I'm a nurse...for animals?

Nurses General Nursing

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Hey esteemed nurses! Please firgive typos, I'm using AN on my phone...So I would like y'all's thoughts on this... Long story short, the other day I managed to leave a bunch of my class notes in my favorite little neighborhood shoe shop (because who doesn't need a little shoe oogling fun after an afternoon of studying??)... I didn't realize I left them til almost home, so I called and they told me they were closing soon but they'd wait if I could hurry back (gotta l love small business!). So I got back there and they were finishing ringing up their last customer... They asked me when I came back "what in the he!! Are you in school for? You gone be a surgeon or something?" (they always tease me when i come in :-).) I said "no, I'm studying to be an RN." So the lady at the counter starts commiserating and saying "oh man, I know all about that, it's so hard! But good luck I'm sure you'll do great." We walked out to our cars together and I said "thanks! So you're a nurse, I take it?" She said "Yep," with no hesitation. Me: "oh neat, what is your specialty?"Her: "Oh, I'm a nurse for animals!"Silence...Ummmmmm does anyone else see a problem with this? I don't know her and I don't know about veterinary medicine... I thought there were vets and vet techs...and vet techs are like CNA+MA+RN+LPN, but I didn't think there was an actual term for vet nurses...I think what vet techs do is really important (Lord knows I don't mess around when it comes to getting good healthcare for my sweet pets!!) and I'm sure it's suuuuuper hard to start an IV on a squirmy puppy, but when I'm carrying a set of notes about interventions for PEs, aortic dissection, MIs, and unstable angina, it's really irks me that a vet tech called herself a nurse. I get how if you're explaining your job to a kid as a vet tech you might use a comparison of "nurse to people patients is the same as tech to animal patients"... But I'm not a kid, and I'm clearly not your average non-healthcare aware bear since I just said I'm in school to be an RN...I don't know. I didn't say anything because really, why bother with someone I'll probably never see again. But it really rubbed me the wrong way. What are your thoughts on this??

Specializes in FNP, ONP.
On some forum out there is an astronaut who read this and thought "dang it, now nurses are calling themselves astronauts! Do they know how much work I put in to use the title "astronaut!!" And he/she then went on allastronauts.com to rant.

I suspect astronauts have a bit too much class and dignity.

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.

Who cares what astronauts think? From what I've heard, they're just a bunch of space cadets.

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Ahahahah the title tricked me, I thought I'm a nurse for animals( referred to patients ) lol

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All this back & forth arguing aside, you know what I was thinking? How in the world does a vet tech (animal nurse, etc, etc) start an IV on a furry animal??? Seeing how hard it is to start IVs on some people, can you imagine having to find a decent vein an a being covered in fur???

To place an IV catheter the hair is shaved and scrubbed, but to draw blood you have to be able to draw through the fur because owners don't want to have their pets running around with bald patches lol. You use alcohol on the fur to help dampen it down and for cleanliness...some dogs have to be shaved if the area where you have to draw is heavily matted or has very thick fur such as with Chow Chow's.

FYI if you only need at the most 3ml you can draw from the cephalic for cats/dogs, saphenous in dogs or femoral for cats, but if you need atleast 3ml or more you draw from the jugular for dogs/cats (also not shaved and by stuck by feel while putting full trust in your restrainer that you won't get half your face bit off).

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To place an IV catheter the hair is shaved and scrubbed, but to draw blood you have to be able to draw through the fur because owners don't want to have their pets running around with bald patches lol. You use alcohol on the fur to help dampen it down and for cleanliness...some dogs have to be shaved if the area where you have to draw is heavily matted or has very thick fur such as with Chow Chow's.

FYI if you only need at the most 3ml you can draw from the cephalic for cats/dogs, saphenous in dogs or femoral for cats, but if you need atleast 3ml or more you draw from the jugular for dogs/cats (also not shaved and by stuck by feel while putting full trust in your restrainer that you won't get half your face bit off).

Our local technical college runs a blood donor clinic for canines. One of my coworkers has a donor dog. The students run the clinic in the evenings. Her dog usually has the fur shaved away and comes out wearing a bandana!

I remember our dog's doctor telling us that dogs can have cataract surgery and dialysis, so if my dog was dialyzing, I'd sure as hades want a nurse monitoring him. FWIW, do dogs on dialysis get drugged? I mean how do you keep them still???

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Never had the opportunity to participate or hear about dialysis on pets, but most pets respond well to (proper) physical restraint and don't mind just "hanging out" with you, but there are some that can be a real hand full, I have the scars to prove it. Sedation can be used but it is measured on the pt's health, stress level, the procedure, etc. Sedation is used a lot for certain procedures such as abcess drainage, ear hematoma drainage and suturing, etc.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
I know I know... Lol I just really respect the people on AN and I guess when you respect people it's easier to let their words get to you...not to mention sometimes nursing school zaps my sense of humor... Ugh. Maybe I'll just stick to lurking and reading from now on. :-)

no one wants you to just lurk.....but it is a PUBLIC board after all, with strict rules I agree, and although I believe that a vast majority are truthful about their degrees and licenses you still are just never quite sure who you maybe talking to. Some people like to argue, some people like to stir the pot, some people mean well, and some people don't......but in a hundred years is any of this going to matter?

