Why is it Important to Salute Our Veterinary Technician Heroes?
Vet Tech Week is fast approaching, and here at I Love Veterinary, we can’t wait to celebrate.
Veterinary technicians fulfill a key role in veterinary hospitals by providing high-level care and education to help patients and staff.
This role is often under-appreciated due to less client face-to-face time which can lead members of the general public not to understand the critical importance of veterinary technicians in the clinic setting.
It is also essential for other veterinary team members to consider and value their colleagues’ work to help garner a healthy relationship of respect and appreciation.
Tips For Veterinary Professionals in Preparation of National Vet Tech Week
Here is a list of helpful ideas that veterinary professionals can use to get prepared for NVTW:
- Start planning early: Make sure to have a meeting with your team a few weeks or months in advance to plan what needs to be done to make sure nothing is left to the last minute.
- Delegate tasks: Ensure full team involvement by involving staff members in the planning and execution of tasks. Give everyone a role to help ensure a successful week.
- Consider goals you’d like to reach: If there’s a certain message you’d like to spread, consider actions that can reach your target audience, such as a slogan you can use or ways to educate.
- Announce the event in advance on Facebook, newsletters, and posters to allow for the biggest engagement you can get. Also, make sure to let the veterinary technicians you work with know you’re planning an event to celebrate them.
Vet Tech Week Preparation Ideas for Professional Organizations
A professional organization can also get involved in spreading the word. This can be very effective because the reach is often greater than individual veterinary hospitals.
Some ideas are listed below:
- Associations serving large states may want to consider hosting multiple events at locations that people can travel to.
- Choose a day and time which is likely to get the biggest attendance for your event. For example, hosting it during working hours will make it difficult for vet techs to attend. If you are unsure, consider a poll of attendees to see when suits them.
- Advertise early and widely to ensure good attendance. Use newsletters, emails and contact local veterinary hospitals to make sure everyone knows about your event.
- Ask for sponsorship from pharmaceutical, food, and veterinary supply companies to help provide for your event. Also, consider asking businesses for donations of goods to be used as door prizes to encourage attendance.
- Make sure to consider the message you are looking to provide to attendees of events you host, whether it be education or just a simple thank you to vet techs and all they do.
What Can You Do in Your Practice to Keep Your Skilled Vet Techs?
Veterinary technicians are highly skilled and are a valuable part of a veterinary team. Unfortunately, staff retention can be a big problem within veterinary hospitals, but it should be a top priority to keep the experience and skills of your vet techs around.
Here are some ideas on vet tech retention in clinics:
- Utilize the skills vet techs have: Veterinary technicians have skills and knowledge that they have acquired in their education. Getting vet techs involved will provide job satisfaction and also helps to free up time for veterinarians to focus on other tasks that require their medical education.
- Offering retention bonuses: Having a bonus scheme at work to promote loyalty to your company may help to encourage staff to continue working at your business for an extended period of time. It allows something to look forward to and rewards staff that sticks with your business.
- Celebrating your staff: National Vet Tech Week is an excellent opportunity to show your appreciation to your team and let them know you see the hard work they do. Feeling appreciated goes a long way to enjoying your job.
- Make sure staff take regular breaks and leave on time: It is too easy for a boss or veterinarian not to realize your support staff is becoming burnt out, especially if you’re also busy. Hiring extra staff or changing the booking system in the diary to allow for a quieter time in the middle of the day and home time may help with this.
- Regular staff meetings and good communication will help make sure any issues are raised and dealt with in a timely manner.
Final Thoughts
Vet techs are a vital component of a well-functioning veterinary hospital. In addition, their education and skills make them a valuable resource for staff and clients alike.
Let’s all get ready to have a fun national vet tech appreciation week to celebrate their help in the veterinary community.