NAVTA - National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America

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Archived Articles - 2000

Hierarchy of Veterinary Practice

Model for Passing Legislation

Veterinary Support Personnel Network (VSPN)

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National Veterinary Technician Week

Hierarchy of Veterinary Practice
The veterinary hospital is staffed by persons with varying degrees of educational experience. Tasks performed in the hospital, to provide animal care, should be assigned to persons in the level where education/training exists to ensure a positive outcome for the patient. There may be times when an employee may be asked to work at a level below their expertise, but in keeping with the philosophy of quality animal care, the opposite should not take place.
Level Five
Veterinarian - solely responsible for diagnosing, prognosis, prescribing medication & surgery. Ultimately responsible for all patient care and outcomes.
Level Four
Veterinary Technician Specialists, Veterinary Technicians in supervisory positions - veterinary technicians who through advanced education, training, or experience have been given more responsibility in the practice.
Level Three
Graduate Veterinary Technicians - persons who have successfully completed and earned a degree from an AVMA-accredited veterinary technology program.
Level Two
Technician Assistants - may have training through high school or college certificate programs, but most are likely trained on the job by the veterinarian or the veterinary technician.
Level One
Kennel help, receptionist - persons trained on the job to provide a service in a specific area.

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MODEL FOR PASSING LEGISLATION
When proposing a new piece of legislation or making changes to a current law, there are a series of steps that are taken to increase the chances of success. The following can be used as a model to guide you through those steps. Since the legislative process varies from state to state, use this as a guideline only and make appropriate changes where necessary.
Knowledge about your own state legislative bodies, how they function, who the state legislators are, and how to contact them in an acceptable fashion should be researched before beginning the process. This information can be obtained by calling your state Congressional Office. They should be able to provide you with a list of the legislators by district and county, as well as the appropriate way to contact them. This office should be able to also provide information on the legislative body meeting dates and times. Many states also provide this information on a state government' s web site.

General guidelines for developing and introducing a legislative proposal.

Form a task force from members from your organization who are interested in working on the project. The task force must decide exactly what the organization wants their proposal to accomplish. It should be prepared to demonstrate how the new legislation will benefit the profession and the consumer. The proposal must not be an individual crusade, but an objective of the whole organization.
The task force writes the proposal and presents it to the organization for their review and feedback. Any changes are forwarded back to the task force.
The task force reconvenes to review and discuss the suggested changes and rewrites the proposal. The proposal is now ready to be submitted to a legislator.
The task force should identify a legislator who may have either experience or some connection to the proposed legislation. They should be contacted and asked to sponsor the proposal. If the legislator is willing to sponsor the proposal, they will review and rewrite the proposal as needed to meet their guidelines.
After rewriting, the legislator returns the proposal back to the task force for review. Modifications to the proposal may now be made and then returned to the legislator.
The legislator will now draft and submit the proposal to the Legislative Council. The proposal in now considered a bill and assigned a number. At this point only the legislative body can make amendments.

The bill must now be taken before the congress where it will go through the following steps. (Remember, the bill must pass both the House of Representatives and the Senate)

The bill will be subjected to a Committee Hearing in one branch of Congress. In the Committee Hearing, both proponents and opponents testify why the bill should or should not become law.

The Committee will make a recommendation either to:

pass the bill. The bill will then be sent on through the legislative process.
defeat the bill. The bill "dies" at this point and no further action takes places.
amend the bill. The Committee can make amendments to the bill at this time.

If passed or amended, it now goes to the floor for discussion and vote. Again, the Congress can vote to:

pass the bill with a majority vote. If so it continues through the process.
defeat the bill, now considered "dead" with no further action taken.
If passed, the bill is sent to the other legislative body where the whole process takes place again.

If the bill passes both legislative branches, it is sent to the Governor office. If the Governor signs the bill, it will become a new law.

Note: If the bill is passed in one legislative body, but is amended at the second legislative body' s Committee Hearing, and passed on the floor of the second legislative body, the bill is sent before the Legislative Conference Committee. The Legislative Conference Committee' s responsibility is to decide if the amended bill is acceptable to both legislative branches. It not, the bill "dies," but if acceptable, is forwarded to the Governor.

Words of caution/helpful hints

Choose the state legislators cautiously who will introduce the bill. The individuals should understand and truly support and believe in your proposal.
Try to gain support from at least one legislator from the Senate and one from the House of Representatives (preferably from the same party)
It will be advantageous to identify a legislator from one' s own district to sponsor the bill, because your vote in the upcoming election is important to them.
Write to the state' s Legislative Council to request a copy of their rules for proposal submissions. This set of rules will state how many sponsors a particular bill can have, the deadline for submission, etc.
Submit your proposal early enough in the legislative session so it can be rewritten before submission to the Legislative Council.
Legislators have a great number of bills to vote on each session. Make every effort to meet with your legislator's) by contacting the State Congressional Office and ask to be put on the legislator's schedule concerning the proposal. The bill will have a greater chance of success if a meeting can be arranged to explain the cause, purpose, and background of the proposal.
Keep track on the progress of the bill. When the bill makes it through the Committee Hearings, but before it reaches the floor to be voted on, members of the organization must contact their legislators soliciting their support. Write a letter, call them on the telephone, or e-mail them. The more legislators hear from the constituents, the more attention they pay to a new bill proposal. Encourage others who will be directly affected by the legislation to contact the legislators also. These may include pet owners, local animal support organizations, veterinary technician students, veterinarians etc.

As more states begin to look at changes to their veterinary practice act related to veterinary technicians, NAVTA hopes this guideline will aid those involved in the legislative process.

Veterinary Support Personnel Network (VSPN)
VSPN is a subsidiary of the Veterinary Information Network (VIN) continues to serve the online community with message boards, library selections, continuing education and interactive chats. Using VIN's vast resources, VSPN provides direct access to Associations, Foundations, and the Veterinary Industry. VSPN also offers online approved Continuing Education - from general information to the very specific areas. From newly hired assistants to practice consultants, VSPN serves as a resource to share information and experiences. With worldwide membership, this professional tool helps elevate the international and local communities in veterinary medicine. For more information, please check out the web site at www.VSPN.org or email questions to help@VSPN.org.

National Veterinary Technician Week
The following are some ideas for celebrating NVTW. Have a contest at your clinic for clients to participate in during NVTW. Write several questions regarding the veterinary technician profession on a 3 x 5 index card. Place them in a box and have the clients draw a card and answer the question. If they answer the question correctly, their name can then be placed in a drawing for a prize. The questions should involve the training and responsibilities of a veterinary technician. This involves the client and at the same time educates them on the role that we play in delivering quality health care to their pets.

Another suggestion is to get to know the veterinary technicians that are working at practices in your neighborhood. Select a date, time, and location when the technicians in your area can get together for a brunch, lunch, snack, etc. Get together and celebrate NVTW, it is a great way to network.

NAVTA and the AVMA - worked together to develop a brochure which explains the role of each member of the veterinary health care team. This full color brochure is available for $25/100 and is suitable to educate the public about the veterinary technician's role in the delivery of quality animal care. To order the brochures go to our promotional items page.