I'm a nurse...for animals?

FORTHELOVEOF!!!! · May 11, 2012

I agree with the majority, to call themselves a vet nurse is fine, they do a lot on animals that we do on humans so I'm cool with it. The one problem I have is a girl I know, who is a vet nurse, likes to "diagnose" people with her vet nurse knowledge, that in my opinion is not o.k.

trauma_lama, BSN · May 11, 2012

Just to prove my point a little further - Veterinarians are doctors. They address themselves as "doctor" and so does everyone else. By your logic, does this "Irk" you too?
Yep, didn't think so.

veterinarians receive doctoral degrees in veterinary medicine, no, it does not bother me. vet techs are very important, but they do not receive degrees in animal nursing. my point has to do with the professional title obtained by completing an education program and passing a standardized certifying exam. so no, it does not "irk" me.

canesdukegirl, BSN, RN · May 11, 2012

I think it is a crying shame that vet techs aren't paid very well. Heck, even veterinarians don't make that much.

I used to work in a vet hospital when I was in HS, and I admired the seasoned tech who knew how to induce, how to start IVs and give meds, how to do dentals, injections, assist in surgery, monitor and recover pts, autoclave everything and how to calm scared animals. To me, she was absolutely a vet nurse.

trauma_lama, BSN · May 11, 2012

It seems like perhaps my post was misunderstood. I have the utmost respect for vet techs and I am well aware that they do the things on animals that we do on people. I am well aware (especially being a dedicated pet mom) that their work is VERY important and complicated. That is not the problem I have with the way this woman conducted herself. If you'll refer to my OP, I stated that it's my understanding that vet techs do the work of CNA+MA+RN+LPN; this is pretty indicative that I understand the scope and importance of the work.

My problem is that she referred to herself as a nurse, and unless I had asked for clarity on her specialty, she would have let me walk away thinking that she is a nurse. Which in lay speak, usually implies that she is an RN or LPN. I don't care if she goes around shaking everyone's hand in my city introducing herself as a nurse for animals, as that is a great way to illustrate her scope and duties to people who might not know what a vet tech does. I do however care, if she goes around saying that she is simply a nurse. To me, "nurse" has very different implications from "nurse for animals."

So to rephrase my question: a vet tech referred to herself as a nurse. NOT a nurse for animals. she did not indicate her veterinary specialty until i asked what type of nursing she does. how do you feel about a vet tech referring to herself as a nurse without specifying that she is a nurse for animals?

And I have tried to be very respectful; I would greatly appreciate the same in return. I love the vast knowledge accessible on the internet, but sometimes I hate the way people use their perceived anonymity to be snippy when they might not be snippy in person....

amoLucia · May 11, 2012

A couple years ago, I worked with a nurse who had been employed at a vet hosp from highschool and then some. Let me tell you, she had the best IV skills of any nurse I've ever worked with!!!:bowingpur

klone, MSN, RN · May 11, 2012

It seems like perhaps my post was misunderstood. ......
So to rephrase my question: a vet tech referred to herself as a nurse. NOT a nurse for animals. she did not indicate her veterinary specialty until i asked what type of nursing she does. how do you feel about a vet tech referring to herself as a nurse without specifying that she is a nurse for animals?.

You're right, I did misunderstand, and that would bother me. It seems that type of misrepresentation seems to be rampant.

trauma_lama, BSN · May 11, 2012

Oh, here we go again.
Your ignorance of the veterinary profession is outstanding, and unfortunately all too common.
The vet techs I have known have an amazing amount of knowledge. I was in large animal research, so basically a vet tech before this and performed c-sections on cattle, administered anesthesia meds, drew blood on thousands of steers ready to kick my face off, performed euthanasia..not a whole lot was off limits for me in terms of regulations.
The title of nurse is very appropriate to someone caring for animals. They perform the exact same duties, just on animals. A vet nurse is not trying to mislead anyone into thinking they are an RN. It's simply a term that fits. They take orders from a veterinarian and perform patient care on animals all the same. All of your notes on medicine you mentioned, a vet tech learns many of the same things. They aren't simply wiping up dog poo.

To be clear, the place in my original post where I stated that vet tech = the animal field's CNA+MA+RN+LPN, that was a pretty clearly worded way to say that I understand their duties are similar with animals what our duties are with people.

So I ask you kindly to please not presume to call me outstandingly ignorant of the veterinary profession until you reread the original post and think about the duties that might be executed by someone with the responsibilities of a CNA+MA+RN+LPN. I'm pretty sure that person would not just wipe poo, and I'm pretty sure that person would have extensive knowledge of the bodies they are working with.

Thank you, I hope this clarifies to you my superficial, surface understanding of how the veterinary profession works. I don't know everything about it, and I didn't claim to. I only said that I understand that vet techs to the jobs of nurses and nurse aids, where you seemed to infer that I view them as only having the equivalence of a CNA. As I said, rereading the OP should clear that up for you. Ignorance is not a word that should be thrown around carelessly in my opinion.

