Veterinary Medical Technology Technical Standards

Purpose Statement

All students in the Veterinary Medical Technology program are expected to meet certain technical standards which are essential for the successful completion of all phases of the program, and which reflect industry requirements and standards. To verify the student’s ability to perform these essential functions, students may be required to demonstrate the technical standards below.

Meeting these technical standards does not guarantee employment in this field upon graduation. The ability to meet the program’s technical standards does not guarantee a student’s eligibility for any certification exams or successful completion of the program.

 

Technical StandardDefinition of StandardsExamples
Critical Thinking/Problem-Solving SkillsAbility is sufficient for clinical judgment.
  • Be able to function in a structured environment within significant time constraints and capable of making rapid decisions in urgent situations and meeting deadlines.
  • Possess a willingness to assist with and perform a wide variety of routine medical, surgical, and diagnostic procedures common to the veterinary setting; including humane euthanasia and handling of sick, injured, fractious, or aggressive animals without fear.
  • Be able to complete required tasks/functions under stressful and/or unpredictable conditions, including emergencies.
  • Be able to access information from books, reference manuals, computers, and paper and electronic medical documents to perform duties and safely use equipment without assistance.
  • Be able to progress toward minimal supervision as they advance through the program.
  • Be able to prioritize, organize, and utilize time-management skills to perform tasks.
  • Evaluate, synthesize, and communicate diagnostic information to the attending veterinarian and/or staff.
  • Students will work with models and cadavers before live animal instruction. These animals are not euthanized for the purpose of our program, but we as a program, value the opportunity to learn and perfect our skills on them. As a veterinary technician, body care after euthanasia is a responsibility within the veterinary practice. Students will need to be able to work with cadavers to complete the required skill sets.
Interpersonal SkillsAbilities are sufficient to interact with individuals, families, and groups from a variety of social, emotional, cultural, and intellectual backgrounds.
  • Demonstrate professional and socially appropriate behavior; maintain cleanliness and personal grooming consistent with close human and animal contact.
  • Be able to interact appropriately with clients and all members of the veterinary healthcare team.
  • Have the ability to exercise good judgment and make appropriate professional and procedural judgment decisions under stressful and/or emergency conditions (i.e. unstable patient condition), emergent demands (i.e. stat test orders), and a distracting environment (i.e., high noise levels, complex visual stimuli, aggressive animals).
Communication SkillsAbilities are sufficient for interaction with others in verbal and written form.
  • Read, write, speak, and report accurately and effectively in English.
  • Comprehend and carry out complex written and oral instructions given in English.
  • Be able, when communicating with other individuals by speech, either in person or by telephone, to make legible and coherent written notes in English within the margins and space provided on the appropriate forms.
Coping SkillsAbility to cope with stressful situations.
  • Ability to exercise calm in difficult situations such as patient emergencies and death.
  • Ability to refrain from reacting or responding inappropriately to ethical challenges.
  • Ability to maintain emotional composure.
  • Ability to perform despite the difficulty of the situation at hand.
Mobility/Motor SkillsPhysical abilities are sufficient to move in one’s environment with ease and without restriction.
  • Possess the physical ability to
    • Tolerate walking and standing for at least ten minutes at a time, multiple times per hour.
    • Lift and/or carry up to 50 pounds from the floor to the waist level or higher at least several times per day.
    • Lift objects weighing up to 50 pounds to a height of one meter (3ft) or higher and carry the object or animal for a distance of two meters (6ft) without assistance.
    • Use hands and arms to handle, install, position, and move materials, equipment, and supplies independently.
    • Handle, position, and restrain live animals of small and large animal species.
  • Be able to have sustained contact with multiple species of animals and be amenable to learning the safe handling, restraining, and working with these animals. An individual should not be allergic to any species of animals to the extent that would prohibit working in a facility that has them.
Auditory SkillsAuditory abilities are sufficient to monitor and assess the needs of the patient. Veterinary technicians must have functional use of senses to safely and correctly assess patients, and interpret, and record data.
  • Possess auditory ability necessary to monitor and assess health status, including internal body sounds (auscultation) of heart and lungs, and hear equipment alarms and warning sounds from animals, humans, and/or equipment of impending danger or injury.
  • Recognize and respond appropriately to distress sounds from animals and alarms/warning signals on animal-monitoring equipment directly and through intercommunication systems to ensure patient safety.
  • Be able to perceive the natural or amplified human voice without lip reading, often and we cannot see the restrainers face when holding an animal.
