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ViewsWhy Are Veterinary Technicians Fighting to Be Called Nurses?
Should the term “nurse” be brought into another field of healthcare? Well, these veterinary techs think so. There is a currently a movement among veterinary technicians who are lobbying to be able to use the word “nurse” to describe their profession, with the logical argument that, if veterinarians are to animals what doctors are to humans, then vet technicians are to animals what nurses are to humans.
This movement is sanctioned by the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA) and it is causing much controversy among nurses. The movement itself is called the Veterinary Nurse Initiative and is headed by a subgroup of the NAVTA that goes by the same name; its objective is to replace current credentials with the title “registered veterinarian nurse.” However, while NAVTA is hard at work reaching out to organizations that would support them in their mission, the American Nurses Association (ANA) stands firm in its position to defend the heritage and history of the “nurse” title and to use it only for those who meet the qualifications of the profession.
The ANA’s resistance to acknowledge vet technicians as “nurses of the animal kingdom,” may seem unreasonable, at a glance. However, on the contrary, the association respects the work that these technicians perform for the health of our beloved pets and animals and insists that efforts must be made to further standardize the education and licensure process. They have also stated that the nursing profession has undergone a process that spanned over a hundred years to become the most trusted and ethical profession for 17 almost-consecutive years. In a 2018 poll that was held by Gallup, the nursing profession was voted as the most ethical and honest out of 20 other careers, a reward that could be undermined should they agree to share the nursing title with another profession, regardless of the similarities.
Vet technicians, on the other hand, insist that their current title only serves to sow confusion among those who might wonder what their credentials imply, and about the activities that they are tasked with in the workplace. Furthermore, the “technician” in their credentials, according to the VNI, is a subject of belittlement from patients and colleagues. They state that, by adopting the “nurse” title in their credentials, this might help them tap into its potential connotations, to help establish their worth and purpose in the workplace, and to avoid confusion from those who are not familiar with the term “veterinary technician.”
The foundation of their proposal, besides the one we mentioned above, also relies heavily on the fact that the word “nurse” does not imply a professional formation of any kind; nurses are just people that tend to the sick and wounded. This interpretation leaves space for vet techs to adopt it into their credentials without this being inaccurate or misleading. But, the ANA stands firm in its position and insists that the respect that human nurses currently hold in the healthcare industry is a product of hard work, something that could be undermined should they choose to share it with others.
The struggle by VNI to have them formally adopt the veterinary nurse credential has been ongoing for several years now and involves legislation to make the change official in the eyes of the law. Unfortunately, they have been met with shut doors on every occasion which, however, has not deterred their spirit and drive to legally change their professional titles. On the other hand, the ANA and other related organizations are also vying for their own stake in this matter, and will not back down as long as the VNI keeps pushing for their change.
This situation has elevated to the point of resembling a classic Mexican standoff as many groups are lobbying both for and against this change. The Tennessee Nurses Association, regarding this matter, has released the following statement: “While we laud the efforts of veterinary technicians to standardize their education and licensure, we believe that title ‘nurse’ should be protected and only used for the care of humans.” However, what remains true is the support that vet techs have from many groups, including the ANA, for the NAVTA to continue standardizing and advancing their licensure procedures to fortify the credentials of those who study to work in this field.
It seems matters are not quite going the way vet techs want it. However, those who work in this thankless industry can rest easy knowing that there are many groups, both official and unofficial, that are constantly lobbying for their rights and for them to receive the recognition they deserve. There is no doubt that vet techs deserve all the praise in the world for keeping our pets healthy. However, when it comes to this matter, in particular, it seems the ANA is very firm in its position and shows no sign of compromise.
So, what do you think? Do you think veterinary technicians should be called “nurses”, or do you think it should only be reserved for human care?
38 comments on Why Are Veterinary Technicians Fighting to Be Called Nurses?
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Why Are Veterinary Technicians Fighting to Be Called Nurses?
By nurseadvisorofficial
Veterinary technicians across the U.S. are starting a movement to change their title to “nurse”, but organizations like the ANA think the title should be reserved for those involved in human care. Learn more.
No to vet “nurse” title. By law only professional nurses may legally go by the title “nurse”. Figure out a different title that conveys the respect you seek. It’s very confusing, especially to the public, to think that title could be shared with animal care givers.
Something like Registered (or Certified) Vet Tech (RVT) conveys education. The title “Nurse” at this time is reserved for those caring for humans.
