So I took my dog to the vet yesterday morning to be spayed, we (my dog and I) are called into the assessment room by this woman who introduces herself as the "RN" who will be taking care of my dog.
Ofcourse I am skeptical, I question her "You are a Registered Nurse?"
She replies, that yes she is a RN, the training is EXACTLY the same, except that it is for animals, and that she had to pass a board exam. She actually goes on about it for a couple of minutes.
At this point I am so stunned, that I decide not to say anything, as I am already in a highly irritated mood because I am sleep deprived, starving because I am fasting for blood work, and actively fighting with my insurance coverage to get any prescription filled anywhere, and I am afraid of over reacting. I make sure that I sound highly skeptical when I say "Oooookayyy"
I am usually not very political or sensitive to nursing slights. I am comfortable with who I am and happy with what I do. I laugh at slights to nurses on tv more often that not, but this just kept itching at me.
When I left they gave me a addressed envelope and a survey to fill out. I am considering using the envelope to write a letter to the vet to inform her that she has at least one tech that is calling herself a RN and that by allowing this to go on in her practice that she is opening herself up to potential liability.
Before I went to nursing school, I had read a book about nursing that went into all the different specialties. In this book, they had profiled a woman who was an RN-graduated from an accredited school of nursing and passed the NCLEX. She then took some additional training and was working with dolphins at an aquarium. Maybe this is similar to what this other woman did? If not, I too have a problem with her saying she is an RN. There are many positions in healthcare that deserve respect so I don't think misrepresenting yourself is the way to go. I'm going to try to find the name of that book though. I remember being surprised that she was a RN but working with animals.
I believe that the book was a collection of interviews by Echo Heron. Not sure of the title but I believe that it was "Tending Lives".
Currently I am a nursing student, but I am a Registered Veterinary Technician with certifcation in Emergency/Critcal Care and degrees in veterinary medicine, biology, and phramacology. School for veterinary technicians ranges from two to four years depending on the degree you want to get, and is no way cheaper than any other degree, including nursing. Grooming is not a job of a veterinary technician, any more than cutting hair is the job of a LPN or RN. An educated, certified/registered/licensed(depending on which state you live in) veterinary technician is the life blood of an animal hospital, just as nurses are the life blood of a hospital.
We disagree about what it takes to be a vet tech. Schools in Arizona are advertising all day long on TV, radio, billboards, etc. that they can be a vet tech in 9 months. Come to our school, take your test, and work in a vet clinic. If we have a 2-4 year program for vet techs I am not aware of it. Not saying they don't exist, I'm just not aware of them. They aren't advertising like the 9 month programs.
Is that degree you have in veterinary medicine, biology, and pharmacology required to work as a vet tech? What state do you live in?
At my vet clinic the techs do the grooming for a fee. Perhaps it is a difference in state rules and regs.
The term RN is not the same as vet tech, licensed/certified/registered. One means one type of job and the other means another type of job. For a vet tech to represent herself as an RN means she is claiming she has met the requirements for an RN. She hasn't. Right, wrong, or indifferent people who have met the requirements to be an RN will not like it when others do as the vet tech in question did.
The issue here is not a matter of which is better, it is a matter of correct terminology.
Since the specialty of vetinary nursing exists, I'm surprised they haven't come up with another title to distinguish vet techs from someone who went to nursing school, passed boards but happens to work in a vet's office. You know, something like RVN. This would let people know that he/she has trained as an RN but would let the public know that this person works with animals as opposed to people. I find this thread fascinating though. There are so many areas of nursing-which is one of the things I love about it.
RN , Registered Nurse is a protected title in all states. That's it. That's all.
If this lady was a Nurse who then went to vet. tech school (can't spell today) then she is a vet. tech who used to work as an RN (if she kept her license up to date.)
Your Vet may not know she calls herself this. You need to give him a call. We need to protect our title.
None of the states listed show the word Nurse. There is a great varience in the requirements for vet. techs, in fact in my state they are animal health technicians.
I would let the Veternarian know that his tech is using the term RN when identifying herself. Let the vet know that this carries a legal liability and the person identifying herself as such, could be brought up on charges by the State Nursing Board.
I'll bet the person will go back to the correct title.
I know this sounds petty, but this is the same problem we have with MA's and other non licensed personnel identifying themselves as "Nurses". It is a legal designation and does need to be protected.
There IS such a thing as a veterinary RN. And even Vet RN OR assistants. It is not a title used widely in the U.S. The only VET RN Bachelor Degrees I have seen come from Australian Universities, but that doesn't necessarily mean they aren't available in the U.S.
I also have to agree, why is everyone so eager to assume she is not what she says? Before jumping the gun and slamming a person based on a degree we have not necessarily heard of in our culture before, I think we should check our own ego's first. I think it's great that animals can now get the same level of qualified, well-trained loving care that we humans are getting.
QUOTE=P_RN RN , Registered Nurse is a protected title in all states. That's it. That's all.
Your Vet may not know she calls herself this. You need to give him a call. We need to protect our title.
I agree! Rn's work hard for those credentials and when people throw them around so easily, it shows the lack of respect for the nurses. It makes it sound like just anybody could walk of the street, get on the job training and become an RN-which BTW you can do as a vet tech. It is so, so much more than that and you have every right to remind them the laws pertaining to calling yourself a RN.
Vet techs work hard for their degree also, I know, but there are not any RN's I know of walking around calling themselves Vet Techs...
(Dang it, I knew I couldn't leave this thread alone)
I commend and respect the stand many who have responded to this thread have taken on preservance and protection of your various titles. I really can understand where you're comming from. We get called "Security" all the time- We aren't. Big difference between VA Police and somebodys' security guard. Would any of ya'll mind if I refer to this site and thread the next time a nurse tries to tell me that there is nothing in a title and I should just get used to being incorrectly addressed?
I couldn't help noticing on page one- someone has a hypoglau-something-er-other diabetic hamster. My heart goes out to you. I, uh... wow. Do you rub glucophage on his little gums? Sorry, I'll quit now.
(Dang it, I knew I couldn't leave this thread alone)
I commend and respect the stand many who have responded to this thread have taken on preservance and protection of your various titles. I really can understand where you're comming from. We get called "Security" all the time- We aren't. Big difference between VA Police and somebodys' security guard. Would any of ya'll mind if I refer to this site and thread the next time a nurse tries to tell me that there is nothing in a title and I should just get used to being incorrectly addressed?
That's a good point, Mule. If we are going to insist that our title be protected, REAL policeman have a right to the correct label as well. Yes, there is a huge difference between hospital security and VA Policemen. One has arresting powers, training, skill, experience in law enforcement, the other does not.
With that said, I have to tell you that before I met you I didn't know there was a difference. I had no idea. I didn't know real police officers worked in VA hospitals as LEOs. You guys deserve the same respect for titles as we do.
caroladybelle, BSN, RN
5,486 Posts
I believe that the book was a collection of interviews by Echo Heron. Not sure of the title but I believe that it was "Tending Lives".