Vet Tech Life

I had just completed my first year of veterinary school and was starting my summer job at a specialty hospital as an ER technician. I figured I could do it.

I survived my first year of vet school, which is notoriously one of the hardest, did well in my classes, and had years of experience in private practice. I thought, “How hard could this be?”

Well, the first thing I learned in working in emergency is that comparing it to general practice is like comparing apples to oranges.

There aren’t any appointments, work ups are constantly happening, and you have to be ready to drop everything when a true emergency (what we call a “triage now”) gets called on the loudspeaker.

I essentially spent my whole first summer feeling like an idiot. I had never worked up a critically sick blocked cat where the potassium is so high the patient might cardiac arrest. I had never seen seizures so severe you can’t even get a catheter in. And don’t even get me started on all the different types of drugs and doses you need to know off the top of your head.

Saying I was overwhelmed was the understatement of the year. Every night I came home I felt like I didn’t deserve to be there. I would come home and do research on what I saw that day, to ensure I didn’t make the same mistake twice. The next time I was asked how to diagnose pericardial effusion on triage, I would be ready.

So how did I survive all of this and continue to do emergency throughout vet school? One word – technicians.

Out of all of the mistakes I made when learning how to work in emergency, the one thing I did right was befriending the technicians. They taught me everything I needed to know in order to succeed during my shift. CRIs, fluid boluses, medication uses, you name it. And more than just that, they taught me how to be thorough.

One of the most important things you can do when working in emergency is be detail-oriented and write thorough treatment notes. A slight change in mentation could be the difference between sending the patient home or catching an underlying disease that may have been life-threatening.

As I continued to work in emergency throughout vet school, I felt my abilities as an emergency technician improve. I was able to detect low grade murmurs on triage that a year ago I would have missed. I was able to differentiate a triage that should be seen right away vs. another patient that could wait. And most importantly, I began understanding what the doctors wanted.

When getting an initial history, if I suspected the patient was a sick diabetic, possible even ketotic, I knew what the doctor would want to do to stabilize; IV catheter, blood pressure, fluid boluses, and measurements of blood glucose and ketones. And through all of this, not only did I gain confidence in my ability to be a good technician, but also my ability to be a good veterinarian.

If I could give one piece of advice to any veterinary student who thinks that they know more than experienced technicians – stay humble. You might be at the top of your class and ace all your exams, but multiple choice questions are not real life.

Nothing is more valuable than a technician who is willing to teach you. So ask questions, take notes, and don’t be afraid to fail. And most importantly, be nice to your technicians.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the DrAndyRoark.com editorial team.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Charlotte Burns is a third year veterinary student at Penn Vet. Her
veterinary interests include emergency and critical care and shelter medicine. She live in Philadelphia with my cat Khan, and when she is not studying for school, she works as an emergency nurse at a specialty practice in Philadelphia.r.

I love vet tech week because, if only for one week, so many techs feel appreciated. But then I remember that there are some clinics that don’t celebrate. There are some technicians that never get to hear how awesome they are or that what they are doing matters.

One of the biggest problems we have in this field is the lack of kindness, empathy, and appreciation we have for each other. We give our clients and patients 110%, but forget about ourselves or those who are in the trenches with us. Sometimes we forget that we are all in this together.

There was one comment that stuck with me on one of my articles that impacted me dramatically. I use it as my motivation to push for change in the field. It speaks volumes for one of the biggest issues in the field.  “Vet techs eat their young.”

When I was a baby vet tech, I loved this comment. I had more experienced technicians look down on me for my total noob status. They scoffed at my inexperience and took joy in my struggle to prove myself. As much as it pains me to admit it, I felt it was a rite of passage and that we all had to prove our worth. I dished out just as much nastiness in my career as was heaped upon me in my early years. I’ve been on both sides and they both weren’t very fun places to live in.

It doesn’t have to be this way. We don’t have to dish out nastiness or haze the up-and-coming vet techs out there. We don’t have to look at it as having to earn our title or proving our worth. We are all rock star vet techs. We all do this for one reason: we love animals. We all have the hearts of a vet tech, a heart that wants to help the wounded and nurse the injured. It’s time that we start doing this amongst our colleagues. This BS hierarchy and self-induced martyr complex must stop. It all starts with us, folks.

