RVN: Registered Veterinary Nurse, what do you think?

Nurses General Nursing

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  1. Are you for the enactment of the title RVN: Registered Veterinary Nurse?

    • 10
      Yes! We are all nurses no matter the patient
    • 26
      No! Veterinary Technicians are not nurses
    • 5
      No, This will confuse the general public
    • 3
      Yes, it will help the public understand what Techs do
    • 2
      Unsure / resistant to change

40 members have participated

I am a Licensed veterinary technician (LVT) in New York, I had to complete a 2 years of a specialized college curriculum and graduate with a B or better average to acquire an AAS: Associate of Applied science in veterinary medicine. that allowed me to sit for my board exam: the VTNE to obtain my state license to practice. I currently have to complete CE credits every year and am audited triennially by the state to make sure I have completed those hours. I am currently working on additional boards to become a VTS: ECC (Veterinary Technician Specialist: Emergency & Critical Care) witch will require 2 years of case studies, additional course work & another exam including a practical. My current job title in the busy 24/7 ER in which I work is ICU Nurse. I do everything that job implicates for a human nurse, but I am also the Radiology Technician, Lab technician, anesthesiologist, phlebotomist, Etc.

I tell you all this because I am aware that in the human nursing field there is little knowledge of who we are and what we do. What is our schooling like? what do we do in practice?

And now NAVTA has initiated conversations with global, national, and state organizations regarding implementing the term Veterinary Nurse for the veterinary technician profession, as well as establishing a national standard for credentialing and using Registered Veterinary Nurse, or RVN, as a unified title...

Among Veterinary technicians there are those for and against the change from Veterinary Technician to Veterinary Nurse, but how do you all feel about it? are you ok with sharing your 'protected' title with your veterinary counterparts?

Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.

Use the quote button. We don't know to whom you're talking.

Specializes in NICU.

Over the years I've noticed that once someone starts listing off all the procedures, details, and things they know, they probably don't know as much as a nurse.

Maybe it's confidence or a certain smugness, but I'm a RN. If you are a RN, you won't see any need to question the depth of what I know, nor I you. We each know that a nurse doesn't just know how to do things, it goes much deeper than that.

Ya I've read some and know a few MD's who have issues with NP's. It's ridiculous.

I'm just saying that the job, regardless of the species is the same. I know that nurse is a protected title, which is why we are veterinary technicians here as opposed to the UK. Dictionary definitions are changed all the time, so the term will be as well to reflect

the true scope of the art of nursing.

I know someone else who's MD client was surprised that his cat had asthma because he didn't realize cats had lungs. Maybe some comparitive anatomy/physiology classes would help the field veterinary medicine be more relatable.

I call BS.

Period.

Whomever told that story is someone who doesn't feel good about their place in the world.

The case you want to make is ballooning in a literally incredible way at this point.

Please explain why you want to be called that which is an insult to your vast knowledge.

The UK has vet. nurses and call them so.

Nobody confuses them with human nurses.

I think "veterinary nurse" is ok. But I'm betting that in the UK after being asked what they do for a living they answer "veterinary nurse" instead of "nurse." Devil's in the details.

It seems to be a North American issue (and more specifically US)

Fair enough. I'd add that the US is specifically having a lot of issues that the UK does not right now.

No matter what YOU call yourself you are NOT a nurse. You cannot do what I do.

I think you are for highlighting a sentence which I did not.

And if you're sister is an actual educated and boarded veterinary technician, who's read the whole thread and understands the purpose of the initiative then I have no words.

Apparently you aren't smart enough to use the quote button but I digress. My sister is a boarded veterinary technician with an additional degree in animal sciences and has been one for a very long time. She understands the importance of what she does and does not see the need to co-opt the term "nurse" just to make herself feel even more important. I have mad respect for her and she for me and what I do. And I'll thank you not to disrespect her.

I think in general, they are just smarter in ways.

But not quite smart enough to come on a site called All NURSES and make not so nice comments.

Apparently you aren't smart enough to use the quote button but I digress. My sister is a boarded veterinary technician with an additional degree in animal sciences and has been one for a very long time. She understands the importance of what she does and does not see the need to co-opt the term "nurse" just to make herself feel even more important. I have mad respect for her and she for me and what I do. And I'll thank you not to disrespect her.

I do, too. For both Vets and techs.

I couldn't do what they do, either.

Specializes in Home Health,Dialysis, MDS, School Nurse.

Being the animal lover/pet owner I am, after you draw blood, start an IV, give a blood transfusion, administer anesthesia, assist with surgery and recovery, and deliver loving after care to my fur babies, I'd be glad to call you my pets' nurse. No issues sharing the title.

Specializes in Rodeo Nursing (Neuro).
The general public being so easily confused, I wouldn't think you would want to run the risk of being mistaken for a mere nurse. Perhaps it might be safer just to come up with your own title.

Feeling just exceptionally humble about quoting myself, here, but in fairness to pattiRVT I did introduce the term "mere" into the discussion. I hope it will be clear to most readers I meant to be ironic, but if you prefer to say sarcastic, I'll plead no contest.

Specializes in orthopedic/trauma, Informatics, diabetes.

One, I was a large animal technician for close to ten years. I ran anesthesia, I placed sutures. I had a degree in Biology as a pre-ver student. There is so much veterinary medicine that is similar to human medicine. You'd be surprised. Horses actually have a very similar anatomy to humans (except they have no gall bladder). I took comparative anatomy and embryology in college, as well as microbiology, chemistry, and genetics. All of that knowledge and experience helped me become a nurse and helps me in nursing.

Two, we have a surgeon who is both a DVM and an MD. specialist in orthopedic oncology. Sarcomas are pretty rare in humans but not in dogs. While studying long bone cancers in dogs, looking at human research and studies, this vet went back to medical school and practices in both fields. AMAZING person.

Horse ICU is technicians staying with horse 24 hours/day. Spent many a night. Horse L&D is big money too. :)

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