Juniper248 · May 11, 2012

snooki was a vet tech o.0

MunoRN, RN · May 12, 2012

While a vet tech is competent in many skills, I don't think it's appropriate to refer to themselves as a Nurse, regardless of how they qualify that statement. There are many tasks that Nurses perform that are the same or similar to what Vet techs perform, but the tasks we perform are a very minor part of what defines the profession of Nursing.

The term "Nurse" is a protected title in my state and using it falsely can be considered a felony, which I happen to agree with.

SurrenderDorothy · May 12, 2012

To be clear, the place in my original post where I stated that vet tech = the animal field's CNA+MA+RN+LPN, that was a pretty clearly worded way to say that I understand their duties are similar with animals what our duties are with people.
So I ask you kindly to please not presume to call me outstandingly ignorant of the veterinary profession until you reread the original post and think about the duties that might be executed by someone with the responsibilities of a CNA+MA+RN+LPN. I'm pretty sure that person would not just wipe poo, and I'm pretty sure that person would have extensive knowledge of the bodies they are working with.
Thank you, I hope this clarifies to you my superficial, surface understanding of how the veterinary profession works. I don't know everything about it, and I didn't claim to. I only said that I understand that vet techs to the jobs of nurses and nurse aids, where you seemed to infer that I view them as only having the equivalence of a CNA. As I said, rereading the OP should clear that up for you. Ignorance is not a word that should be thrown around carelessly in my opinion.

The way you stated how you were walking around with notes about PE, aortic dissection, etc...and it irked you a "vet tech" would call herself a nurse is what made me reply the way I did.

To address many of your further comments from above, you stated vet techs do not receive degrees in animal nursing is not true either. MANY vet techs are often pre-vet students majoring in animal science or some other science-related degree. MANY also go to a 2-year school for veterinary technology, so yes, they DO go to school for vet "nursing". In fact, those who go the pre-vet route take classes such as animal anatomy & physiology, 2 years of chemistry including Biochemistry, immunology, cell biology, developmental biology and many other advanced sciences most RN's will never have to take in their career. Many vet techs are also licensed or certified. Google it. Now, every single one may not be because many vets will offer on-the-job training, but most of these people take their professions very seriously and don't take too kindly to someone downplaying their knowledge, education or experience.

trauma_lama, BSN · May 12, 2012

The way you stated how you were walking around with notes about PE, aortic dissection, etc...and it irked you a "vet tech" would call herself a nurse is what made me reply the way I did.
To address many of your further comments from above, you stated vet techs do not receive degrees in animal nursing is not true either. MANY vet techs are often pre-vet students majoring in animal science or some other science-related degree. MANY also go to a 2-year school for veterinary technology, so yes, they DO go to school for vet "nursing". In fact, those who go the pre-vet route take classes such as animal anatomy & physiology, 2 years of chemistry including Biochemistry, immunology, cell biology, developmental biology and many other advanced sciences most RN's will never have to take in their career. Many vet techs are also licensed or certified. Google it. Now, every single one may not be because many vets will offer on-the-job training, but most of these people take their professions very seriously and don't take too kindly to someone downplaying their knowledge, education or experience.

Again, I went on and on about how they have the equivalent knowledge of the animal bodies they work with that nurses have of the human bodies they work with. I'm sorry that you seem to interpret my words of vet tech as downplaying their work; I've made it very clear that they are important and they are very educated in their respective fields. At this point I don't think you're getting the point of the OP so if you could, please address the concept of what you think about vet tech presenthing their selves as nurses to a lay person. Not an animal nurse, but just a nurse. That is what this thread is about. I'm asking what others in the nursing field think of a vet tech referring to herself as being only a nurse, not specifically an animal nurse. Thank you!

PetsToPeople · May 12, 2012

veterinarians receive doctoral degrees in veterinary medicine, no, it does not bother me. vet techs are very important, but they do not receive degrees in animal nursing. my point has to do with the professional title obtained by completing an education program and passing a standardized certifying exam. so no, it does not "irk" me.

Before you decided to get on here with your rant you should have taken the time to actually research what a Veterinary Technician is, because I am one, and I assure you that I DO in fact hold an associated degree in Veterinary Technology, for which I worked my hind end off and is fact, has given me a huge advantage in my RN program.

A Vet Tech is licensed/registered (term is different depending on the state) in their state of employment and are required to maintain and submit biennial continuing education hours to maintain that license.

My line has always been "I'm a Vet Tech, like a people nurse, except I work with animals." This is the easiest explanation no matter who I am talking to, because whether you are a client who's pet I am working with, a CNA/LPN/RN, etc, a friend, or some stranger I just met, (and I know this from years and years of experience from dealing with this) when I tell you I am a Vet Tech NO ONE knows what I am talking about. They automatically think you are a Vet and that is all they can wrap their minds around...just as to every pt in a hospital you are either a nurse or a doctor and that is all they understand or care to know.

This is the second topic to come up over the title RN, and I admit, I will be very proud of that title upon graduation, but really, it's started to look bad on RN's that we seem so insecure of our title and position in the medical community that this seems to get nurses so upset.