Veterinary technician utilization – or, more accurately, misutilization – has been blamed for the growing discontent among credentialed technicians (CrVTs). These professionals bring intense passion to their work, yet their battle for recognition from the public and the industry rages on.
As National Veterinary Technician Week (October 13-19) approaches, we encourage you to consider how you support the veterinary technicians in your practice. Are you utilizing your vet techs to their fullest potential? If you aren’t, why not? This year, give your techs the gift of recognition and career fulfillment.
Why are veterinary technicians underutilized?
Despite their extensive training and education, 60% of CrVTs feel they are not given sufficient opportunities to use their complete skill set. After graduation, a large portion of the skills learned in school aren’t practiced, so techs never have a chance to fully hone their craft – further contributing to negative perceptions and underutilization.
Some reasons why veterinary technicians are underutilized include:
- Practice acts and titles: A significant problem facing the profession in the US is the lack of standardization of a CrVT’s title and precise role across the states. Practice acts may restrict technician skills, require unreasonable supervision, or fail to address technician rules at all. In many states, the title “veterinary technician” can be used by anyone, which effectively devalues a CrVT’s license.
- Veterinarian hesitancy: Some veterinarians are unfamiliar with the vet tech education and credentialing process, leading them to assume they can delegate only low-level tasks and skills to their techs. Other vets may feel threatened by technicians taking on more advanced tasks. Still others worry about liability and don’t want to relinquish control.
- Pay justification: Some veterinarians or practice owners may justify low wages (consciously or unconsciously) by limiting task delegation and perpetuating poor veterinary technician utilization.
Expanding the veterinary technician role
The entire veterinary team can benefit from expanding the vet tech role to align with current educational standards. However, opinions are mixed on the best way to do that. Some are in favor of adding a mid-level practitioner position, while others strongly believe that technicians and technician specialists are already mid-level practitioners – but they must be allowed to practice at the top of their license to fulfill the role.
While US states are still miles apart on practice acts and titles, some are tired of waiting for a national standard. Colorado has taken concrete action to elevate technicians, introducing a bill that expands the practice scope for registered veterinary technicians and veterinary technician specialists.
The Colorado bill allows for broader task delegation, clearly defines supervision levels and requirements for licensed and non-licensed team members, and allows registered technician specialists to perform any task delegated to them by the supervising veterinarian.
Although the bill has sparked debate, its provisions would represent a significant shift in veterinary care delivery. Expanding vet tech responsibilities by allowing them to perform tasks they are already equipped to do can improve access to veterinary services and change public perception of the CrVT career path.
Overcoming barriers to veterinary technician utilization
While the Colorado bill represents a step in the right direction, we’ve got a long way to go before the profession truly values veterinary technicians. Breaking down some barriers to advancing technicians will require state and national efforts. However, individual practices, veterinarians, and leaders can take steps toward optimizing vet tech utilization on a smaller scale.
Some ideas include:
- Training: Offer targeted training or continuing education for technicians interested in particular skills or topics so they can offer their expertise in practice. Think dentistry, behavior, ultrasound, low-stress handling, or anesthesia – the possibilities are virtually endless. Skill mastery is fulfilling and allows for higher-level care delivery.
- Veterinarian education: Do the veterinarians in your practice know what CrVTs learn in school or the specific tasks they can handle? Educating them may make them more comfortable delegating advanced tasks to the tech team.
- Culture overhaul: Encourage a culture built on trust and collaboration. Without it, you’ll never see the fruits of a true team-based care approach. If you aren’t sure how to get there, consider hiring a consultant to help.
- Getting involved: Encourage your state veterinary medical association (VMA) to re-evaluate technician rules and practice acts to allow more responsibility and expanded roles. If you’re truly passionate, consider creating or joining a VMA committee to get the ball rolling.
The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) recently released its veterinary technician utilization guidelines, emphasizing the importance of using vet techs to their fullest capacity. The guidelines provide veterinary leaders and teams a roadmap for understanding and optimizing the vet tech role, including specific hospital areas and tasks where technicians can truly shine.
The more you let your vet techs do, the better the hospital will perform and the more fulfilled your technicians will be. As we celebrate National Veterinary Technician Week, let’s acknowledge their vital contributions and advocate for policy change that allows them to operate at a higher level.
Key takeaways
- Veterinary technicians are underutilized, which leads to frustration, a lack of fulfillment, and ultimately, many technicians leaving the field.
- Some of the reasons why vet techs are underutilized include differences in state practice acts and titling, a lack of familiarity with technician education, and practice management limiting task delegation to justify low wages.
- Veterninary practices can take steps to better utilize their veterinary technicians by offering them advanced training, educating veterinarians about the tasks vet techs can handle, and encouraging a culture built on trust and collaboration.
Learn how Provet Cloud can help your technicians work more efficiently
Better utilization, recognition, and respect are the best things you can give your tech team this year! Are your technicians bogged down by slow hospital software, inefficient record-keeping, client call lists, and other administrative tasks?
Schedule a demo with Provet Cloud to learn how our software lifts this burden and lets techs be techs!