Don't forget about CE for vet techs

Practice owners are missing out if they assume CE is just for veterinarians. Getty Images; M_a_y_a Continuing education is an important aspect of any medical field, and that includes credentialed veterinary technicians (CrVT). A veterinary technician goes through an intense level of schooling and a national examination to obtain their credentials, but medicine is forever evolving. CrVTs are credentialed on the state level, so each state has individual requirements for CE, the same as they do for veterinarians. Education leads to proper utilization Requiring a CrVT to obtain a certain amount of CE to continue to be certified allows them to stay up to date on veterinary medicine and will make them more utilizable within a veterinary facility. A properly educated and trained CrVT will be able to not only complete more complex tasks, but is able to share that education with others within the facility. Attending CE events will increase the CrVTs comfortability with completing certain tasks and can even allow them the opportunity to learn new ways to perform skills they have been completing for years. Proper utilization of a CrVT does lie in not just the clinics' hands, but also in the state in which they reside and practice. The individual state practice act designates the procedures that fall under a CrVT’s purview and designates the required supervision in some cases. If a CrVT is allowed to attend CE pertaining to running exam rooms and obtaining a thorough history, then that CrVT can add to the knowledge they learned within their veterinary technology program. This CrVT can then take this and share with their facility and help their veterinarian and team in facilitating new procedures to make the exam rooms run more efficiently. The benefit of proper utilization of CrVTs within a veterinary facility will not only allow a profit to occur within the facility but should also show the importance of a clinic covering the cost of sending their CrVTs to CE events. This allowance should cover both travel and conference registration costs so that their CrVTs can obtain as much knowledge as their hearts desire to bring back to the facility and help all within the facility continue their lifelong learning. There are also procedures that CrVTs can do without the need for a veterinarian, , such as nail trims, that can free up the veterinarian to perform the tasks they are only allowed to perform. CrVT education requirements For veterinary technicians to become credentialed, they first must obtain a degree, either an associates or bachelors, in veterinary technology from an accredited program. The accrediting body for these programs is the American Veterinary Medical Association–Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities (CVTEA). This association is responsible for making sure the programs in veterinary technology “meet the Standards of Accreditation of the CVTEA to ensure the quality of the educational experience and the assessment of student knowledge and skills.” ¹ These requirements cover the different species vet tech students will have to obtain skills on, different equipment used, and a vast variety of specific skills. The skills themselves range from didactic to psychomotor skills that must be achieved by the student for graduation from an AVMA-CVTEA accredited program. The different species that are required for vet tech students to have hands-on experience with include: canine, feline, bovine, equine, small ruminant, avian, mice/rats, and rabbits.² The skills list itself contains multiple sections that cover all the required knowledge for a beginner CrVT, including: Office and hospital procedures, client relations, and communication–managerial skills, communication skills, and laws and ethics pertaining to the field. Pharmacy and pharmacology–medicinal administration and dispensing of medication. Nursing – how to assess and care for patients. Anesthesia–patient anesthesia management and how to manage the facility and the equipment used within it. Surgical nursing–how to manage patients throughout a surgical procedure and how to manage and prepare the surgical procedures themselves. Laboratory procedures–how to manage specimens collected within a veterinary facility and how to analyze these specimens. Imaging–how to produce diagnostic radiographic images safely. Laboratory animal procedures–how to “safely and effectively handle common laboratory animals used in animal research.” ² Avian, exotic, & small mammal procedures–how to properly handle animals of these species. To become a CrVT, after graduation from an AVMA-CVTEA accredited program, the graduate will have to sit for the veterinary technician national exam (VTNE). The VTNE has 10 domains that it tests: Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Surgical Nursing, Dentistry, Laboratory Procedures, Animal Care and Nursing, Diagnostic Imaging, Anesthesia, Emergency Medicine/Critical Care, Pain Management/Analgesia, and Communication and Veterinary Professional Support Services.