McCurnin's Clinical Textbook for Veterinary Technicians Chapters 1-4

What are the 5 steps of the technician practice model?

1) gather data about the patient. 2) identify and prioritize patient evaluation. 3) develop and implement a plan for the patient care by establishing a series of technician interventions. 4) evaluate the patient's response to the plan of care. 5) gather additional data (go back to step 1 and reevaluate the patient).

Ethylene oxide

A carcinogenic chemical that is often used for sterilization in some hospitals.

Clinic

A facility in which the practice conducted MAY include inpatient as well as outpatient diagnosis and treatment

Hospital

A facility in which the practice conducted typically includes inpatient and outpatient diagnosis and treatment

Emergency facility

A facility in which the primary function is to treat and monitor critically ill or injured animals.

Referral facility

A facility in which veterinarians with a special interest in a specific species or area of veterinary medicine provide services.

Veterinary teaching hospital

A facility that consists of a large staff of DVM's who provide clinical & hospital services, but who also perform significant research along with education of professional veterinary students.

Specialty facility

A facility where services are provided by board certified veterinary specialists.

Balance Sheet

A financial statement that reports assets, liabilities, and owner's equity on a specific date.

What is indirect supervision?

A licensed veterinarian is not on the premises but the technician is able to perform the duties of a licensed veterinarian by maintaining direct communication.

What is direct supervision?

A licensed veterinarian is on the premises and is readily available.

What is immediate supervision?

A licensed veterinarian is within direct eyesight and hearing range.

Sarcoptic mange

A parasite infestation of the skin of animals, aka scabies. Common symptoms include hair loss, itching, and inflammation.

Office

A practice that is limited in the service it provides, as it does not have the facilities to perform inpatient diagnostics or treatment.

Examples of critical safety and or severe pain

Acute pain Electrolyte imbalance Hyperthermia Hypothermia Postoperative compliance Preoperative compliance

Examples of utility

Aggression Anxiety Client coping deficit Client knowledge deficit Fear Inappropriate elimination Reproductive dysfunction

Examples of oxygenation

Altered gas diffusion Altered ventilation Cardiac insufficiency Decreased perfusion Obstructed airway Risk of aspiration

Examples of noncritical safety

Altered mentation Altered sensory perception Noncompliant owner Hyperthermia Hypothermia Impaired tissue integrity Owner knowledge deficit Risk of infection Risk of infection transmission Self-inflected injury Status within appropriate limits

Examples of nutrition

Altered oral health Abnormal eating behavior Ineffective nursing Overweight Self-care deficit Underweight Vomiting and or diarrhea

Examples of elimination

Altered urinary production Bowel incontinence Constipation Diarrhea Inappropriate elimination Self-care deficit Urinary incontinence

Technician intervention

An action planned and implemented by the veterinary technician to address a patient's reaction to illness, risk of future problems, and owner knowledge deficit. Third phase of the veterinary technician practice model.

Lyme disease

An infectious disease caused by bacteria from the genus Borrelia and is typically spread through the bite of an infected deer tick.

On-call emergency service

An option provided by some veterinary facilities that will treat emergencies but do not necessarily have veterinarians and staff on the premises during all operating hours.

Secondary purposes of the medical record

Are not clinically based and include evaluations of medical information for business, legal, and research purposes.

Technician evalution

Conclusion drawn from the patient assessment and analysis of the database related to the animal's physical and psychological response to a veterinary medical condition. The second phase of the veterinary technician practice model.

Ringworm

Contagious fungal infection of the skin. Cats and horses are more susceptible to the infection.

What are the components of the POVMR?

Database, master problem list, initial plan and progress notes, and case summary and discharge instructions.

Examples of activity

Exercise intolerance Reduced mobility Sleep disturbance

Giardia

Flagellated protozoal parasite of the small intestine, that can spread to humans by contaminated water. Infected animals may have watery diarrhea.

HPA

Horse Protection Act A federal law enacted in 1970 that prohibits storing in horses.

