vet techs using the term nurse

Lisa DaS · Jan 2, 2003

SmilingBluEyes,

I do agree with you, if your proffesional title does not include 'nurse' you should not refer to yourself as a nurse. I was just exploring why animal techs are not called nurses.

SmilingBluEyes · Jan 2, 2003

Originally posted by Lisa DaS
Correction; I meant to say, please don't be offended if some vet techs use the term as we do provide nursing care in our field. We don't have all the various caregivers. We have techs and vet assistants and that's it. If animals are getting nursing care, and the techs are the only ones providing it, than I would say we are not called 'nurses' because our work is not respected, not because we aren't providing nursing care. That right there is 30% of why I'm switching to human medicine.

I wish you well in your pursuit of a nursing career. However, if seeking respect is a substantial reason for your entry to the field of registered nursing, you are likely to sorely disappointed!!! There's not much to be found, oftentimes. That is why you see people like me (annoying as hell) fighting so hard for what little respect we DO have. Good luck to you!:kiss

SmilingBluEyes · Jan 2, 2003

Originally posted by Lisa DaS
SmilingBluEyes,
I do agree with you, if your proffesional title does not include 'nurse' you should not refer to yourself as a nurse. I was just exploring why animal techs are not called nurses.

Well you will find mine is not a necessarily popular opinion. Many disagree with me. So your exploration is not unfounded. I am just one of those who believe "nurse" is a title that is earned (and hard), not assigned.

Lisa DaS · Jan 2, 2003

I have several relatives/friends who are resp. therapists, RNs or LPNs. I hear a lot about the lack of respect nurses get. So I know you are right. It's hard to explain, I guess I feel that working with animals is rewarding in some ways, but the older I get the less I tolerate all the b.s. in my field. I just feel that I can contribute more in human medicine. I think most of us go into vet tech/human med/etc out of a desire to care for others. If respect/money were the top priority, no one in their right mind would go into either field (except as a dr, right?).

Q. · Jan 2, 2003

Originally posted by Lisa DaS
And we do provide 'nursing care' to animals. I can draw blood, place IV and urinary caths, take x-rays, medicate, do all lab work.

This is my biggest issue. "Nursing care" is NOT limited to these simple tasks, and that is what they are, tasks. Yes, you have some who are better at it than others, but this is NOT what makes a nurse. And until we realize that a nurse is NOT someone who simply places IVs, takes labs and places caths, well then, hell, everyone's a nurse from the CT tech who inserts the IV to the xray tech who takes our neonate's xrays to the CMT's who draw blood.

kittyw · Jan 2, 2003

Not again! :chair:

MishlB · Jan 2, 2003

Originally posted by kittyw
Not again! :chair:

Move over, Kitty!

:chair:

opalmRN · Jan 2, 2003

Each of the professions listed in the previous posts are exactly that. Professions. Each is a specialty. Each comes with it's own rewards, pitfalls, repsect and lack there of.

Don't lose site of that fact. EACH is a specialty and everyone in these professions is special and deserves respect.

Respect begins with each of us. If you are a nurse, vet tech, x-ray tech, lab tech, or any other highly specialized profession than the repsect begins here.

I no more want to be called a vet tech than I want to be called a train engineer. Not because I feel it is beneath me but I don't have the training nor the ability to correctly do either job.

When I finish nursing school, I will know I am a nurse. Till then, I'll be patient.

C

Peeps Mcarthur · Jan 2, 2003

By Lisa

I can draw blood, place IV and urinary caths, take x-rays, medicate, do all lab work.

It seems as if your current field has more to offer in the way of diagnostic/medical skills than nursing. You may be dissapointed by your expectations of prior knowledge pertaining to nursing practice and school curicculum.

I urge you not to take it for granted that these excellent skills will help you be a good nursing student, or that it will help you apply these skills to any true function of a nurse.

I have been through a semester of nursing school and was dissapointed by the blatant lack of concern for scientific application. It seems as if you would be dissapointed in the curicculum, as I was, if this is your idea of equivalency to nursing.

Just a thought.

Stargazer · Jan 2, 2003

And yet once again, I am going to remind Peeps that he has been told repeatedly by numerous posters that his program is clearly NOT the norm in this respect. :rolleyes:

Ortho_RN · Jan 2, 2003

Actually I must disagree with you Peeps.. I am also a former Certified Vet Tech.. And my education in the Vet field has done nothing but help my nursing education... The medical/scientific basis is the same... If you have an animal that is diabetic.. It affects the same body functions/systems as it does with humans.. The same for CHF, Renal disease, Cancer, etc... In Vet Tech school you do learn more than just the skills.. You also learn the etiology behind it... Just like in nursing school...

And I am not gonna express my opinion on the whole techs calling themselves nurses, cause I defended my position plenty during the last thread on this topic... And feathers tend to get ruffled easily around here lately, so its just easier to avoid it..

SmilingBluEyes · Jan 2, 2003

Originally posted by Susy K
This is my biggest issue. "Nursing care" is NOT limited to these simple tasks, and that is what they are, tasks. Yes, you have some who are better at it than others, but this is NOT what makes a nurse. And until we realize that a nurse is NOT someone who simply places IVs, takes labs and places caths, well then, hell, everyone's a nurse from the CT tech who inserts the IV to the xray tech who takes our neonate's xrays to the CMT's who draw blood.

My turn: SUZY YOU ROCK!