You do realise that veterinary nurses here in the UK go through a lot of training and qualifications to earn that title, and I imagine that their US counterparts do too?
Yes, they do; however, we do not have that educational standardization in the U.S. So maybe once we hold ourselves to the same standard we can talk about it. But it doesn’t change that “Nurse” is a legally protected title in the U.S. and good luck changing that.
Considering that, as a *licensed* vet tech I need to understand the anatomy of not one species but multiple, the effects of drugs on these multiple species, as well as act as a radiology tech, phlebotomist, mental health counselor, dental assistant, pharmacy tech, surgical assistant, anesthetist, and on and on… I think that yes, even though I work on animals, I deserve the title of nurse. I don’t know one human nurse that has the ability or knowledge that a vet tech has. You have to know one species; a species that can talk after the age of 2, can reason, and cooperate under the right situations. I’ve done human medicine and it’s nothing compared to what we do in this field. The gate keeping is pathetic and we deserve more respect.
As an RN, I disagree. People of different cultures act differently to medication. Animals don’t become addicted to drugs, people do which causes different reactions to medication. I am assuming you didn’t work very long with humans. I worked hard for my degree and licensure. Maybe pick a title like veterinarian assistant so as not to confuse people on who you really take care of—their beloved pets.
Animals of different species react to meds differently, not only different species, different breeds of the same species can react differently to certain medications and therapies.
“Veterinary assistant” is already taken by, well, veterinary assistants. I truly don’t understand the opposition to the title “veterinary nurse.” Every argument I’ve heard against the term “veterinary nurse” can be met with a better counter-argument. If you’d like some examples, I’d be happy to share them with you.
I respect what you do, truly. I believe we also deserve the same respect. Veterinarians are called Doctors too but you don’t see Physicians or any other person with the title “Doctor” in a tizzy about it.
“Doctor” is a degree, not a job description. The “Doctor” in a Veterinarian’s title refers to the degree they earned, a “Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine” (DVM). Physicians earn a Doctorate of Medicine, or Doctorate of Osteopathy (MD or DO). Veterinarians are not called Physicians, which is the job title for those holding a doctoral degree and treating humans. Anyone who earns a doctorate is entitled to the title of “Doctor” including Pharmacists, Physical therapists, PhD qualified scientists, and Educators.
I totally agree! My daughter is starting her clinical aspect soon. Nurses think they are better for taking care of humans and not animals, well I’ve seen some RN’s in action and they are nasty, so much for compassion! It should be universal in the US, Registered Veterinary Nurse!!
I just came back from Banfield vet hospital and got into a heated discussion as I was offended by the girls calling themselves muses! They said RN s are for humans and Vet techs are the same as an RN because they get lisenced by the state. I’ve been an RN for 45 years and don’t want to share that title. We are educated and have the medical background and knowledge behind our “ tasks”. The vet techs are more in line with a nurses aide or medical assistant NOT an RN or even a LVN. They were very rude, pompous and arrogant and I need to take my animals elsewhere! To me this movement is demeaning to our profession!
I’m sorry you feel that way. They shouldn’t have made you feel they were rude, pompous or arrogant. Unless you have worked (walked) in the shoes of the veterinary technicians you really don’t know the medical background or knowledge it takes to do the job with animals on any level. I’m sure you don’t know the education it takes to graduate either from 2 year or 4 year school at university for veterinary technology or technicians. No one owns the term nurse. It’s free for anyone to say an use. It’s already being used legally in the uK for their veterinary nurses so in one respect it is being used for and in veterinary medicine. I feel the same about the prefix Dr used by anyone especially when spoken. No ones name is Dr. Parkhurst unless of course some parent names their child that. To me, the statement “this movement is demeaning to our profession!” is demeaning to your profession.
People like you just don’t get it, can you read the words Registered Veterinary Nurse? How can this title be confused with a Registered Nurse, unless people are uneducated and don’t know what the word Veterinary means!
I don’t understand your logic. We are also highly educated too? I have scratches and bite wounds from working with animals. I am sure you also have “battle scars” from combative patients. Registered Nurses can become registered in two years. So can a vet tech.
I would argue that we do the exact same things a nurse does if not more. We are kennel assistants, phlebotomists, surgical assistants, x-ray technicians, behavior specialists, dental assistants, and sometimes receptionists too. We also administer medications, intubate, and take vitals (temp, pulse, resp).
