Tech Appreciation Week!
Last week was Vet Tech Appreciation Week. Join Nessie in showing appreciation for the hard work and emotional toll that veterinary technicians experience. This snack-size episode discusses the many hats we wear in our job roles. Let's all be kind and show gratitude. Stay tuned until the end for an AI song dedicated to vet techs called “Vet Tech Anthem”! Contact the podcast at letstalk@petliferadio.com and follow on Facebook at Let's Talk About Pets. And we now have an Instagram @Talk_pets_with_us.
Listen to Episode #1 Now:
Transcript:
Let's talk about pets, baby. Let's talk about ticks and fleas. And all the fun things that we see.
Smart tips and tricks guaranteed. Hey, everybody, it's time For. for kind of like a snack. A little
between episode snack. As you may know, next week, starting on the 12th is Vet Tech
Appreciation Week. This is a very important week because this job can get very stressful. Not to
say that the vet techs are not appreciated all the rest of the year. We just pay extra attention this
week. Especially because mental health is such a problem in this field. It is going to be an
episode topic for a later date, so, and I will start by touching on a little bit about what does a
veterinary technician do. First of all, they handle general care of the patients. They are the ones
that have their hands on the patients more than even the doctor. The doctor will do their exam
and those kind of things. But the nurses are usually the ones that perform any treatments or
handling of the patient while getting an exam. Not only are we taking care of the pets and
surgery assistants and oral hygienists. We're also doing the laboratory tests. They are also the
janitor. Some hospitals are lucky and have people that come and help clean. And we're very
fortunate in our hospital where we have a crew that comes in three days a week to clean. A lot
of times in smaller hospitals that they don't have extra staff available for those kind of things. So
once the vet tech is finished in the room, she's also the one cleaning the room and getting it
ready for the next person stocking the needles so that they're available for the next vaccine that
needs to be drawn up. They are a shoulder to cry on. when. Loved ones across the Rainbow
bridge and you get hard news. Is the diagnosis or prognosis? A lot of times your vet tech is
there to support you. They have seen this before. They have experienced dealing with grief and
grieving people, and a lot of times they're a great shoulder to lean on now, not everybody wants
you to put their face on their shoulder and cry upon them, but I'm okay with it. I will give a hug to
anybody who needs that hug. I'm here for you, and you want to sit and cry together and talk
about your dog's favorite memories. I am there for you. Tell me about when you first adopted
your baby. Tell me your favorite story about that time you stole your neighbor's dog bones out of
the garage, and he was just taking off down the street with a box of milk bones that he found.
True story that someone shared with me. I love these delightful moments that are your favorite
memories, and now they get to be a story I can look back on fondly. We get attached to patients
as well. We see them regularly. We're hands on, helping treat and feeling a lot of emotions. We
didn't live with them for the 15 years, you know? But but we were watching them grow up
alongside you through their puppy visits, neuter spay procedures and through the times they
came to get routine blood work. And then that one time the bloodwork came back a little wonky.
And now life changed. So let us be there. With you. We have experience in the matter and
though, like I said, not all of us want to hug and touch other people. I'm the first one to jump right
on in there and be like, bring it in, I got you. And when you have that kind of nervous dog, you
want to make sure that when that doctor is up in the dog's face, that they don't lose an eye
because the dog snapped at them. So you're really there as that extra layer of protection while
they are trying to evaluate your canals. That work is extensive. I'm not here to say our job is
harder than any other job out there. I know that each job comes with its own checks and
balances, but what I am saying is this job can be hard. It can. It's a lot on a vet tech sometimes.
And actually just saying thank you is enough. We're in it because we love the animals. We're in
it because we love medicine and we can't handle human medicine. Like, if I see a human
Band-Aid, like I'm going to yank it, I can't, I cannot. So I still love the idea of medicine and
making things better. I just don't want to touch like a person. So, you know, animals are great
and I feel more comfortable around them. So anyway, you don't have to bombard the vet clinics
with donuts because we all know we just don't need more donuts. We love donuts, and if they
are there, we will eat them. But if you try a nice fruit basket or a thank you card, handwritten,
just your own personal words will do better than a sugar induced coma. And for those of you
guys that are mad that I suggested something other than sugar, I know, but I love you. And
that's why I'm doing this. As someone who has fought with pre-diabetes and those kind of things
myself. Here's a summary. A veterinary technician is more than just the person who holds the
dog while the doctor gives the shot. We are the ones that are handling the general care of the
patients. Wear the surgical assistants, the oral hygienist, the groomer to some degree, the X-ray
technician, the phlebotomist, the laboratory technician, the janitors where the lunch lady or man,
making sure the patients are fed the dog walkers so that they're not in there holding their
bladder after being on fluids and whatnot. We are the educators in the room, working face to
face with people to make sure that they are all understanding what the plan is for their pet, the
shoulder to cry on when you get that bad news, or when you have to make that end of life
decision. We've been there. We've been through it. Let us be there for you. We are the person
that gets vented out when things don't go well. We are also the doctor's assistant and we've got
their back no matter what. Just. Just be nice. Everyone's got their own stuff going on. And
sometimes just to think he was enough. So be kind out there, you guys. This was just a little
snippet of a episode and we'll be back with another full episode. Anyway, enjoy that tech
appreciation week next week. Everybody do good. Be good, people. Have fun out there. Uh,
stay responsible and show everybody that you appreciate them. Oh, you can also follow us on
Facebook at Let's Talk About Pets and you can send us an email at Talk Pets with us at
gmail.com. I am always willing to chat with you if you have things to say. I'm also accepting any
reviews that you find online or bad pet advice that you want to share with me so that we can put
them on the podcast for you. And yeah, there you go. That's it. And Lets talk about pets baby,
bye!