Health Care Team

• Veterinarian:

  • Education: Requires a $4$\text{-year} doctoral program at an AVMA-accredited College of Veterinary Medicine following a $4$\text{-year} undergraduate degree.

  • Credentials: Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) or Veterinary Medical Doctor (VMD, unique to the University of Pennsylvania).

  • Licensure: Requires passing national (NAVLE) and state board examinations.

  • Board Certification: Advanced training to become a specialist practitioner.

• Veterinary Technician Specialist (VTS):

  • A Licensed Veterinary Technician who has completed additional education, extensive case study logs, and specialty practice hours.

  • Must pass a specialized board examination from an established academy.

  • Typically employed in specialty practices, referral centers, academic universities, or research centers.

• Veterinary Technologist:

  • Holds a Bachelor's degree in Veterinary Technology or a related field.

  • Frequently functions as practice supervisors, practice managers, instructors, or in other administrative leadership roles.

• Veterinary Technician:

  • Holds an Associate of Science (AS) or Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Veterinary Technology.

  • Must graduate from an AVMA-accredited program and successfully pass the VTNE.

• Veterinary Assistant:

  • Responsible for assisting veterinary technicians and veterinarians.

  • Education is primarily gained through on-the-job training, though structured certification programs exist.

• Laboratory Animal Technicians and Technologists:

  • Certified by the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS).

  • Three Levels of Certification:

    1. ALAT: Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician

    2. LAT: Laboratory Animal Technician

    3. LATG: Laboratory Animal Technologist

  • Primarily employed in research facilities governed by USDA guidelines.

• Non-Medical Support Staff:

  • Customer Service Representatives / Receptionists

  • Kennel Attendants

  • Sanitation Specialists / Custodians

  • Office Assistants

  • Practice Managers

  • Regional Managers

  • General Managers

Specialized Multi-Disciplinary Veterinary Teams

• Animal Shelter Team:

  • Veterinarian / Contract Veterinarian

  • Veterinary Technician

  • Veterinary Assistant

  • Animal Care Technicians

  • Behavior Team

• Research / Laboratory Animal Team:

  • Federal Government Veterinarian (with laboratory animal specialty)

  • Laboratory Animal Technician / Technologist

  • Animal Care / Husbandry Personnel

  • Laboratory Manager

  • USDA Veterinarian / Veterinary Medical Officer

  • Public Health Officer / Epidemiologist

  • Animal Health Inspector

• Large Animal / Farm / Emergency Response Team:

  • Emergency Response Teams (e.g., FEMA)

  • Veterinarian

  • Large Animal Technician / Veterinary Technician

  • Farm / Ranch Manager

  • Herd Health Specialist

  • Nutritionist

  • Farrier / Hoof Care Specialist

Scope of Practice and Levels of Veterinary Supervision

• Restricted Duties (EXCLUSIVELY Veterinarians):

  1. Diagnose medical conditions

  2. Prescribe medications or treatments

  3. Prognose outcomes

  4. Perform surgical procedures

• Veterinary Technician Scope of Practice:

  • Administer treatments, therapies, and medications only "as per order" or "per DVM" authorization.

• Levels of Veterinary Supervision:

  1. Immediate Supervision: The veterinarian is physically present in the exact same room, providing direct guidance and allowing immediate intervention if required.

  2. Direct Supervision: The veterinarian is on the premises and readily available to assist if needed.

  3. Indirect Supervision: The veterinarian is not on the premises but is reachable via telephone or electronic communication. Technicians execute authorized tasks within their scope while the veterinarian is offsite.

The Veterinary Technician Practice Model

• Five-Step Nursing Process:

  1. Gather patient data.

  2. Identify and prioritize patient evaluations.

  3. Develop and implement a plan for patient care by establishing a series of veterinary nursing interventions.

  4. Evaluate the patient's response to the plan of care.

  5. Gather additional data and re-evaluate the patient.

Professionalism, Conduct, and Communication

• Core Philosophical Quote:

  • "People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but they will never forget how you made them feel." — Maya Angelou

• Professional Behaviors:

  • Steadiness: Remains calm during challenges, shows patience, displays confidence.

  • Communication: Asks questions, listens without interruption, offers options.

  • Reliability: Shows up on time, follows through on promises, accepts responsibility for errors.

• Professional Appearance:

  • Neat and clean presentation

  • Well-fitting and unwrinkled uniform

  • Long hair tied back securely

  • Short, clean fingernails

  • Minimal jewelry, makeup, and perfume/fragrance

• Workplace Conduct:

  • Honesty: Taking full responsibility for actions.

  • Positive Attitude: Displaying consideration, empathy for teammates and clients, and attentiveness to client/team needs.

  • Respect: Maintaining the Veterinary-Client-Patient Relationship (VCPR) and total client/coworker confidentiality.

  • Collaboration: Remaining receptive to ideas and suggestions, actively brainstorming, and offering timely feedback.

• Conduct Outside the Workplace:

  • Recognize that off-duty behavior carries workplace and professional consequences.

  • Maintain required CE hours for licensure renewal.

  • Engage in routine self-care practices.

  • Active participation in professional organizations.

• Verbal Communication:

  • Speak clearly and concisely.

  • Maintain appropriate eye contact.

  • Tailor communication to the specific audience.

  • Maintain a solution-oriented focus.

  • Acknowledge opposing viewpoints.

  • Practice active listening: avoid interrupting and ask clarifying questions.

• Written Communication:

  • Always proofread written material thoroughly.

  • Organize written content logically for optimal readability.

  • Medical Records Integrity:

    • Medical records are legal documents.

    • Medical records can be subpoenaed in court.