Examples of hydration

Hypervolemia Hypovolemia

What is another name for a profit and loss statement?

Income statement

Zoonotic diseases

Infectious diseases that can be passed from animals to humans.

Toxoplasmosis

Infestation with a single-celled parasite called Toxoplasma Gondii.

What document typically contains information including the title of a position, who the position reports to, the purpose of the job, and required or desired attributes of a candidate for the position?

Job description

What refers to the deviation from or failure to conform to the acceptable standard of practice?

Malpractice

Cash flow

Measurement of a practice's inflow and outflow of cash over a period.

What are the four essential elements of communication?

Message Sender Channel Receiver

Gross revenue

Money generated by a business through the sale of goods or services before any expenses are deducted.

Accounts receivable

Money that is due to the practice from the sale of goods or services.

NAVTA

National Association of Veterinary Technicians of America

OSHA

Occupational safety and health administration Enforces federal laws that help to ensure a safe workplace.

SOVMR- source oriented veterinary medical record

Patient information is kept together by subject matter.

PPE

Personal protective equipment Any piece/article of clothing worn by the user that is designed to prevent injury.

What are technical violations that could be grounds for disciplinary action?

Practicing on an expired license. Failure to complete CE. Having a record of a criminal conviction that is not related to the practice of the profession. Being disciplined by the licensing board of another state.

Hazardous materials plan

Prepared by the employer to inform employees of the warning, training, and safe use procedures for hazardous chemicals in the workplace.

Practice acts

Primary laws or statutes written and passed by the legislature to govern the practice of a profession. Typically, each state has its own practice act for each licensed profession.

What is the hierarchy of patient's physiologic needs?

Priority 1- Oxygenation Priority 2- Critical safety and/or severe pain Priority 3- Hydration Priority 4- Elimination Priority 5- Nutrition Priority 6- Noncritical safety Priority 7- Chronic pain or mild-moderate acute pain Priority 8- Activity Priority 9- Utility

Veterinary technician practice model

Provides a structured approach to patient care and ensures that consistently excellent care is being provided to each patient.

What are open-ended questions?

Questions that allow clients to share all of their information on a subject.

Right to know law

Requires an employer to inform employees when they may be exposed to hazardous chemicals while performing their duties.

Occupational safety and health act

Requires compliance with all occupational safety and health standards and all rules, regulations, and orders issued under the act.

What's the most severe sanction that can be imposed by a veterinary board?

Revocation of a license

SDS

Safety data sheet System for cataloging safety information regarding hazardous chemicals in the workplace.

Rules and Regulations

Secondary mandates written by the state board.

Primary purposes of the medical record

Supports the patients medical care and include documentation of diagnosis, prognoses, and treatment.

SOAP

Technicians notes Subjective Objective Assessment Plan

AAHA

The American Animal Hospital Association is an organization that offers voluntary accreditation programs for veterinary hospitals.

AWA

The Animal Welfare Act requires that minimum standards of care and treatment be provided for some warm-blooded animals bred for commercial sale, used in research and higher education, transported commercially, and exhibited to the public.

Signalment

The age, sex, breed, and species of a veterinary patient.

Profits

The amount left over after all normal and necessary operating expenses of a business are subtracted from the gross revenue.

POVMR- problem oriented veterinary medical record

The information in the medical record is grouped by problem, and each problem is addressed separately.

What is the purpose of the state veterinary board?

To protect the public by enforcing the practice act.

Net income

Total income less all expenses and taxes.

VCPR

Veterinarian-Client-Patient Relationship

VTNE

Veterinary Technician National Examination

Rabies

Viral disease that can affect any warm-blooded animal.

Panleukopenia

Viral infection of cats that is not considered zoonotic but is highly contagious from cat to cat.

Parvovirus enteritis

Viral infection of dogs that is not considered zoonotic but is highly contagious from dog to dog.

Who is known as the "Father of Veterinary Technology"?

Walter Emmett Collins