Essential skills for veterinary technicians.
At The Pet Doctor, we are proud that we utilize credentialed and highly skilled staff members to provide care for your pet.
Pet owners often have NO idea about the level of education that is involved for the staff members that are caring for their pet at the veterinary hospital. Here is an idea of the general skills that are necessary for a veterinary technician to provide the care that patients need.
Essential SKILLS LIST for veterinary technicians
OFFICE AND HOSPITAL PROCEDURES, CLIENT RELATIONS, and COMMUNICATION
Tasks:
Schedule appointments, admit, discharge and triage according to client, patient and facility needs through phone and in-person contact
1. Recognize and respond to veterinary medical emergencies
2. Create and maintain individual client/patient records, vaccination certificates, and other appropriate forms:
3. Perform basic filing of medical records, radiographs, lab reports, etc.
4. Create and maintain all appropriate facility records and logs in compliance with regulatory guidelines (e.g., x-ray, surgery, anesthesia, laboratory, controlled substance)
5. Manage inventory control. Recognize roles of appropriate regulatory agencies. Maintain appropriate disposal protocols for hazardous materials
6. Establish and maintain appropriate sanitation and nosocomial protocols for a veterinary facility, including patient and laboratory area
Communication
Skill: Communicate in a professional manner in all formats – written, oral, non-verbal, and electronic.
Tasks:
1. Apply understanding of interpersonal skills and team dynamics in all aspects of team dynamics
2. Utilize appropriate interpersonal and public relations skills
3. Demonstrate telephone etiquette
4. Recognize the legality of the veterinary-client-patient relationship
5. Develop and provide client education in a clear and accurate manner at a level the client understands (i.e., oral and written form, including educational handouts)
6. Apply crisis intervention/grief management skills with clients
Laws and Ethics
Skill: Follow and uphold applicable laws and the veterinary profession’s ethical codes to provide high quality care to patients.
Decision-making abilities: Given knowledge of legal limitations and applicable ethical standards, the veterinary technician will carry out her/his duties within appropriate legal boundaries and maintain high ethical standards to provide high quality service to clients, patients, employers and the veterinary profession.
2. PHARMACY and PHARMACOLOGY
Administration
Skill: Safely and effectively administer prescribed drugs to patients.
Tasks:
- Prepare medications; label and package dispensed drugs correctly
- Read and follow veterinarian’s pharmacy orders
- Recognize groups of drugs, their mechanisms, and clinically relevant side effects
- Recognize the safe and effective manner in which vaccines must be administered; recognize and explain common side effects
- Accurately perform appropriate calculations; use weights and measures correctly
- Safely and effectively administer drugs by common parenteral and enteral routes; be able to explain appropriate routes and methods and when used
- Monitor therapeutic responses
- Demonstrate the ability to accurately record medical information
- Demonstrate understanding of regulations governing maintenance of controlled substances log book
- Demonstrate compliance with all federal regulatory guidelines for drug purchase, storage, administration, withdrawal, dispensing, disposal, and inventory control (e.g., biologics and therapeutic agents, pesticides, and hazardous wastes)
Dispensing
Skill: Accurately dispense and explain prescribed drugs to clients.
Tasks:
- Given a drug order, properly prepare medications for dispensing, including performing accurate calculations
- Demonstrate compliance with regulations governing prescription drugs versus over-the-counter drugs
- Demonstrate understanding of regulations governing maintenance of controlled substances log book
- Demonstrate compliance with all federal regulatory guidelines for drug purchase, storage, administration, withdrawal, dispensing, disposal, and inventory control (e.g., biologics and therapeutic agents, pesticides, and hazardous wastes)
- Relay drug information to clients (e.g., handling, storage, administration, side-effects, drug interactions, safety, reasons for use of drug)
3. NURSING
Patient assessment
Skill: Demonstrate and perform patient assessment techniques in a variety situations.