¹⁰ Each of these domains has between three and 10 sub-categories, as well. This is the information covered throughout an accredited veterinary technology program and correlates with the required essential skills list that the AVMA-CVTEA holds all accredited veterinary technician programs to. For most states, this is the only exam needed to become credentialed. Although for some states, there is a jurisprudence examination that is also required. Once these requirements are complete, and the application is accepted by the individual state, one can become a credentialed veterinary technician. Like veterinarians, CE is not required for at least the first year of licensure, after this time period CE is required to renew the credentialing within that state. CE requirements by state Since the majority of CrVTs are credentialed at the state level, each state will have its own requirements as to the amount and type of CE required to renew credentialing. Throughout the United States, the CE requirements varies from five to 15 hours per year.⁸ Each state will also have specific requirements placed on the type of CE that you can obtain. Some examples of this include requiring in-person CE compared to online CE. During the COVID pandemic, multiple states switched to allowing all online CE, and some of these states, such as Kentucky, have kept these allowances.² There are also specific types of CE that some states require. For example, in North Carolina you are required to have a minimum “two (2) hours of CE on the ‘abuse of controlled substances.”⁵ It is important to double-check the specific requirements for holding and renewing your veterinary technician credentialing in each state you plan to be credentialed in as each differs in their requirements. It is also possible for an individual to hold a credential in multiple states, provided they apply in each individual state and follow the CE requirements per each state to renew them as needed. Credentialed veterinary technicians have different titles in each state, as well. The majority of states (36 percent) use the title “certified veterinary technician,” closely followed by “registered veterinary technician (32 percent), and “licensed veterinary technician” (30 percent).⁹ There is only one state that currently uses the title “licensed veterinary medical technician,” which is Tennessee.⁹ Another interesting fact about Tennessee and its credential titles is that they differentiate between an associate’s degree and a bachelor’s degree in veterinary technology. An associate degree will provide you with the credential licensed veterinary medical technician (LVMT), while a bachelor’s degree will provide you with the credential licensed veterinary medical technologist (LVMTg). Veterinary technician specialties One way a CrVT can continue to expand their knowledge within the field is to obtain a Veterinary Technician Specialty (VTS) through the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA). Currently, NAVTA offers 16 different vet tech specialties.¹¹ Within these specialties, you will have additional continuing education requirements that follow their strict application process. The application process itself can take years to prepare for and often includes multiple case studies, skills, and working under a DVM specialist of the same area of interest for thousands of hours. The continuing education requirement for the individual vet tech specialties are more focused within their designated area. For example the Academy of Veterinary Technicians in Anesthesia and Analgesia requires CE hours pertaining to anesthesia or peri-operative analgesia.⁶ These specialties allow a CrVT to expand their knowledge and provide them with the deserved acknowledgement that goes along with the skills and education required to obtain the certification. It can also increase the utilization of the CrVT. The required CE for these specializations allows the CrVT the ability to stay as up to date as possible within their specialized field. Evolving medicine Medicine is forever evolving, and for this reason, continuing education is important for anyone within the medical community. This includes everyone from medical doctors to veterinarians and from nurses to credentialed veterinary technicians. As medicine in the world evolves, it is pertinent the medical community evolves with it. A recent change that is making a large impact on our veterinary patients is the utilization of Fear Free handling. Ten years ago, Fear Free was rarely heard of and everyone thought they were handling animals best by getting them through the veterinary appointment as quickly as possible. Now there are entire certifications that revolve around ways to lower the fear, anxiety, and stress of patients. This is a welcome change, that is not only better for the patients, but helps to develop a less anxiety ridden veterinary clinic to work in. Another change in veterinary medicine is the use of MRI, ultrasound scans, and laparoscopy that were used solely on human beings are now the norm for treating pets and other animals as well.”