Veterinary Technician Shortage A Problem Of Turnover? SAY WHAT?!

Veterinary Technician Shortage A Problem Of Turnover? SAY WHAT?!


Earlier this week, the AVMA published a robust article about the veterinary technician shortage facing veterinary medicine (Link Below). For those who don’t know, veterinary technicians are in high demand. That sounds like great news for veterinary nurses, doesn’t it? Well, part of the reason this demand exists may be that vet techs are leaving the field. Let’s talk about that and what we can do to make veterinary medicine a better place for them to be.

8 Comments

  1. fingertipsthedrummer

    Ive been a tech for 4 years, i didn’t go to school for it but im stuck in the middle of it, our dr yells at us, throws instruments and goes on a rage fit day to day, and im ready to get out, what happens when you feel stuck to help animals but cant bare to continue? we work threw our lunches and late into the night at least two days a week, i want somebody to convince me other wise but i just don’t think i can continue.

    Reply
  2. Renee Landon

    Oh..what a shock…. let’s pay LVT’s less than a McDonlad’s employees expect them to work long long hours, and have to do hard labor and everything else. So you can not move out of your parents house or afford to have a child…. so yeah you leave to find a job that will allow you to have your own place AND eat. Tech’s are abused, over worked, under paid, under appreciated, and by the time you’re burnt out….you can’t wait to leave the field.

    Reply
  3. Maleena Curwick

    I’m currently going to school to be a vet tech and my potential graduation date is Fall 2018. I feel that the salary is the main issue. I mean, an RN is making an average of at least $30 (from what I’m seeing) while I’m about to go into a field that I see is going to be more complicated than an RN and is paid way less. I honestly, don’t find that fair at all. We are facing a dilemma where we are saving lives, yet we barely will able to afford a place of our own, but this also depends on the individual’s life setting. I’m not to educated about whether pet insurance is a thing or if it’s worth having. In my own opinion, animals are people too, so we shouldn’t worry too much about the price being raised a little. You hit all of the aspects right on the head.

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  4. nightraider007

    It’s absolutely not the work, I was planning to become a vet tech but seeing the low pay for all of the hard labor, I’ll just go for a DVM

    Reply
  5. H M

    Veterinarians fucking SUCK. They are arrogant control freaks who think they are god’s gift to humanity and that a DVM also means they have an MBA or equivalent experience. They won’t allow hospital administrators with business acumen and degrees actually manage their businesses because they think they know everything better than anyone. They are the WORST business owners I can think of, the WORST people managers, and don’t give a damn about their employees. They have no qualms about flaunting their lifestyles (and they are always living well beyond their means, thinking they deserve the same prestige and income as human MDs) in front of their poverty level veterinary technicians who are trying to decide whether to repair their car’s engine, buy groceries, or pay their electric bills. They are crooked, greedy, uneducated, largely conservative, judgmental, uncultured, unaware nerds with zero people skills (and I don’t mean putting on their bullshit acts in front of clients). They expect this undying, selfless commitment of people’s entire LIVES to their business with ZERO benefits and shit pay in return. It’s actually comical if it wasn’t so infuriating and disgusting. That’s the best word I can think – disgusting people. Inconsiderate as hell. I can’t say enough about how much I can’t stand them as a group. Like with any group of people it’s not all – although a veterinarian (as a person) that I can stomach for more than 5 minutes is rare – but 99% of owners I feel this way about.

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  6. H M

    I’m a licensed RVT and the pay should be higher – we all know that. EVERYONE’S pay should be higher in this shithole capitalist country. You people comparing yourselves to RNs and saying that you deserve the same pay as them are fucking delusional and ignorant. And I say this as someone who was also an EMT and worked in human medicine. Yes, we are ‘vet nurses’ and do a lot of work that parallels an RN’s but it is NOT the same as having human lives in your hands. Part of the reason this field pays so shit is because the majority of the people who are drawn to it are out of touch weird people with unrealistic ideas who think this way. That’s why there is no standardization in the field, no unionization, no organizing to protest wages.

    Reply
  7. Kirk Kelly

    Vet techs can’t pass drug tests

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  8. Kirk Kelly

    The first thing the Veteranarian industry needs to do is provide Mal-Practice and ethics system. Animals can’t talk and Vet’s guess a lot. Then the Vet’s are charging prices nearing human medical expenses. The best place for your animal to get sick is at a Vet’s office. There are evolving bacteria and viruses that are not properly sanitized in these buildings and most Vets don’t have to continue testing to stay updated. The AVMA is a scam in a half. They do nothing for the Industry.

    Reply

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