VET 108 - Introduction to Veterinary Facility Practices

1. Compare and contrast the different titles and job duties of those involved in veterinary medical practice and the animal health industry.
2. Recognize the legal applications which govern veterinary medical practice and argue the sides of ethical issues in animal welfare and veterinary practice.
3. Diagram the fundamental business models and economics on which veterinary private practices function.
4. Differentiate between the oversight and support organizations that are in the veterinary medical field.
5. Recognize and utilize core medical terminology and abbreviations.
6. Discuss safety issues consistent with NAVTA Policy and Safety and OSHA regulations.
7. Identify different species and breeds of various domestic animals.
8. Describe human-animal bonding, and the effects of pet loss on humans.
9. Employ front office skills of a veterinary clinic including client communications, legal documents, business/request letters, and electronic health record management, management of reports, computer software skills and triage.
10. Document patient information in veterinary medical records appropriate to the veterinary assistants’ clinical role.

1. Office and Hospital Procedures
   1. Front desk
      1. Greet clients
      2. Demonstrate proper appointment scheduling and make appointments
      3. Prepare appropriate certificates for signature
      4. Admit patients
      5. Perform basic filing and retrieving of medical records
      6. Perform basic veterinary medical record keeping procedures
      7. Demonstrate elementary computer skills
      8. Utilize basic medical terminology
      9. Perform basic invoicing, billing and payment on account procedures
   2. Telephone
      1. Answer and direct calls
      2. Recognize and respond appropriately to veterinary medical emergencies, by notifying the proper hospital personnel
      3. Request records and information from other veterinary facilities
   3. Maintain basic cleanliness and orderliness of a veterinary facility
      1. Inventory supplies
      2. Restock shelves
      3. Maintain x-ray, surgery and laboratory logs
      4. Perform basic filing and retrieving of medical records, radiographs, lab reports, etc.
      5. Demonstrate knowledge of basic cleaning techniques of animal kennels and bedding, examination rooms, hospital facilities and surgical suites
2. Communication and Client Relations
   1. Develop effective client communication skills
   2. Write business letters
   3. Explain ethical conduct in relationship to the day to day operations of a veterinary hospital
   4. Describe the roles and responsibilities of each member of the veterinary health team and the important part that each plays in the delivery of excellent care
   5. Professional Conduct
      1. Understand the human-animal bond
      2. Demonstrate professional and appropriate appearance and language in the workplace
      3. Demonstrate appropriate use of electronic communication in the workplace (cell phone usage, text messaging, social networking, digital photography, etc.)
3.  Medical Terminology
   1. Root words
   2. Combining forms/combining vowels
   3. Prefixes
   4. Suffixes
   5. Common abbreviations

1. IV. Safety Issues
   1. NAVTA Policy
   2. OSHA regulations
2. Anatomy, Systems Based Introduction
   1. Skeletal
   2. Muscular
   3. Behavior
   4. Nervous
   5. Digestive and Oral
   6. Ocular
   7. Otic
   8. Urinary
   9. Respiratory
   10. Hematology, lymphatic and immunologic
   11. Reproductive
3. Domestic Animals
   1. Identify domestic species and livestock along with gender identification and terminology for each
      1. Fowl and Poultry
      2. Bovine
      3. Equine
      4. Caprine
      5. Ovine
      6. Camelid
      7. Canine
      8. Feline
      9. Rodents
   2. Identify different breeds
      1. Canine
      2. Feline
      3. Bovine
      4. Equine
   3. Behavioral characteristics in dogs and cats
      1. Normal
      2. Abnormal
4. Ethics in Veterinary Medicine
   1. State regulations
   2. Federal regulations
   3. NAVTA Code of Ethics
   4. Controversial issues in Veterinary Medicine