ethics definition-
moral principles system determining appropriate behavior & actions within specific group
3 kinds of ethics-
social, professional, personal
### ethics of working with animals
- Human-animal bond
- animal rights (OSPCA, Humane Society)
- animal abuse/laws protecting animals
- animal standards of care
### ethics of veterinary profession
- professional ethics
- state/ province veterinary practice act
- board of veterinary examiners
- CVMA
- ethics of service to public
- professional standards
- reporting abuse & public health concerns
- hospital responsibilities
- consent forms
Professional Code of Ethics
- behavior standards
- helps determine right/wrong
- based on moral principles
code of ethics:
cvma, navta, vhma
- cvma (to remember, pronounce it like “seevma”)
- navta (to remember, pronounce it like “seevma”)
- vhma (to remember, pronounce it like “vee-hama”)
# vet team positions
### vet assistant (VA)
vet assistant responsibility:
assist veterinarian and veterinary technicians
vet assistant must excel at the following:
restraint, lab skills, patient care, client relations
### vet tech (RVT)
vet tech responsibility:
- graduate from accred cvma rvt program
- passed vtne, follows Veterinary Practice Act Statutes, continuing edu requirements
### vets (DVMs)
vet responsibility
- several years of professional school
- possesses license, continuing edu, diagnoses, prescribes, & performs surgery
professional orgs
- cvma, aaha, state orgs, specialty
### receptionists
Duties:
- greets/welcomes clients
- answers phone (multiple lines)
- accepts payments
- makes first impression on client
- has hard position within practice
- is professional & acts as “face” of clinic
### office managers
- oversees receptionist team
- may oversee accounts receivable
- makes bank deposits & daily reconciliations
- must be courteous, friendly, professional
- trains front office team members to deal with difficult clients