⁷ These vast changes in not just medical research, but in technology are great examples of how medicine is always evolving. To keep up with the medical advances and provide the level of patient care our patients deserve requires continual learning within the field. This is why continuing education is a requirement and an important aspect of continuing to practice within the veterinary field. How CE is obtained Continuing education can be obtained by a variety of options, including, but not limited to: conferences, online articles, live webinars, pre-recorded webinars, etc. These CE options are normally developed by a colleague within the field who has a background in the area they are presenting on. This allows others to learn new techniques, skills, technological advances from their peers and at a level that is interesting and engaging to them. “The AAVSB’s Registry of Approved Continuing Education (RACE) program develops and applies uniform standards for veterinary medicine continuing education.”⁴ With multiple states moving to allow CE to come from an online format, there have been multiple sites developed to fill this need. These sites range from free CE to ones with a charge and from live webinars to online course scenarios. Fear Free Pets is an online CE that comes with a cost, but also allows for certification. Most of their courses are RACE approved and help to bring a CrVT into the new era of handling and restraining pets with the least amount of fear, anxiety, and stress possible. You can visit https://www.fearfreepets.com to view their online offerings. Another option is www.VETgirlontherun.com, this is an online site that has both a free list of CE and also a subscription to more CE options. VETgirl has a mixture of webinar based CE and online videos you can watch to obtain your required hours. A free website that contains an abundance of free online CE, is www.VetMedTeam.com. This website is helpful for finding specific CE requirements for individual states, such as North Carolina and its requirement for CE on abuse of controlled substances. Belonging to the veterinary medical community in any aspect should lend itself to also agreeing to be a lifelong learner and always being prepared to update your current way of thinking. The bottom line for the importance of CE for credentialed veterinary technicians is that it benefits our patients, and that is why we are all in the field. Attending continuing education throughout the years helps to fuel the fire and passion that credentialed veterinary technicians have for this field and helps them to constantly feel growth within their career and an expansion of their skills. Leigha Wright, RVT, LVT, MBA, is the clinical coordinator and adjunct professor for Appalachian State University Veterinary Technology Program. She has worked in multiple Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratories and within veterinary education for both veterinarians and veterinary technicians. Wright is originally from eastern Kentucky, and currently resides in Texas. References Accreditation of veterinary technology programs. American Veterinary Medical Association.https://www.avma.org/education/center-for-veterinary-accreditation/accreditation-veterinary-technicians Continuing Education. Kentucky Board of Veterinary Examiners. https://www.kybve.com/continuing-education.html CVTEA accreditation policies and procedures. American Veterinary Medical Association. https://www.avma.org/education/center-for-veterinary-accreditation/committee-veterinary-technician-education-activities/cvtea-accreditation-policies-and-procedures-appendix-g Find RACE® approved CE programs. American Association of Veterinary State Boards.https://www.aavsb.org/ce-services/race/find-race-program-provider#:~:text=The%20AAVSB's%20Registry%20of%20Approved,for%20veterinary%20medicine%20continuing%20education Licensing / Registration. North Carolina Veterinary Medical Board. https://www.ncvmb.org/professional.php?section=licensing List of Approved Academies. National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America. https://navta.net/veterinary-technician-specialties/list-of-approved-academies/ Molloy, Tom. How changing technology is helping veterinary medicine and practice. https://www.vetport.com/technology-helping-veterinary-medicine#:~:text=Over%20the%20past%20decade%20or,and%20other%20animals%20as%20well RACE CE requirements by state. VETgirl. https://help.vetgirlontherun.com/knowledge/race-ce-requirements-by-state Regulated and Non-Regulated Jurisdiction Reference List. American Association of Veterinary State Boards. https://www.aavsb.org/vtne-overview/ Study for the VTNE. American Association of Veterinary State Boards. https://www.aavsb.org/vtne-overview/study-for-the-vtne VTS: The NAVTA Committee on Veterinary Technician Specialties. National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America. https://navta.net/veterinary-technician-specialties/

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Don't forget about CE for vet techs

A look at the benefits of and requirements for continuing education

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