The Economic Impact of Certified Veterinary Technicians on Ontario Veterinary Practices

Shoichiro Yukawa^*
*Correspondence: Shoichiro Yukawa, Department of Comparative Animal Science, College of Life Science, Kurashiki University of Science and The Arts, Okayama, Japan, Email:

Introduction

In a number of nations, the term "veterinary nurse" has been in use for decades. The first Animal Nursing Auxiliary training program was approved by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) in the United Kingdom in 1961, and the British Veterinary Nursing Association was established in 1965. In 1992, veterinary nurses in New Zealand formed a formal organization, and in 1995, the Veterinary Nurses Council was established in Australia. The Accreditation Committee for Veterinary Nurse Education was established in 2007 in the European Union (EU) to accredit veterinary nurse education programs. There are currently more than 70 accredited programs from seven EU nations. It is interesting that, despite its widespread use for more than 50 years, the title "veterinary nurse" does not have any legal protection in the United Kingdom. The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) petitioned the government in 2015 to safeguard the title "veterinary nurse." The concern was that individuals without the necessary education and training could use the title veterinary nurse because the title is not protected by law. Even though there were more than 36,000 signatures on the petition, the government did not provide the requested legal protection [1].

Description

The intensity of each behavioral expression was scored using visual analogue scales (VAS) ranging from Minimum to Maximum. By measuring the distance in millimeters between each VAS's Minimum point and the observer's tick on the scale, QBA scores were recorded. The data were then transferred to a Microsoft Excel^® 2010 spreadsheet. Stata SE/16.1 (StataCorp, College Station, Texas) was utilized for the statistical analyses. Principal component analysis (PCA) with a correlation matrix (no rotation) was used to analyze the QBA data. PCA reduces the number of variables to a few main components, each consisting of correlated behavioral expressions, and reveals the data's underlying structure. We used a combination of the Kaiser's criterion and the scree plot criterion to help figure out how many components to keep. PC1, PC2, which explained the majority of the data's variance, were retained, and component scores were calculated [2]. The observer's reliability was evaluated using Kendall's coefficient of concordance (W). The component scores and the scores for each behavioural descriptor were evaluated for their inter-observer reliability. With data from the two distinct time points (Part Ib and Part II), only the component scores and their intra-observer reliability were taken into account. Martin and Bateson were used to interpret the reliability coefficients.

Treatments for small animals like dogs, cats, and so on have risen significantly in recent years, and pet owners' emotional ties to their animals have grown stronger. As a result, pet owners look to animal hospitals for high-quality services and treatment. There is a similar risk of violence against veterinary medical professionals in light of these expectations. However, neither the frequency nor the severity of violence in veterinary hospitals have been the subject of a comprehensive study to date. As a member of the staff who assists the veterinarian in the treatment of small animals, the veterinary nurse visits small animal medical facilities to inquire about veterinary medical care procedures (often involving interactions with pet owners). Veterinary attendants assume a significant part in present day veterinary medication [3]. The Japan Nursing Association has developed Guidelines for Countermeasures Against Violence in Health and Welfare Facilities because in-hospital violence has emerged as a major issue for nurses who provide human medical care. Numerous veterinary hospitals have recently had occupational health surveys carried out; be that as it may, there are no definite reports tending to in-clinic boisterous attack, brutality, and lewd behavior against veterinary attendants. To fill this void, we surveyed veterinary nurses using a questionnaire to ascertain the severity and frequency of violence against staff members in small animal hospitals. The questionnaire method, findings, and conclusion are all discussed in this paper [4].

692 technicians received degrees from Canada's 19 accredited colleges in 2017. There were an average of 35 RVT job postings per month in the CVJ in 2014, compared to 106 so far in 2018. How can we address this issue when there hasn't been a triple-digit increase in the number of graduates in the last four years? Graduate numbers can't grow quickly enough to meet the needs of the workforce because of issues with infrastructure and funding for colleges. A class from Olds College will graduate every 15 months, but the majority of technicians would prefer that the program be extended to three years. Already, the curriculum is having trouble keeping up with the clinically required technical skills. Although most colleges have a communications program, it would be nice to see it expanded to include instruction on how to handle difficult workplace situations and mock scenarios. When students have early access to animals while they are in school, it has been demonstrated that they will be more successful in a clinical setting. Does this access exist for all programs? Are we taking on the right people? After the minimum academic requirements have been met, some programs still apply a first-come, first-served admissions policy. Does this permit entry to the program for the best applicants? Even though it would cost a lot of money in human resources, is it time to look into using interviews when selecting students [5].

We implemented our training program in our small colony of barrier-only mice, which had grown from 15,000 to more than 20,000 mice in three years. To deal with the increased workload, we increased our animal husbandry staff and staff from two to three veterinary technicians. The veterinary specialists working in this little boundary province each had quite a long while of involvement and had either accomplished or were looking for AALAS certificate at the Lab Creature Professional (LAT) level or above. In spite of these actions, the technicians had very little time to provide animal treatments or technical services and struggled to complete daily animal health checks.

Conclusion

Numerous studies on in-hospital violence against medical professionals who work in the field of human medicine have been conducted in recent years due to a strong concern about this issue. However, no such survey has yet been carried out in the field of veterinary medicine. Small animal hospitals rely heavily on veterinary nurses. The purpose of this study was to determine whether small animal hospitals experienced violence against veterinary nurses.

Acknowledgement

None.

Conflict of Interest

No conflict of interest.

References

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