This year my state technician association decided to try something different. Instead of the obligatory “Proud to Be a Vet Tech” post we decided we would push our membership to take action. We are pushing for our membership and our colleagues to participate in random acts of kindness.  What better way to show the pride in our profession than to support those who work alongside us? We ask people to show each other that they care.

Maybe we help a vet tech student study for an upcoming exam. Maybe we tell someone we work with how much they inspired us. Maybe we bring veggie trays to feed the staff during the lunchtime splenectomy. Or just compliment someone on their mad IV catheter placement skills. But whatever task we choose, we start putting good out into the world.

This field sure isn’t easy. We go home covered in dog hair, cat pee and mysterious bruises. Clients yell at us. They even curse at us. Patients bite and scratch. Our bank accounts aren’t loaded. But still, this is a profession that we should all be proud of.

We do things that create daily miracles. We all need to be reminded of that. We all should be reminded of what amazing veterinary technicians we are. So, please tell someone that they matter, that what they do is worthwhile. Offer kindness, support and cookies. Ask someone how their day is. Stop buzzing around the treatment area and listen to what your coworker is saying. Be kind. Be present. Be genuine.

Thank you to all the fierce forces in vet med that have helped someone else succeed. Thank you to those who won’t hear any appreciation this vet tech week. Thank you all for loving your jobs and pushing to make this field even more amazing. We all matter. We all deserve to be appreciated. Share your knowledge, strength and all-around amazingness with the world. Keep fighting the good fight. Happy Vet Tech Week to my tribe of badass technicians who will bring about change and compassion!

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the DrAndyRoark.com editorial team.

I am officially angry. This feeling is one that does not come to me lightly.

I might get fired up about things that are important to me but I don’t consider myself someone who lets anger creep into my life. Why am I so heated? I am saddened by people who have graduated from an AVMA accredited program in veterinary technology that feel the need to weaken others who have not.

I am irritated that there are people in this profession that have no empathy towards others. I am annoyed that people think they are better than others because they have been a technician longer than anyone else in the clinic. I am furious that people lack consideration of others in a team environment.

I am confused as to why managers don’t want to lead and be a positive example. I am bitter that valuable people are leaving our profession every single day because they are under-appreciated, overworked and disrespected.

Most people get into this profession because they want to work with animals, which is an excellent reason. However, pets come with people and so does a veterinary hospital. It would be amazing if clients would just send Tiger the cat in an Uber with the credit card number installed in their microchip and a note attached to their collar as to why they are coming in.

It would be awesome if our coworkers were robots and we could control their every thought, action and skill. But this is not how it works. We are not all in a movie where the script is written for us. We are real people with actual feelings that deal with people every day for a living.

I read anonymous posts every day from other veterinary technicians with stories that break my heart. One in particular that has stayed with me is a story about a technician that has been in the field for some time that repeatedly is talked down to because she isn’t a “real” technician even though her skill set is the same if not better than her coworkers that have become licensed.

She somehow found the courage to address the issue only to be told that she needs to develop thick skin and deal with it. Excuse me? After months of bullying (yes, this is bullying) she finally left the profession that she loved more than anything hurt and broken. All because of words. What gets to me the most is that no one cared about what she was going through or did anything to stop the vicious behavior of others.

What we all have to remember is that back in the day, veterinarians would hire anyone interested in learning and teach them everything that they needed to know because accredited programs did not exist.

States that do not regulate our profession give permission for veterinarians to continue to hire people wanting to learn. Don’t blame the person for that. Blame the industry as a whole. Hell, the veterinarian you currently work for and think is the crème of the crop, might be doing things that are against regulation.

My point is that no one has the right to degrade anyone for not having an education in a profession that does not require it in all states.  Insulting others for the sake of making yourself feel better is heartless. Our industry is about compassion, love, healing and making a positive difference. It is not about hate, pain or suffering.

There are so many awe-inspiring people in our profession that truly want the best for everyone and believe that we all have good in us even if it is buried deep down. I’d like to think that I am one of those people and being pissed about something that can be easily changed is not something that I enjoy. What I do enjoy is making sure that others around me feel safe, encouraged, respected, appreciated, understood and equal. Try it sometime. You may surprise yourself or most importantly, others.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the DrAndyRoark.com editorial team.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tosha has been a CVT since 2002 working in emergency, internal medicine and neurology. She has a passion for mentoring technicians to create a more positive work environment. When Tosha is not working, you may find her dancing at a country music concert or relaxing at home in her hammock with Jagger and Dirty.