Tasks:
- Recognize common domestic animal species and breeds
- Describe and use common animal identification methods
- Demonstrate effective and appropriate restraint techniques for various animal species:
- Obtain a thorough patient history
- Demonstrate the ability to obtain objective patient data:
- temperature (dog, cat)
- pulse (dog, cat)
- respiration (dog, cat)
- auscultate heart/lungs
- assess hydration status
- Properly collect diagnostic specimens for analysis (ex: urine, blood, feces, specimens for cytology)*
- Perform venipuncture:
- cephalic (dog, cat)*
- jugular (dog, cat)
- saphenous (dog)*
- medial femoral (dog, cat)
- Collect urine sample:
- catheterize male and female dogs
- catheterize female cat
- catheterize male cat
- collect voided urine sample
- perform cystocentesis
- Prepare diagnostic specimens for shipment*
Skill: Understand and demonstrate husbandry, nutrition, therapeutic and dentistry techniques appropriate to various animal species.
Tasks: Husbandry
- Grooming:
- Demonstrate understanding of therapeutic bathing, basic grooming, and dipping of small animals
- trim nails (dogs, cats, birds, exotic/special species)
- express canine anal sacs
- clean and medicate ears (dog, cat)
- Perform microchip scanning and implantation
- Environmental conditions: implement sanitation procedures for animal holding and housing areas
- Demonstrate understanding of permanent identification
- Demonstrate understanding of breeding/reproduction techniques
- Demonstrate understanding of care of orphan animals
- Demonstrate understanding of nursing care of newborns
Tasks: Nutrition
- Understand life stage energy and nutrient requirements of well animals
- Understand key nutritional factors in disease conditions
- be familiar with therapeutic foods
- Understand current developments in nutritional supplements and additives including benefits and potential toxicities
- Understand and identify substances that when ingested result in toxicity:
- identify common poisonous plants
- be familiar with substances (organic and inorganic) that cause toxicity
- Develop and communicate hospital nutrition protocols
Tasks: Therapeutics
- Administer parenteral medications:
- subcutaneous
- intramuscular
- intravenous*
- Administer enteral medications:
- dose syringe
- gastric intubation
- hand pilling
- Administer topical medications (including eye meds)
- Perform ocular diagnostic tests (including tonometry, fluorescein staining and Schirmer tear test)
- Administer enemas
- Collect/evaluate skin scrapings
- Fluid therapy:
- administer subcutaneous fluids
- place intravenous catheters (cephalic, saphenous, jugular)
- maintain and care for catheters
- determine/maintain fluid infusion rate
- monitor patient hydration status
- develop familiarity with fluid delivery systems/calculate manual drip rate
- Apply and remove bandages and splints
- Remove casts
- Develop understanding of wound management and abscess care
- Perform physical therapy:
- hydrotherapy
- post-operative
- orthopedic
- neurological
- explain care of recumbent patient
- Perform critical care:
- Apply established emergency protocols:
- maintain emergency medical supplies/crash cart
- perform first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation
- use ambu bag
- apply emergency splints and bandages
Tasks: Dentistry
- Perform routine dental prophylaxis
- Understand client education regarding home care*
- Clip teeth
4. ANESTHESIA
Patient management
Skill: Safely and effectively manage patients in all phases of anesthetic procedures.
Tasks:
- Calculate dosages of appropriate anesthetic-related drugs
- Administer anesthetic-related drugs by injection, mask, induction chamber or endotracheal tube
- Place endotracheal tubes in patients when appropriate
- Utilize clinical signs and appropriate equipment to monitor patient status in all stages of anesthetic procedures (e.g., esophageal stethoscope, pulse oximeter, capnograph)
- Evaluate patient and implement and evaluate pain management protocols
- Recognize and respond appropriately to patients in compromised states
- Perform appropriate resuscitation procedures as needed (e.g., calculate and administer appropriate anesthetic antagonists and emergency drugs as directed)
- Complete controlled drug log
- Assess the patient’s risk status and determine appropriate anesthetic and perianesthetic protocols to provide effective pain management and maximum anesthetic safety and effectiveness.
