Stephanie Unruh
Oklahoma State University - Oklahoma City
Veterinary Technology (Class of 2011)

A: My goal upon graduation; Even though I am absolutely TERRIFIED of exams I will begin to prepare myself for the board exams in January 2011 and I am excited!! My plan is to continue to work for the same hospital that I have been at for 3.5 years and maybe work with or at a large animal doctor/hospital on the side. I plan to explore this option during my preceptorship this summer. Although I have thought about what it would be like to work in the industry, maybe as a drug rep. I would rather spend my days not making what we deserve in salary and getting my hands dirty, so to speak.

A: It is amazing to sit in a room full of RVT students and listen to them talk about their jobs, those that work in a clinic setting. Amazing I say because of what comes out of their mouths as far as what they do or I should say lack of. I am so very thankful that I work where I do more so now than ever. Even though in my hospital we get to a lot I still wish we could do more. Times are changing and it's hard for Veterinarians to understand that and to change with it. I am excited for this change, for the chance to be able to do more… RN's get that chance why can't we? The hospital where I work tailors to RVT's the most out of any clinic I have heard or seen so far. My hope is with this new batch of Veterinarians starting and the older ones retiring that we will get more chances to use our skills, our knowledge, for doctors to teach not just command what we need to do. I wish that our VT programs were Bachelor degrees, give us four years of knowledge… stretch out the curiculum and increase what we need to know. Give us a chance to really learn more and understand our jobs even better, what we need, can do. I would love the chance to spend an entire semester doing rounds. Go to different hospitals and assist in surgery, help minor lacerations…etc. Veterinarians get just as much schooling as a MD so why can't we get the same as RN's. Now yes I understand that there are some things we do that RN's don't BUT they get the chance to advance, we don't. Plus it is now being changed that they also carry a Bachelors degree.

This next question "How do you think an RVT is different from an individual off the street who is trained on the job" is a funny one. The reason I say funny is because that what I thought before I started school and how I feel about it now is completely different. I debated for the first year, of working at the hospital wither or not it would be worth it to go back to school and finish my RVT license. But I found myself a lot of times asking the famous question "Why". I could look at something as in bloodwork or an EKG and tell you they were not right but I couldn't really tell you why or what it meant. The why question is what led me back to school. Don't get me wrong I have a lot of on the job training at this hospital compared to the last one I was at. But it's such a big and busy place that the doctors don't always have the time to sit down and explain the why behind the how. I also now understand why some of the current RVT's would be irritated by those of us on the job trainers for the jobs we were allowed to do…because I now walk in their footsteps! I agree that some things are taken away from the RVT's sometimes. Do I think that there are jobs that RVT's shouldn't have to do…yes and no. I don't think they are above those without a formal education, meaning they should have to clean cages, get dirty, and even as much as it sucks; to help out in kennels because we are not ABOVE that. Now do I think we should spend our time all the time doing that….no! Do I think a new graduate should accept a job as a kennel tech…no! I honestly can't think of anything, outside of diagnosis and surgery, that an RVT shouldn't be allowed to do!!! Obviously we are not DVM's so there are some boundaries but I haven't seen an RVT do anything that I think is above them.

A: Since you have used the word TYPICAL private practice I will assume you are not referring to mine. So I will use another student's clinic for this question. Like I said before, it's very sad to hear my classmates and what there roles as veterinary assistannts are in their clinic. To hear that some of them only do maybe a TPR and that is it is just sad. I would be screwed if I was in a clinic like that. Not only would I be bored out of my mind but I would also feel that all the time and stress of school would be a waste of my time! I also feel this way because I am a learner that must apply everything! You can tell me something a couple times, but until I do it myself I won't have a complete understanding, I have to be able to work through it, apply what I am learning. I really think the hope for RVT's will be with the newer generation Veterinarians or those that have been working with a Veterinarian who respects and understands our role in this profession. Luckily for myself my head DVM stands behind us A LOT and she shows the Vet students when they are at our hospital for their preceptorship how valuable we are not only to the practice but the Vet they are working on a case with. They get to see how much we do, how easy their job is with us so involved!! It also helps with DVM's that are active and what I mean by that is they attend OVMA meetings and Clinic meetings (like what we hold for local Vets) in keeps them up to date on our practice act as well as ALL the changes going on in our field.

A: Once I have graduated I don't think that my duties will really change too much, but I could be wrong. I am the 3rd longest working nurse there at NeelVet and many of my duties are those that the RVT's do as well. One of the differences is the extent of duties allowed by an assistant vs an RVT and how much supervision by a veterinarian is required for non-RVTs. My duties depend on the day and the situation. I am the surgery nurse on Monday's which are orthopedic days (I love it), Tuesdays & Wednesdays I am a general nurse so I see appointments, help train new staff and trouble shoot our lab area. On Saturdays I am a surgery nurse (we usually only do emergency sx's) and I am an appointment nurse otherwise. From time to time I am also the RTG (head shift nurse) but since school has started I have only been a fill in. Once school is over, maybe I will be a supervisor on a more regular basis. I am just so excited for this semester and finally getting to a lot more of the "Why's" in what we do!!