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 The Minnesota Veterinary Medical Association affirms the utilization of, and the need for, veterinary technicians. Veterinary technicians primarily function as professional technical support to veterinarians, biomedical researchers, and other scientists. Through the 1950's, veterinarians trained their own employees, delegating routine tasks and procedures as they saw fit. These on-the-job trained individuals were designated animal assistants, animal attendants, and veterinary assistants and were trained to meet the needs of an individual practice. If people wanted to move to another practice, they would have to start over again being trained in the ways of the new practice.
To meet the technical demands of an expanding veterinary profession and a more mobile population, formal academic programs started appearing in the 1960's. Today there are over 80 veterinary technology programs in the United States that educate veterinary technicians. In order to maintain a standard of excellence the American Veterinary Medical Association accredits these programs. The course of study in these programs entails at least two academic years, leading to an Associate of Science or equivalent degree with four-year Bachelor of Science degrees available at some institutions. During high school, would-be veterinary technicians are encouraged to enroll in college preparatory courses in science, math and English.
The first job for about 85% of graduate veterinary technicians is in a private veterinary practice, with companion animal practice leading the list. However, the demand for veterinary technicians in other fields is rapidly growing. Opportunities exist in the following areas:
- Teaching
- Military Service
- Humane Societies
- Herd Health Managers
- Industry
- Biomedical Research
- Diagnostic Laboratories
- Zoo/Wildlife Medicine
- Veterinary Supplies Sales
The MVMA policy specifying appropriate activities and responsibilities for veterinary technicians are:
The licensed veterinarian has a responsibility to the client in the following respects:
- To direct, supervise and control veterinary technicians in their work.
- To authorize or allow the veterinary technician to perform only such work as the veterinarian knows the technician is capable of performing and in conformity with the State Board of Veterinary Medicine's rules, regulations and laws of the State of Minnesota.
- To direct, control and supervise veterinary technicians in the performance of their work in accordance with acceptable veterinary medicine methods and standards.
The veterinary technician has a responsibility to the patient, client and to the veterinarian in the following respects:
- To undertake only what the veterinarian authorizes or directs.
- To perform their work only in the manner directed by the veterinarian.
- To employ their best care and skill in performing all work at the direction of the veterinarian and not to undertake any work of which they are not capable of performing satisfactorily or which is not authorized by law.
- Under conditions of emergency, with the owners' consent if practicable and upon the prior consent of the responsible veterinarian, veterinary technicians may render lifesaving aid and treatment to an animal.
- An emergency is deemed to mean a situation where an animal is placed in a life threatening condition where immediate treatment is necessary to sustain life or prevent further injury. This aid and treatment includes only:
- Application of tourniquet and/or pressure bandages to control hemorrhage.
- Establish open airways including intubation appliances, but excluding surgical procedures. External resuscitative procedures.
- Application of appropriate wound dressing and external supportive treatment in severe trauma and burn cases.
- Application of temporary splints or bandages to prevent further injury to bones or soft tissues.
- External supportive treatment in heat prostration or hypothermal cases.
- Emergency aid and treatment, if rendered to an animal not in the presence of a licensed veterinarian, must only be continued under the direction of a licensed veterinarian.
Nothing shall be construed to permit a veterinary technician to do the following:
- Make any diagnosis
- Prescribe any treatments
- Perform surgery - A technician will be allowed to act as a surgical assistant to a licensed veterinarian within the rules and regulations issued by the Minnesota Board of Veterinary Medicine and the Laws of the State of Minnesota.
The following tasks may be performed by the veterinary technician under the direction, supervision, and control of a licensed veterinarian provided said veterinarian makes a daily examination and review of the patient being treated:
- Venipuncture, including placement of indwelling catheters.
- Routine catheterization of the urinary bladder.
- Hypodermic injections, including administration or parenteral fluids, except when in conflict with state and/or federal laws and regulations.
- Immunization immediately after examination by a licensed veterinarian, except when a conflict with state and/or federal laws and regulations.
- Prepare and sterilize surgical packs.
- Clip, surgically scrub and prepare the patient for surgical procedures. Administer preanesthetic medications and anesthetics as prescribed by the veterinarian. Operation of anesthetic equipment as prescribed by the veterinarian.
- Operation of radiographic equipment as prescribed by the veterinarian.
- Take electrocardiograms, electroencephalograms, and tracings.
- Perform dental prophylaxis, including operation of ultrasonic and polishing instruments. Perform laboratory procedures including urinalysis, fecal analysis, hematological, cytological, microbiological and serological procedures and examination.
- Collection of excretions, secretions, skin scrapings, and blood samples for laboratory analysis.
- Preparations of medications for dispensing to clients on the direct or written order of the supervising veterinarian.
- Maintain surgery log, radiology log, and laboratory log.
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