- Choose and utilize appropriate techniques and equipment to accurately and effectively monitor the patient’s ongoing status before, during and after anesthesia to provide for adequate anesthesia, analgesia and a safe recovery.
Equipment/facility management
Skill: Safely and effectively select, utilize and maintain anesthetic delivery and monitoring instruments and equipment.
Tasks:
- Maintain and operate anesthetic delivery and monitoring equipment:
- pulse oximeter
- esophageal stethoscope
- capnograph
- electrocardiograph (e.g., recognize abnormal rhythms/audible sounds, properly apply leads)
- anesthetic machines, including rebreathing systems, non-rebreathing systems induction chambers and masks
- endotracheal tubes
- ambu bag
- scavenging systems
- oxygen sources
- respiratory monitors
- blood pressure monitoring devices
- laryngoscopes
Decision-making abilities:
- Given the characteristics of the anesthetic instruments and equipment being used, the veterinary technician will recognize and respond appropriately to equipment malfunctions or inappropriate equipment setup in order to ensure proper function and provide maximum benefit to the patient.
- Given the requirements of the anesthetic protocol, the veterinary technician will select, evaluate and adjust equipment to ensure proper function and provide maximum benefit to the patient.
5. SURGICAL NURSING
It is essential that technicians have knowledge of routine surgical procedures and related equipment.
Patient management
Skill: Understand and integrate all aspects of patient management for common surgical procedures in a variety of animal species.
Task:
- Properly identify patients and surgical procedures
Decision-making abilities: Given the characteristics of the patient and the surgical procedure to be performed, the veterinary technician will use medical records and patient identification methods to assure that the patient and scheduled procedures are correct.
Task:
- Patient assessment
- organize medical records/consent forms
- review pre-operative evaluation
- evaluate current patient status
- coordinate anesthesia
Task:
- Prepare surgical site using appropriate aseptic techniques
- Position patient for common procedures
- Provide surgical assistance:
- maintain proper operating room conduct and asepsis
- assist with care of exposed tissues and organs
- properly pass instruments and supplies
- operate and maintain suction and laser
- understand the principles of operation and maintenance of fiber optic equipment
- keep operative records
- Coordinate pain management with the anesthesia/surgical team
- Provide post-operative care:
- pain management*
- fluid therapy*
- adequate nutrition*
- wound management*
- bandaging*
- discharge instructions*
- suture removal*
Procedural management
Skill: Understand and provide the appropriate instruments, supplies and environment to maintain asepsis during surgical procedures.
Tasks:
- Prepare surgical instruments and supplies*
- Prepare gowns, masks, gloves, and drapes*
- Operate and maintain autoclaves*
- Sterilize instruments and supplies using appropriate methods*
- Identify and know proper use for instruments*
- Identify common suture materials, types, and sizes*
- Provide operating room sanitation and care*
- Maintain proper operating room conduct and asepsis*
- Perform post-surgical clean-up (e.g., equipment, instruments, room, proper disposal of hazardous medical waste)*
6. LABORATORY PROCEDURES
Specimen management
Skill: Properly package, handle and store specimens for laboratory analysis.
Tasks:
- Prepare specimens for diagnostic analysis*
- Select and maintain laboratory equipment*
- Implement quality control measures*
- ensure safety of patients, clients and staff*
Specimen analysis
Skill: Properly carry out analysis of laboratory specimens.