Also, did you know that, just like nurses, veterinarians and vet NURSES have one of the highest suicide rates of any profession? Why? Because this job requires us to be on our feet for 10-12 hours between 3-5 days a week. It’s very physically and emotionally demanding. I’m sure you would understand given that you are an RN.
You may feel like these vet nurses were rude, pompous, and arrogant but human nurses can be too? Instead of fighting one another of a title, we should learn to understand and appreciate one another. I admire what you do truly.
Registered Veterinary Technicians do FAR MORE than human nurses. We are anesthetists, dental prophylactic professionals to include extractions, we can sterilize, flush, and suture existing wounds, splint and bandage broken limbs, calculate proper drug dosages, perform humane euthanasia, and so much more… We are the true nurses
Yes, I think vet techs should be considered nurses as well! We do the same jobs and provide the same services as human nurses, sometimes even more. On one shift alone I have been a anesthesia nurse, a ICU nurse, a lab technician, pharmacist, neonatal nurse, floater nurse, discharge nurse, radiology nurse and a general practice nurse running rooms…. We don’t specialize in one thing we have to be able to do it all, and do it fast and efficiently. On top of that most of our patients are moving targets for blood draws and IV catheters. Not to mention all the times you have to avoid getting seriously injured, bitten or scratched. I am not saying nurses don’t deserve their title, they do they have worked hard for it, but so do we!
That’s exactly the point though.. Nurses have worked very hard to protect their title and Vet Techs do a lot more than nurses all at once. So why should vet techs get to ride on the coat tails of nurses? Vet techs should have their own protected title that they also worked hard for to convey all the work they do.
Lol these comments kills me, as an ER nurse I can almost guarantee that a vet tec does not have the responsibility nor the skills to state they preform at or above a nurse in the veterinary setting. Try managing a stroke code, while trying to keep a septic patient alive, all the while trying to place an IV in a patient high on meth who thinks native Americans are trying to kill him (true story). All the while the doctors just slap orders in and spend 1 minute with the patient. Considering a vet tec makes a mistake and in the eyes of the legal system it’s not big deal. A nurse makes a mistake your talking lawsuit, licensure revocation, and even jail time. Though please by all means compare to professions on two different levels and give them both the same title.
I mean…we do all of that, while trying not to get bit and dealing with rude owners. I’d like to see you do my job on multiple species m, knowing which specific breeds are more sensitive to different types of anesthetic drugs (because yes we do anesthesia and calculate all our own drugs too.)
Don’t act like you know what we do.
Lmao try working in a Veterinary ICU with multiple neuro, ortho, emergency surgery patients on multiple CRI’s managing, Q4 drugs on other critical patients? ICU criticalists will place orders without checking what the surgeon ordered. Leaving technicians with the same order issues. Have you placed a central line on dogs ranging from 10-160lbs? Ever tried placing an iv on a 3lb cat, whose veins are the size of a thread? while other techs are doing CPR and intubating it? Can you set up an xray machine for a dog who had a TPLO and determine correct plate and screw placements? How about use a CT or an MRI machine? Vet techs in emergency specialty hospitals would run circles around you bed side nurses
I agree that declaring veterinary technicians “Veterinary Nurses,” is confusing and undesirable! Quite a few licensed veterinary technicians, including myself, are NOT “fighting to be called Veterinary Nurses.” I greatly oppose the proposed change designation of my professional licensure to “Veterinary Nurse.” Not all veterinary technicians “nurse” animals in private veterinary practices. That is only one function we fill. Some of us have applied our professional expertise to specialized laboratory work or veterinary testing; some are engaged in biological field research and to veterinary-related fields associated with food animal production …and so forth. I personally resent “Veterinary Nurse” because would actually limit the perception of my unique skills and constrain what many of us can do in our careers.
There is the perception among many veterinary techs that changing our designation to “nurse” will actually reduce work opportunities and adversely impact salary levels. “Nursing” has historically been perceived as a “predominantly female job” which — however unjustified — has painted “nursing” as a “pink collar job” that earns lower wages and respect in the workplace than male-dominated “jobs.” That said, you may find it amusing, or perhaps disturbing, to know that a CA Registered Veterinary Technician such as myself greatly resents the proposed change in my professional title to any sort of “Nurse.”