    • Medical records may be subject to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

    • Standards apply across all written channels: Medical Records, Email, Text Messages, and Instant Messaging systems (e.g., Microsoft Teams, Slack).

Veterinary Ethics and Decision-Making Frameworks

• Definition of Ethics (Saunders Comprehensive Veterinary Dictionary, 5th Ed.):

  • "Rules of principles that govern right conduct. Each practitioner, upon entering a profession, is invested with the responsibility to adhere to the standards of ethical practice and conduct set by the profession."

• Established Ethical Codes & Guidelines:

  • NAVTA Veterinary Technician/Nurse Code of Ethics

  • Association of Shelter Veterinarians Guidelines for Standards of Care in Animal Shelters

• The Five Domains Model for Animal Welfare:

  1. Nutrition:

     • Positive State: Enough food & water, fresh clean water, balanced variety of food.

     • Negative State: Restricted food or water, poor quality, monotonous diet.

  2. Environment:

     • Positive State: Choice of environment, comfortable, temperate, routine, clean.

     • Negative State: Confined space, too dark/bright, too loud/quiet, unpredictable, soiled, monotonous.

  3. Health:

     • Positive State: Physical health, good function, good body condition, restful sleep.

     • Negative State: Body dysfunction or impairment, disease, pain, poor fitness.

  4. Behavior:

     • Positive State: Behavioral variety, novelty, choice of interaction.

     • Negative State: Barren cage, separation from people or species, restraint.

  5. Mental State:

     • Positive State: Satisfied, engaged, comfortable, affectionate, playful, confident, calm, encouraged.

     • Negative State: Fearful or anxious, frustrated, bored, lonely, exhausted, ill, painful, uncomfortable, hungry, thirsty.

• Evaluating Ethical Dilemmas:

  • Self-Assessment Questions:

    1. Is it legal?

    2. What if others knew or it became public?

    3. Is it fair and balanced?

    4. How would I feel about myself?

  • Impact Evaluation Factors: Consider how the scenario impacts the Patient, Client, Society, Profession/Peers/Coworkers, and Self/Personal Beliefs.

Veterinary Laws, Regulations, and Governing Bodies

• Animal-Related Law Hierarchy:

  • Practice Act: Primary statutory law governing veterinary medicine and technology within a state. Created, amended, and enforced by individual states.

  • Specific Virginia State Codes Cited:

    • § 54.1-3812.1: Reporting Animal Cruelty

    • § 3.2-6507: Treatment of Injured or Sick Animals without owner permission

    • § 54.1-3807: License Revocation & Disciplinary Governing Bodies Authority

  • Federal Authority: US Congress passes federal laws; implemented by federal regulatory agencies including the USDA, FDA, DEA, and US Fish & Wildlife Service.

  • State Authority: State Veterinary Medical Boards formulate Rules and Regulations to enforce state Practice Acts.

  • Local & Organizational: Municipal ordinances and professional organization guidelines.

  • Federal Animal Welfare Statutes: Anti-Cruelty Laws, Animal Welfare Act (AWA), Horse Protection Act, Endangered Species Act.

• State Board Rules and Regulations:

  • Set forth by each state's Board of Veterinary Medicine.

  • Govern entry into practice standards.

  • Define grounds for disciplinary action:

    • Technical Violations (e.g., administrative failure like late renewal or CE deficit).

    • Substantive Violations (e.g., malpractice, fraud, cruelty, scope breach).

  • Establish formal disciplinary procedures.

• Additional Non-Animal Federal Governing Agencies:

  • OSHA: Occupational Safety and Health Administration

  • EPA: Environmental Protection Agency

  • DEA: Drug Enforcement Administration (U.S. Department of Justice)

Case Studies in Veterinary Ethics and Law

• Ethical Conflict #1 (Puppy Parvovirus & Euthanasia Request):

  • Scenario: George brings in a sickly puppy diagnosed with parvovirus. The veterinarian notes a full recovery is expected with treatment. Unable to afford care, George elects euthanasia, paying for the procedure and cremation. After George departs, an LVT informs the veterinarian that they work with a local shelter that could pay for care and rehome the puppy.

  • Core Questions:

    1. Can the veterinarian treat the puppy for parvovirus?

    2. What should the veterinarian do?

    3. What should the LVT do?

• Ethical Conflict #2 (Omitted Vaccinations & Misrepresentation):

  • Scenario: A cat is admitted for vaccinations and dentistry under Paula's care. Following discharge, a kennel assistant reveals that Paula admitted forgetting to administer the vaccines, claiming it was irrelevant because the cat is indoor-only.

  • Core Question:

    1. What should you do in this situation?

• Ethical Conflict #3 (Omitted Diagnostics, Malpractice & Staff Misrepresentation):

  • Scenario: On your first day, Lead Technician Annette assesses a surgical candidate dog, takes vitals, listens to its heart, skips pre-operative bloodwork to save the client money, administers IV medications, and preps the dog. Annette asks you to call the vet and tells the vet "all good." During surgery, the dog dies of heart failure. A pre-existing heart condition was present that proper examination/diagnostics should have uncovered.

  • Core Questions:

    1. Do you have legal or ethical responsibilities in this situation?

    2. Who is ultimately responsible for this outcome, and why?

• Ethical Conflict #4 (Illegal Chemical Disposal & Whistleblowing):

  • Scenario: Following an upgrade from film to digital radiology, the practice owner commands you and a coworker to dump toxic developer and fixer chemicals into a meadow adjacent to a stocked fishing stream. The owner threatens immediate termination for non-compliance. You face severe financial vulnerabilities (single parent, unreliable car, housing search).

  • Core Questions:

    1. What do you do, and why?

    2. Which regulatory and governing bodies are involved?