Today our clinic had a very special visitor. We had a job shadow come and learn a bit about becoming a veterinary technician. A freshman in high school, I won’t lie I wasn’t expecting much out of her. I expected her to quietly follow us around and meekly ask any questions she felt would help her pass whatever school assignment she was working on. But this young girl was exactly what I would want in a future coworker or employee!

She asked questions. Really good questions. “How do you collect urine on a patient?” “What skills do you need to be a successful vet tech?” “Was your first euthanasia the hardest?” This young woman was assertive and looking for knowledge. Not just to pass a class, but to truly get a feel for what it is like to be a veterinary technician. I couldn’t help but be reminded of when I was in high school and had starry eyes about becoming a vet tech.

I watched on in pride of seeing this future vet tech own it, ask questions and not be afraid to strike up a conversation with any of the staff from receptionist, to tech to doctor. I, myself, was a meek and mild teenager, so I knew this young lady’s perseverance and drive would get her far in life. And then I heard someone ask her the question that breaks many a vet tech’s heart. “Well, have you considered becoming a veterinarian?” This question brought me back to every student counselor meeting I had in high school. To every person who asked this exact same question as I radiated in excitement from telling them about my chosen profession.

Frequently, my friends don’t understand why I chose this profession. Heck, most of them have no idea what the profession means. My parents stated regularly “You’re so smart. Why don’t you become a veterinarian?” at holiday dinners. Hell, I have even had doctors tell me that. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate the intended flattery.

But for so many of us techs, this is our dream. This profession is in our blood. We are techs and we have no desire to become vets. Not that there’s a single thing wrong with any position in the clinic. Just that being a vet tech is what we live, we breathe and it’s what gets us up in the morning. I am sure that many vets feel the same way about their title. It would be just as awkward to ask a future veterinarian why didn’t they just become a human doctor.

As my heart sunk realizing, that this was a question that this young girl would hear frequently as she blazed her own trail, I waited for her response. “Yes, I have and I would really prefer to work closely with the animals and nurse them to get well.” I was dumbfounded.  Here was this high school freshman who knew exactly what she wanted to do and why she wanted to do it. She was not ashamed. She didn’t want to do anything else in her life and she had no problem telling a veterinarian as such. She had no apologies for her choice and wanted to put in the time, energy and research to solidify this choice.

In her I saw my tribe and I was proud. I was proud of every young student who knew what they wanted to do in life. I was proud of those who I knew would soon be working alongside me, with their heads held high because being a vet tech was their calling. And above all, I was proud of this girl. She spoke what I, and many other technicians, have wanted to say. That she will be a vet tech and she will be proud of her choice.

Given I have always been a woman of few words, I didn’t say a word while overhearing this conversation. But for young Jayden and those young and upcoming students who feel this profession is your destiny, don’t give up. Be proud. Don’t second guess yourself and your choices. We can’t wait to have you on our team. Thank you for reminding me of the pride I have in my choices by showing me the pride in yours.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the DrAndyRoark.com editorial team.

Some of you may have read a recent article I wrote “Four Reasons Techs Are Leaving the Field.” If you haven’t, I’ll give you the cliff notes version: Underutilization, low pay, compassion fatigue and toxic teammates and work environment are huge contributors to technicians deciding to find another field to work in. That article seemed to resonate with so many people in veterinary medicine. The comments showed example after example of how these factors had forced them to change clinics or leave the field.