I support selecting a name for licensed veterinary technicians that will bring greater consistency and understanding to the RVT field across all 50 states; however, I am not now… and will not consider myself in the future… a “Veterinary Nurse.” I am a former zoo keeper at the L. A. Zoo with experience in the zoo’s veterinary center; I have had a satisfying longterm career at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL), and I have co-founded two non-profit nature conservancies. From the veterinary side of the fence, I totally support the opposition of “human” nurses to veterinary technicians being renamed “Veterinary Nurses.” I hope this specific name change can be stopped!
This is the gist of my understanding from this article:
1. Vet techs want to be recognized for their contribution to veterinary medicine.
2. They see the title of “nurse” as having the level of recognition they would like.
3. They want to appropriate the title of “nurse,” which has been cultivated by another over the past 200 years to represent ethics and trustworthiness.
So, they want the recognition without the work required to be recognized.
It is clear that you do not understand what it takes to be a Certified Veterinary Technician. I completely respect the work of nurses and would in no way ever consider undermining that. I would like to know what it is you believe you do that is so much more ethical, trustworthy and respectable than your animal caring counterparts? This is being asked genuinely.
I work in human healthcare currently but still retain my veterinary certification (which required school and both state and national certification exams as well as C.E’s) and worked in that field over a decade. I had to perform every single function a nurse performs in surgery, ICU, routine patient care, ER, radiology, dentistry… and on multiple species as well as neonatal to geriatric patients. In every case I did so with a patient who could not describe their symptoms or pain and whos treatment depended solely on their owners consent. So again I ask to please explain what makes human nurses more deserving of this title?
Nurses are more deserving because they fought for protection of that title. It is legally protected. Vet Techs can find a standardized title and fight for that as well; why does it have to be nurse?
The UK adopted the term Veterinary Nurse. I truly don’t understand why we can’t use the term “vet nurse.” We are also fighting very hard to advocate for ourselves much like human nurses did (and still do) all of this is happening while we get paid poorly. The starting pay in my area is $14-$18 an hour depending on your experience.
Registered Veterinary Technicians are more than animal care givers. We are a highly educated and perform the job duties of an RN as well as other health care fields (ultrasonography, radiolog techs, dental hygenists, etc). The licensing procedures we go through are on the basis of accredited education and hands on skills. Calling us caregivers is ignoring all the many others aspects that make vet techs qualified to be use the name nurse.
“Perform the job duties of RN” So, you are a registered nurse? No, you do not work on humans. You are not qualified to work as a nurse, on humans. I personally know people and have friends that are veterinarians as well as vet techs. They are wonderful, well educated and hardworking professionals. Nurse is a protected title and should stay that way. Choose an appropriate title for what you do, then spend years defending and working your way to the most honest and trustworthy profession. That’s what nurses have done.
You said, “Choose an appropriate title for what you do, then spend years defending and working your way to the most honest and trustworthy profession. That’s what nurses have done.”
That’s exactly what we are doing. We are fighting for an appropriate title to gain the respect we deserve. We have been fighting for YEARS to get this title. I might be wrong but the fight for this title has been ongoing for more than ten years.
Both professions deserve respect. In my opinion, the only way we can get that respect is by changing our title from vet tech to vet nurse.
We do the same work a nurse does if not more. That doesn’t mean we are superior in any way. Yet our work is ridiculously similar to human nurses.
No to vet nurses, it creates confusion in the marketplace further, vet techs drop the veterinary portion of the title that differentiates them from nurses; why not just adopt veterinary assistant which better describes their role
Yes please! I’m a veterinary technician that went to school and is registered through my state after sitting down for the board examination. We do so much in a day. I’m an anesthesiologist, a phlebotomist, an x-ray tech, dentist, do microscopy, end of life care, educator and more and I make just above poverty level before taxes. But okay. Have a human nurse bring their animal in and “I’m just a technician”
Not just a technician, but by no means a “nurse”.
I believe neither sides can nor will they be able to know what the other does in its entirety. However, I would imagine another title, that doesn’t diminish the years of trust and hardwork done by one profession, would be suitable for vet techs. One article said there was confusion over the many different names a vet tech has, so why don’t they choose one and go with it. That same article said vet tech deserve more recognition, respect and I agree, but not on the coat tails of another profession. By the way, nurses are not safe nor respected by many patients. We are not the same by the standards of law. Our title needs to remain protected!