  • Be able to perceive the origin of sound as needed to detect movement of large animals in a pen or corral; monitoring multiple patients in an ICU.
Visual SkillsVisual abilities are sufficient to perform detailed and accurate medical care. Veterinary technicians must have functional use of senses to safely and correctly assess patients, and interpret, and record data.
  • Possess adequate visual ability, with or without correction, that allows the determination of minute areas of detail, very small variations in color, and adequate depth perception (size, shape, and texture), including differentiation of details as viewed through a microscope. This includes the ability to characterize and interpret the color, odor, clarity, and viscosity of body structures and fluids, and observe variations in skin and mucus membrane color, integrity, pulsations, tissue swelling, etc.
  • Possess the visual ability to allow for observation and assessment as necessary in nursing care both from a distance and close by in order to recognize the physical status and non-verbal responses including behaviors.
  • Be able to use a compound microscope to identify cells and organisms and be able to differentiate the colors of stained objects.
  • Be able to observe movement at a distance ranging from 30-45 centimeters to 15-20 meters at a discrimination level that permits the detection of subtle differences in the movement of the limbs in animals. This includes the ability to detect and describe a change in the color of hair coat caused by licking or trauma; detect abnormal head posture in a parakeet; monitor respiratory rate during anesthesia; the ability to read anesthesia-monitoring equipment.
  • Be able to discriminate shades of black and white patterns in which the band is not more than 0.5 mm in width. This includes the ability to characterize bacterial hemolysis on a blood agar plate; density patterns on a radiograph; and the ability to see ECG tracing.
  • Possess adequate depth perception to allow detection of a 0.5 cm elevation, which is no more than 1cm in diameter on a slightly curved surface having a slightly irregular surface. This includes the detection of tissue swelling on the hip of a smooth-haired dog; determining the presence of reaction to skin testing for allergies.
  • Be able to see small details such as lines on a syringe.
  • Small vessels and various color shades.
Tactile SkillsTactile ability is sufficient for the physical assessment of a patient.
  • Be able to move his/her entire body a distance of no less than three meters within two seconds of a signal to do so, to move rapidly from danger while handling animals in confined spaces.
  • Possess fine motor movements in order to perform the essential functions of the profession. This includes the dexterity to manipulate small equipment, adjust the resistance on equipment, hold hooves while cleaning and evaluating, and manage syringes, catheters, and common surgical instruments.
  • Possess tactile ability necessary for physical assessment to perform nursing duties in a timely manner. This includes performing palpation during physical exams, administering oral, intramuscular, subcutaneous, and intravenous medication, inserting and removing tubes, collecting organic samples from live animals, and performing wound care.
  • Possess the ability to palpate and interpret findings, i.e. palpation of pulses, lymph nodes, or trachea to determine proper endotracheal tube size.
  • Be able to hold surgical instruments in one hand and perform fine movements with such instruments. This includes the ability to assist in holding hemostats or other instruments while assisting in surgery; induce and monitor general anesthesia in an animal patient; place intravenous and urinary catheters without assistance.
  • Be able to hold, manipulate, or tie materials ranging from a cloth patch to a very fine string. This includes the ability to hold and manipulate a surgical sponge; tie a 00 silk suture; endotracheal intubation; intravenous injection; catheterize animals to obtain samples of urine and/or other body fluids; and apply bandages without assistance.
EnvironmentalPossess the ability to tolerate environmental stressors.
  • Ability to tolerate temperature variations (hot and cold) without physical response.
  • Accepting of fact that will be exposed to biohazardous materials, dangerous chemicals, gases, radiation, latex, etc.
Emotional/BehavioralPossess emotional stability, rational thought, and self-control.
  • Ability to exercise calm and restraint in difficult situations.
  • Ability to be non-reactive in response to provocative situations and personalities.
  • Ability to assume responsibility/accountability for one’s own actions without becoming defensive.
  • Ability to assess a situation rationally and respond accordingly.
  • Ability to prevent one’s personal opinions or beliefs to impact one’s patient or personal performance.

 

In the case of an otherwise qualified individual with a documented disability, appropriate and reasonable accommodations will be made unless doing so would fundamentally alter the essential training elements, cause undue hardship, or produce a direct threat to the safety of the patient or student.

Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College is invested in full compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Support Services is part of Student Services and is located in the K. Ray Bailey Student Services Center. For detailed information or to request accommodations visit Support Services. An appointment is recommended prior to enrollment in order to discuss any special concerns.