Ever consider becoming a veterinary nurse/vet tech?
March 19, 2011 • Trends • Health & Wellness •
By Patricia Walling
A visit to the veterinarian’s office begins with a check-in at the receptionist’s desk, a brief wait in the lobby, and an examination of your animal by the veterinary nurse or technician in one of the exam rooms. The veterinary nurse asks questions and makes notes about the reason for your visit, and completes a preliminary exam that involves recording your pet’s weight and vital signs as well (which much like the information that would be copied down by someone in medical transcription). Then the veterinarian asks final questions while examining the animal, and finally pronounces a diagnosis and prescribes treatment. The team as a whole works closely together to ensure that your animal receives meticulous attention, an accurate diagnosis and the best treatment possible. If you this sounds like an enjoyable daily schedule, you may just want to consider becoming a veterinary nurse.
Generally known as a nurse in the United Kingdom and a technician in the U.S., by either name the veterinary tech plays a vital role in the diagnostic process. Oftentimes the technician is responsible for interviewing the owner and probing into the animal’s medical history, giving the veterinarian a solid background of the case. The technician also does many of the same tasks as the veterinarian, such as giving injections and drawing blood, cleaning wounds, clipping claws, taking skin scrapings and collecting urine. However, working as a veterinary technician can be a dirty job at times. If you have difficulty with needles and bodily fluids, you might want to seek a career elsewhere.
If you have a desire to help animals and to educate their owners about how to properly care for them, the role of a veterinary nurse should suit you well. The reasons for becoming a nurse instead of a veterinarian go beyond a preference for less schooling. A veterinary technician gets to spend much more time with individual animals and can often establish a good relationship with animals that are regular patients. This personal knowledge makes it easier to observe differences in the animal’s behavior and overall well-being. Veterinary technicians are also able to dedicate themselves to certain areas, and many seek special certification in anesthesiology, dentistry, equine or zoological medicine, emergency or critical care, and surgery.
A look at the career outlook and salary for a veterinary nurse reveal it as a profitable career path that has a healthy future. Not only do veterinary technicians have the capacity to do many of a veterinarian’s tasks, but they also get see to more humble work. The job provides a varied work day that can range from assisting in surgery to cleaning up the exam room after each patient, to recording a cat or dog’s medical history and advising owners on care after surgery.
If a job as veterinary technician sounds ideal to you, volunteering in veterinary offices is a good start. Many offices are glad to have the extra help and encourage newcomers to their beloved field. Once you have determined this is the right career for you, you must complete a two-year veterinary technician program and pass an exam before you can begin caring for animals.
Patricia Walling is a graduate student working toward her Masters in Conservation Biology. She has both professional and volunteer experience in a hospital environment and currently resides in Washington state.