Vet Techs could lobby for Certification or possibly a tittle like Veterinary Assistant much like a Physician Assistant. Nursing has struggled for years to attain and maintain the level of professionalism we have. The pandemic stressed us to a new limit, and as we fight to care for the sick I feel we don’t need the stress of having a person at the Vet introducing themselves as the “nurse”. I value the Veterinary personnel who care for my pets. I don’t want that fact overlooked . They are not nurses.
Veterinary assistant is already taken by, well, veterinary assistants. I’m currently in school to become a veterinary assistant. My roles are completely different from a tech. As a vet assist, I’m in charge of restraining an animal, cleaning kennels, or stocking supplies. Techs on the other hand are doing so much more if not more than what a nurse does all the while understanding the behavior and anatomy of different species. This doesn’t make techs superior to nurses but I hope that helps you understand a little more as to what techs do. They are NURSES but for animals.
As both a veterinarian and a RN, it is hard for me to believe there is such controversy over the the word “nurse”. Though standardization is underway, I agree there is work to be done in further structuring the educational requirements and titles veterinary technician receive, but what they do is NURSING. They administer care in the same way human nurses do, just with other species. Standing on the platform of the title nurse being gleaned from centuries worth of work is pious. The Oxford dictionary defines nurse as “a person trained to care for the sick or infirm, especially in a hospital”. Veterinary technicians do just this. Legal or not, human nurses do not own this title. If legislation is being used to keep them out, the law needs to be modified.
In the US, we veterinarians earn the title of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (one school grants VMD for veterinary medical doctor). Why would we not do the same for veterinary technicians, call them veterinary nurses? There is no confusion if they call themselves veterinary nurses, just like we call ourselves veterinary doctors. When I am addressed by name, I am called Doctor Mason, not Veterinarian Mason. No physician is raising a stink about me being called a doctor, for I am a doctor just like them, only the species that I doctor are different.
As for the prior responses regarding their ability, like the ER nurse above challenging them to run a “stroke code” while simultaneously trying to save the life of a septic patient, I assure you that is what these people do. As an RN, I worked in critical care, ER and flight nursing settings prior to becoming a veterinarian and have practiced similarly in critical care and emergency ever since. The technicians I work with calculate CRI’s for drugs like norepinephrine, dobutamine, lidocaine, opiates and such. They place NG tubes and multi-lumen central lines, read ECG’s., and run codes using a standardized method just like human nurses do. They care for septic patients, ones with coagulation disorders, or have ARDS or CHF. They alert me when there is a trend in a patient of which I need to be informed. They deal with emotionally burdened, belligerent and sometimes inebriated clients. Most importantly though, they nurse their patients, just like human nurses do. They are “trained to care for the sick or infirm.” They are nurses, just like you and me. For me personally, I support and would be honored to have them join us in the nomenclature “nurse”, because that is what they are, veterinary nurses.
I have been an RVT for 30 years and this makes my heart sing. So very well said. Thank you for sharing your insight and being an advocate for our profession.
Well Said Ty For Having The Guts To Explain The Difference To These People Who All Have An Attitude And Think They Are Better Than Others!
Why do some vet techs call themselves a nurse? Because some techs ARE nurses. That’s it. It’s easy to answer. If you don’t want to be a veterinary nurse then don’t perform the duties that a nurse does while you are at work. I’ve seen some human nurses sit behind a desk and perform nothing but paperwork. I’d challenge them to perform the duties or even have the knowledge of a nurse who works daily tending to the sick. I’m okay with them being called nurses even though they work behind a desk. I do realize education needs vamping for technicians who are going to be nurses in the future but that will come. In the beginning, after schooling, no one knows it all or even a small bit of what they will 5 years after they go to work. The answer is so easy– because they ARE nurses. They may not know how to care for every single species in the animal kingdom but neither do vets. While we’re speaking of veterinarians, they aren’t nor should they be addressed as doctor nor should physicians.
I don’t believe anyone should have a prefix to try and show themselves as more important than others. The degree they hold shows their educational level and having it show in their office of where they work is enough. The usage of doctor or Dr as an abbreviation was used by PhDs first then medical professions decided to adopt it. Even though physicians don’t have a PhD they use it although some physicians do have doctorates. It’s gone so far now that nurse practitioners use Dr or doctor too without doctorates or M.D. And then we complain adamantly about a veterinary technician using the term nurse behind their name. The UK already uses the term for their veterinary nurses with no problems at all. The US is always behind.
All while being an anesthesiologist with only a veterinary assistant with you who most of the time has no education in medicine.