We are often responsible for training, leading and supporting other technicians in the workplace. And since many technicians advance their career by pursuing practice management or other leadership roles, we are frequently in an ideal position to have a positive impact on the profession as a whole.

Tools such as mentorship and training can be used to build confidence in new technicians, opportunities for experienced technicians and community for all technicians. And while both training and mentoring offer a guided learning environment, there are characteristics that differ between them.

• Foundation: Relationship-based
• Focus: Personal and career satisfaction and development
• Format: Two-sided exchange

Mentoring is a relationship-based experience designed to support both personal and career satisfaction and development. Mentoring relationships can be especially helpful during times of transition, such as when an individual is starting their career, changing workplaces, taking on a new role or aspiring to advance in their profession.

A mentorship can provide essential encouragement and feedback as one navigates new challenges and opportunities. Mentorships may be local, such as individuals sharing a workplace, or virtual, which may carry benefits for those seeking access to a greater diversity of experience and perspectives.

Mentoring relationships can exist in a number of forms, several of which are described in the 2023 AAHA Mentoring Guidelines.¹ Most people are likely familiar with the idea of a one-on-one mentorship, where the mentor is experienced in the field and the mentee is new to the profession (or at least less experienced). This type of mentorship can offer valuable support and guidance as the mentee adjusts to their chosen career.

Other one-on-one mentorships may involve two individuals undergoing similar challenges or changes, where they offer support and advice to one another. Conversely, mentorships connecting two people with very different experiences can provide excellent learning opportunities for both parties.

Mentorships may also involve more than two people. One mentor may engage with multiple mentees, as is the case with group mentorship. For example, a Veterinary Technician Specialist may take on a cohort of applicants as mentees. In other cases, a single mentee may benefit from multiple mentors, each addressing a specific area of professional or personal need.

No matter the number of participants or experience level of those involved, all parties are responsible for maintaining open communication, cultivating an environment of trust (including confidentiality) and committing to the mentorship relationship.

Mentoring relationships have the potential to significantly impact the sustainability of the veterinary technician profession. According to the MentorVet Tech Program Evaluation published in the MentorVet 2022-2023 Impact Report, veterinary technicians who participated in a six-month mentoring program reported a statistically significant decrease in burnout and increase in wellbeing.² In a field with notoriously high levels of turnover and attrition, these benefits represent a lifeline for career longevity.

Through mentorships, veterinary technicians can build a community where supporting one another means a stronger future for veterinary medicine.

• Foundation: Performance-based (usually has measurable outcome/goal)
• Focus: Skill-set development
• Format: More one-sided (trainer to trainee)

Training is a performance-based experience designed to help an individual develop a set of skills or proficiencies. A good training program can help an employee feel confident in their own abilities and in the quality of their workplace.

The AVMA 2016-17 Future Leaders Program identified new hire training as one of the foundations for creating a positive workplace culture.³ They recommend a collaborative approach to developing a training program, allowing all employees to contribute to and modify new hire training. This fosters teamwork and ensures a practice is truly centered on the diverse perspectives of its community members.

While training is more one-sided than mentorship, with information being passed from the trainer to the trainee, feedback is still critical to success. Modifications may be necessary based on trainee needs, and such adjustments may strengthen the program for future hires.

Most people associate training with new employees, but training programs should not be reserved for recent hires. Continuing education and training are important to career growth, team building and employee retention. New equipment, updated medical techniques, changes in protocol or new products may prompt staff training. It is equally valuable to touch base on established procedures, soliciting feedback and offering retraining as needed.

Technicians can support one another’s career growth by attending continuing education courses together and discussing what they have learned. This may even lead to technician-driven initiatives at a practice, deepening professional investment and fulfillment.

• DEIB Training

All participants in a mentoring or training program should undergo DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging) training/education before professional relationships begin. This helps foster increased awareness of differences in lived experiences that may influence interactions and perspectives. The 2023 AAHA Mentoring Guidelines recommend DEIB training that prepares participants to recognize, acknowledge, and discuss issues such as implicit bias, privilege, and power dynamics.¹

It is critical that a foundation in DEIB precedes any other mentoring or training in order to minimize the burden of service placed on marginalized individuals to “educate” their peers. While individuals can certainly learn from one another, it should be in the form of mutual growth, building on an established understanding.

• Clear Goals and Expectations

Both mentoring and training programs should center on a set of clear goals and expectations. In mentorships, the mentee may be the one to set these parameters. In training relationships, the trainer usually is responsible for clarifying desired outcomes.

Systems such as SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) goals and PACT (purposeful, actionable, continuous, and trackable) goals help provide a structured way to establish and track career and/or personal objectives. Using a goal system helps ensure the intended purpose of the relationship remains in focus. As individuals grow, goals can be updated to reflect progress or change.

• Regular Check-Ins

All professional relationships should include regular check-ins to ensure effectiveness, make adjustments and encourage communication. Check-ins should be scheduled at regular intervals rather than exclusively prompted by a concern or problem. This allows individuals who may be hesitant to draw attention to areas of potential conflict to have an anticipated opportunity to give feedback.