:hug:.....Nursing is a tough profession.People who go into nursing need to be tough as well. It's all good. Good Luck in school...don't sweat the small stuff. Peace:paw:

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Specializes in Trauma, ER, ICU, CCU, PACU, GI, Cardiology, OR.

it has been said that "imitation is a form of flattery" therefore, when i encounter an individual that saids "oh i'm a nurse too, i just didn't go to nursing school but i'm still a nurse" i usually give them a smile and go on about my business. wishing you the very best in all of your future endeavors...aloha~

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Specializes in Trauma Surgery, Nursing Management.
Our local technical college runs a blood donor clinic for canines. One of my coworkers has a donor dog. The students run the clinic in the evenings. Her dog usually has the fur shaved away and comes out wearing a bandana!

I remember our dog's doctor telling us that dogs can have cataract surgery and dialysis, so if my dog was dialyzing, I'd sure as hades want a nurse monitoring him. FWIW, do dogs on dialysis get drugged? I mean how do you keep them still???

Off topic (sorry OP), but Fiona, is it true that canines don't have to be typed and crossed, but can receive blood from any other canine?

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Specializes in NICU/L&D, Hospice.

I have always been amazed at the vet profession and all of the different species that must be studied. It is one job I wouldn't want to have! I would be too scared :o) I also have respect for CPA's and all of the tax laws and forms they need to be knowledgable about. I also have respect for automotive mechanics having to learn about all the different systems in different cars; and for construction workers for learning how to build. I have respect for those in law enforcement, firefighters, teachers, preachers, lawyers, and stay at home moms/dads. Everyone has a place in this society and a skill they can use for the greater good. Where the lines get "fuzzy" is when those who are degreed don't use the title of the degree they possess. It is written on your diploma and it is the appropriate term to use. If someone has problems understanding what it is that someone with your "title" does, it can be beneficial to be able to describe it in a way that helps someone understand. The public is greatly confused because a lot of people are using someone elses degree to introduce themselves. If all vet techs called themselves vet techs, the public may catch on quicker to what they do. This goes for accountants calling themselves CPA's, etc. We all have something to be proud of when we earn that degree, we should own it. :o) I have heard MULTIPLE people call themselves "nurse" to me when their nametag clearly states CNA or Vet Tech. I never questioned them about what a CNA or Vet Tech does, it's just the title they gave me when they introduced themselves. This irks me because it continues to confuse the public about the use of the protected title and in the case of human care... what capacity they can care for someone and the pt has the right to know if they are receiving care from an appropriately trained caregiver.

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OK so here i go, long time lurker...first time poster.

I am an Registered Veterinary Technician, getting ready to apply to nursing school.

Canesdukegirl: we type and crossmatch all animals prior to transfusion. WHile it is true first exposure may not cause a reaction (enter long discussion of K9 bloodtypes here) subsequent transfusions are likely to cause a problem.

I always tell people I am a vet tech first, but usually they have no clue what that means, so then I will go on to explain, I am like a nurse for animals, instead of a nurse for people. I tell my children now that I am (ahem torturing my family ;) so that I can take care of people too.

As for vet techs, most of us make fantastic nurses. (i have worked with many who are now RN's)

As for me, I KNOW I will be a fantastic RN. I did not go into my two yr RVT degree because I only wanted to work with animals, but because I had a passion for science and medicine, and worked as a vet assistant in high school so it was just sort of a natural progression.

I work at a major university, and have a FANTASTIC job in the ICU. I manage complicated ventilator cases, using the same ventilators used in people. I care for post op craniotomy, thoracotomy, even cardiac bypass patients, as well as complicated internal med cases (dailysis, DKA's etc) You name it, I have cared for it. We (RVT'S) place central, arterial, venous, urinary catheters. The drugs, the procedures, the diseases are often the same, with species dependent tweaks...(VTach is VTach regardless of species). I deal with new students, crappy residents, and cranky faculty every day. I LOVE medicine, and hopefully soon I will be a real nurse too :)

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Off topic (sorry OP), but Fiona, is it true that canines don't have to be typed and crossed, but can receive blood from any other canine?

This is true, in a way. About half of dogs are universal donors, and they have different blood types from humans. If they are recieving a transfusion for the first time they can recieve it from any dog, however, if they are to have multiple transfusions they will need to be typed, as they will not develope antibodies until after that first transfusion exposure. They can have immediate and delayed anaphalaxis reaction just as humans do.

The donor pet, if they are complacent (and they usually are), will sit without sedation and have an 18q inserted into their jugular so the blood can be drawn into a glass transfusion container, then a filter infusion set is attached so that the blood can be transfused into the sick pt while the donor pet is given a high calorie meal and loved on by the techs/assistants for the little hero he/she is ;)

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