I run a Facebook group called Veterinary Support Staff Unleashed. We are rapidly approaching 4,000 members, and I thought that this group which is comprised of veterinary technicians, veterinary assistants, receptionists and kennel staff would be a good forum to frame my next question. What makes you stay in veterinary medicine? We heard why technicians are leaving. Now I want to know what makes us stay:

“Everyone matters at our clinic and our doctors make that known. They also work hard to make sure that our practice is judgment free. That means not judging clients or each other. We truly work to give clients the best care and service. As well as building each other up. They are also great about educating staff and helping guide us in the best patient care. We really have a family atmosphere which really emphasizes our commitment to being a team and working together,”-Carly Raquel Hughes

“I have been lucky enough to have been at my hospital for 18 years. That is not just work. It is family. We have ups and downs but at the end of the day are always there for each other. The animals and patient care are a bonus because the foundation is where it all starts.” – Becca Willard Wilson

“I stay because my employer values and utilizes my skills. He provides reasonable work hours, adequate time off and he is very generous. He enjoys discussing new methods, research/studies and is comfortable reassessing standard operating procedures. He is 100% continuing education.”- Tiana Hibpshman

“I have great benefits and phenomenal opportunities. That’s why I stayed.”- Jamie Holms

“I stay because this is my passion, in my heart I know that this is what I am supposed to be doing! Being the voice of those who cannot speak for themselves, nursing them back to health, making them feel comfortable when they are scared and sick. I can’t imagine ever wanting to do anything else. It’s not just what I do, it’s who I am.”– Sydney Faith Legg

“I stay because this is my calling. I stay because my team is amazing. I stay for the wins and I stay for the losses. I stay for the clients who need someone to talk them through or have a shoulder to cry on. I stay for the knowledge that I have affected someone’s life no matter the species or the outcome.”- Elise Ritter

“I have left this industry several times and have always come back. I love the challenge. I love testing myself every single day. I just straight up love medicine…..animal medicine in particular. It is in my bones and I have and will continue to endure any abuse, lack of pay, shitty hours and emotional turmoil to be a part of it!”-Holly Keesling

You may notice a consistent theme here. Most of these answers were based on how our profession made us feel. It wasn’t based on employee benefits, wages or a solid 401K plan. Although these things will definitely sweeten the deal, at the end of the day we want to feel good about what we do and where we work. One of the best reasons we stay was given by a student in a veterinary technology program. I believe that to move forward as a community we truly have to listen to the voices of our future to find our answers. So in closing this final comment sums up why so many of us, me included stay in this field. Thank you for all of you warriors who continue to make this profession better every single day!

“We are strong. Every person who holds every job in this field is STRONG. We feel every moment of sadness, each stab of grief, and we are strong for those who cannot be strong in that moment. We are the faces they remember in one of the worst moments of their lives, and we make those faces ones of compassion and strength, so they can allow themselves to break down, because they need to. We remember every moment of their grief and compare it to every moment of our own. We go home and hug our babies and fur babies closer because we know the horrors of tragedy. And we go back and do it the next day.”

“I’m going to school to be a vet tech because I don’t just want to be on the human side of this field, I want to be on all sides. I want to be the one who tries everything to save a life, and I want to work with the humans, too, to teach them and listen to them and help them make the most of their pet’s lives before that rainbow bridge. And I want to make the passage a little easier to bear, even if it’s just with my face and a kind word. It’s been a slow journey through school for me, trying to make time for my son, myself, work, and school. But to end it with a career in which even the worst days make me want to be even better? That’s priceless, and that makes me want to stay.”- Peggy Jean Douglas

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the DrAndyRoark.com editorial team.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jade is a licensed technician of 9 years who lives in Port Orchard, Washington. She enjoys emergency and critical cases, dentistry and creating a bond with her clients and team. During her off time she is busy keeping up with her two crazy Basenjis!

I read an NAVTA article suggesting that the veterinary field isn’t short on technicians; rather, technicians are not staying in the field. Recent studies show that a newly licensed technician typically leaves the field after five years.  The program for becoming a licensed technician is a two-year program. So after two years of schooling, paying tuition, acquiring student loans and studying to pass the VTNE, why are these technicians becoming so disenchanted with the field?

 

At a recent meeting with members of my states’ technician association, I asked them what their thoughts were. There were several consistent answers. To many of us, none of these answers are a big surprise. Sadly, they should be. None of these answers should be the norm.

1. Under utilization is a definite factor.

When doctors are performing tasks that a technician went to school for, it creates a culture of control. We can do it. We need you doctors to let us. Whether a doctor is pulling lab samples, taking radiographs or performing basic microscope work, it is making technicians feel like they aren’t trusted to do these tasks.

 

We fought hard for our education, we beg of you to let us use it. We want to grow, learn and challenge ourselves.  We want you to trust our abilities to perform our technical skills and educate clients. While we may not feel challenged in our clinics we have avenues to further our education.