Tasks:
- Perform urinalysis:
- determine physical properties (e.g., color, clarity, specific gravity)*
- test chemical properties*
- examine and identify sediment*
- Perform CBC:
- hemoglobin*
- packed cell volume*
- total protein*
- white cell count*
- red cell count*
- Perform microscopic exam of blood film:
- prepare film and stain using a variety of techniques*
- perform leukocyte differential – normal vs abnormal*
- evaluate erythrocyte morphology – normal vs abnormal*
- estimate platelet numbers*
- calculate absolute values*
- correct white blood cell counts for nucleated cells*
- Coagulation tests – perform one of the following
- buccal mucosal bleeding time
- activated clotting time (ACT)
- prothrombin time (PT)
- partial thromboplastin time (PTT)
- fibrinogen assay
- Perform blood chemistry tests (BUN, glucose, common enzymes)*
- Perform serologic test (ELISA, slide/card agglutinations)*
- Identify blood parasites:
- Dirofilaria sp/Dipetalonema
- Anaplasma sp
- Babesia sp
- Ehrlichia sp
- Perform parasitologic procedures for external parasites and identify:
- mites*
- lice*
- ticks*
- fleas*
- flies*
- Perform diagnostics procedures for parasites:
- Heartworm 4DX test
- floatation solution preparation
- fecal flotations*
- fecal sedimentation*
- direct smears*
- centrifugation with flotation*
- adhesive tape retrieval of pinworm ova
- Identify common parasitic forms:
- Nematodes*
- Trematodes*
- Cestodes*
- Protozoa*
- Perform coprologic tests
- Perform microbiologic procedures/evaluations:
- collect representative samples*
- culture bacteria and perform sensitivity tests*
- identify common animal pathogens using commercially available media and reagents
- perform common biochemical tests*[GROUP]
- perform staining procedures*
- culture and identify common dermatophytes*
- Perform cytologic evaluation
- assist in collecting, preparing and evaluating transudate, exudate and cytologic specimens (joint, cerebrospinal, airway, body cavity)
- perform fine needle tissue aspirates and impression smear preparation (differentiate benign vs. malignant)
- prepare and stain bone marrow specimens
- collect, prepare, and evaluate ear cytology*
- collect, prepare, and evaluate canine vaginal smears
- evaluate semen
- understand timing and types of pregnancy testing
- assist with artificial insemination
- Perform necropsy procedures:
- collect samples, store and ship according to laboratory protocols
- explain how to handle rabies suspects and samples safely
7. IMAGING
Skill: Safely and effectively produce diagnostic radiographic and non-radiographic images.
Tasks:
- Implement and observe recommended radiation safety measures
- Implement radiographic quality control measures
- Develop and properly utilize radiographic technique charts
- Position patients for radiographic studies
- Demonstrate an understanding of the modifications of diagnostic imaging techniques as they apply to mice, rats, guinea pigs, lizards, and amphibians
- Utilize radiographic equipment to expose x-ray film
- Process exposed films to create diagnostic radiographic images label, file, and store film*
- Complete radiographic logs, reports, files and records*
- Perform radiographic contrast studies — perform one of the following
- GI Series
- Pneumocystogram
- Intravenous urogram
- Other
- Perform radiographic techniques utilized in screening for canine hip dysplasia*[GROUP]
- Demonstrate proper maintenance of radiographic equipment, including recognition of faulty equipment operation*
- Use ultrasonography equipment
- Use endoscopic equipment
8. LABORATORY ANIMAL PROCEDURES
Skill: Safely and effectively handle common laboratory animals used in animal research.
9. AVIAN, EXOTIC, SMALL MAMMALS
Skill: Understand the approach to providing safe and effective care for birds, reptiles, amphibians, guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils, and ferrets.
Tasks:
- Recognize, understand, and perform restraint techniques of birds, reptiles, amphibians, rabbits and ferrets
- Understand unique husbandry issues for each species and provide client education:
- nutritional needs/diet
- watering
- caging (temperature, humidity, light)
- aquarium care
- understand reproduction
- basic grooming (beak, wing, and nail clipping)
- appropriate transportation methods
- Perform physical exam of birds, reptiles, amphibians, and ferrets
- Perform injections using appropriate sites
- subcutaneous
- intramuscular
- intradermal
- intraperitoneal
- intravenous
- Perform oral dosing
- Administer or inject drugs using appropriate sites
- Understand appropriate sites for catheter placement
- Understand tube feeding in birds
- Perform laboratory procedures
- Anesthetize avian and exotic animals
- Recognize normal and abnormal behavior patterns
- Explain inadvisability of keeping wildlife as pets
- Collect blood samples