 

Continuing education or working to one of the many veterinary technician specialties is something to consider. Do not underestimate your ability to teach others. Teach and mentor your coworkers. It’s not always about what we do but about what we know and how we share it with others.

2. Wages are another huge contributor.

We all knew that going into veterinary medicine we wouldn’t spend our time off taking lavish vacations to the Bahamas. We knew that we wouldn’t be making a ton of money. But when we work overtime and we still don’t have enough to cover rent, child care and the basics of living, it is a tough pill to swallow. At one point in my career, I became a divorced parent.

 

I was extremely blessed to be fortunate enough to have my parents help out with watching my toddler. Even still, I could barely afford to pay for a basic 2 bedroom apartment. There were nights I fed my son dinner and I went to bed hungry knowing that leftovers could give him dinner for the next 2 days. I DO NOT want anyone to feel sorry for me.

 

I struggled, but I made it through. But as professionals, at a minimum we should be able to provide a roof over our heads and food in our stomachs. Low wages are not always the fault of the employer. In some areas it’s just not feasible to for a clinic to provide more than they can give. We are our own advocates. We have to work hard to ask for reviews and ask for wage increases. We also have to be brave enough to venture out and see if there are clinics that can appropriately compensate us.

3. Compassion fatigue is prevalent in this field.

We see a lot of sad cases and sad outcomes. We see atrocities that no one outside of veterinary medicine can comprehend.  Many of us have difficulty leaving these things at the door. I know many of us lay in bed at night and think of the cases that haunt us. One of the most difficult cases I had seen was when a Good Samaritan brought in a cat they found in a ditch. Bless them wherever they are.

 

This cat should not have been alive. It was severely dehydrated and suffered from major degloving wounds. Its entire abdominal cavity was crawling with maggots and it was purring. 10 years later, I still remember this cat kneading and purring during its exam. There are things we see in this profession that hurt us deep into our souls.

 

We deal with these images the best we can, but sometimes it just hurts too much.  When it begins to seem like we are seeing more sad cases then happy ones, we need to remember the good things. We need to remember the amount of patients who walk out our doors as opposed to the ones who don’t. We need to focus on the ones we have helped and not the ones we have lost.

4. Toxic environments and team members play a factor.

I run a group online for veterinary support staff. I hear very frequently stories of bullying in the clinic, doctors who yell and throw things at staff, or team members actively sabotaging co workers. In veterinary medicine there are a variety of strong personalities.

 

It’s what has made us strong advocates in the field. But when aggressive and toxic behavior is allowed in the clinic, every one suffers. It chips away at self esteem and motivation. It chips away at peoples self worth. No one should ever wake up and dread going to work.

 

Toxicity is contagious and will drag others down into its depths or chase away good, hard working team mates.  No one deserves to be disrespected on a daily basis. No one deserves to be disrespected. Ever. No job is worth the loss of your self esteem or your happiness.

 

As veterinary medicine continues to evolve, I am pleased to see we are broaching some uncomfortable discussions. There is no magic answer to eradicate these issues but as a field we need to try. We need to strive to let our technicians excel at their chosen profession. It is a choice. Make us want to stay. Wage increases are not something that is immediately feasible for all clinics. But a reasonable wage based on a state demographic is a start.

• We need to take care of our people.
• We as technicians need to not allow ourselves to settle or become doormats.
• We need to set boundaries and practice self care.

 

If you experience a tough day at the clinic, acknowledge it. Work through it. Try to talk about it. We can’t keep bottling up our emotions and expecting our compassion and caring to remain intact.

As a profession, we need to not allow staff members to berate, sabotage or bully colleagues.  As coworkers, we need to stick up for staff members when we see someone attacking them. As humans, we need to quit tolerating bad behavior at work.  We all deserve respect, from the doctor to the kennel attendant. So as we begin talking about these things, I remind you that talk is cheap. It’s time to take action.

 

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the DrAndyRoark.com editorial team.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jade is a licensed technician of 9 years who lives in Port Orchard, Washington. She enjoys emergency and critical cases, dentistry and creating a bond with her clients and team. During her off time she is busy keeping up with her two crazy Basenjis!