Frequent check-ins allow any issues to be addressed early, ideally before they become prohibitive to success. They also help identify areas where additional support, change in protocol or policy, or reassignment of responsibilities may be indicated.

• Maintain Psychological Safety

Meaningful communication is reliant on establishing and maintaining a psychologically safe environment. A psychologically safe environment is one in which an individual can make mistakes, try new things, discuss challenging topics, and seek and share honest feedback without fear of retribution or attack.

Without psychological safety, people are less likely to be honest with one another, undermining the value of a relationship intended to foster growth. Psychological safety is linked to increased employee retention, motivation and happiness. Mentoring and training both require psychological safety to maximize their positive impact.

Veterinary technicians have the skills to help create a supportive community within our profession. New and experienced technicians alike benefit from the guidance of our peers. By thoughtfully and consistently using tools like mentorship and training, we can shape veterinary medicine into a career with a strong, sustainable future.

References

1. 2023 AAHA Mentoring Guidelines. (2023, June 27). American Animal Hospital Association. https://www.aaha.org/resources/2023-aaha-mentoring-guidelines/
2. MentorVet Impact Report 2022-2023. (2023). MentorVet, LLC. https://www.mentorvet.net/impactreport
3. CPR To Revive Your Veterinary Team. (2017). AVMA Future Leaders Program 2016-17. American Veterinary Medical Association. https://www.avma.org/sites/default/files/resources/CPR-Vet-Team-Meetings.pdf

Optimal management of CTD is critical for dogs and humans in the age of targeted cancer therapies. Unfortunately for humans, there have not been any significant advances to managing diarrhea in cancer patients. As a result, diarrhea associated with targeted therapy is commonly viewed as a “necessary evil.”

Currently, available antidiarrheal agents, many of which are opioid-based and can cause constipation, are suboptimal in managing CTD. In dogs, however, there is one treatment option for chemotherapy-induced diarrhea (CID, which is narrower than the more inclusive CTD).

From Rainforest to Remedy

Under the brand name Mytesi®, crofelemer is also approved by the FDA for the symptomatic relief of noninfectious diarrhea in adults with HIV/AIDS on antiretroviral therapy. Clinical research is underway for the potential use of crofelemer to prevent and/or treat CTD and other types of diarrhea in humans.

Crofelemer Trial in Dogs

A recently reported study in the peer-reviewed journal PLOS ONE evaluated the prophylactic effects of crofelemer in 24 healthy female beagle dogs with neratinib-induced diarrhea without concomitant loperamide administration.² The dogs (eight per group) received daily oral dosing of neratinib and either placebo capsules or crofelemer delayed-release tablets 125 mg twice daily (BID) or four times daily (QID) for 28 consecutive days.

Neratinib, an irreversible pan-human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER) tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), was chosen as the targeted therapy for dogs because it causes a high incidence of CTD in humans. In a placebo-controlled study of 2,840 human breast cancer patients without loperamide prophylaxis, the incidence of all-grade diarrhea was 96% of the patients given neratinib, and was 40% for grade three and four diarrhea.

Over the four-week study period, dogs in the two crofelemer groups had significantly lower average numbers of weekly loose/watery stools compared to dogs receiving neratinib with placebo:

• 31% fewer weekly loose/watery stools with crofelemer BID vs. placebo (5.96 vs. 8.70, p = 0.028)
• 34% fewer weekly loose/watery stools with crofelemer QID vs. placebo (5.74 vs. 8.70, p = 0.021)
• No statistically significant difference between the crofelemer BID and QID groups in reducing neratinib-induced diarrhea (p = 0.84)

Crofelemer also demonstrated significant improvement in the proportion of responder dogs—defined as those with an average of one or no loose/watery stools per day or seven or fewer loose/watery stools per week for at least two of the four weeks of the study. Additionally, there was a trend for fewer neratinib dose reductions in both crofelemer treatment groups when compared to the control group. The study investigators concluded that crofelemer prophylaxis reduced the incidence/severity of neratinib-associated diarrhea in female beagle dogs without the use of any loperamide treatment.

Crofelemer Trials in Humans

1. Phase 2 HALT-D Study: Demonstrates Impact of Crofelemer on CTD for Patients with HER2-Positive Breast Cancer Receiving Trastuzumab, Pertuzumab, and a Taxane: The HALT-D study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Breast Cancer Research and Treatment in October 2022, suggested that patients receiving prophylaxis with crofelemer had a reduction in the severity of higher-grade diarrhea. Patients receiving crofelemer prophylaxis also had higher odds of having diarrhea resolution compared to those receiving HER2-targeted therapy with standard chemotherapy using the current standard of care treatments to manage their diarrhea.³
2. Independent Pilot Phase 2 Study: Crofelemer for the Management of Neratinib-Associated Diarrhea in Patients With HER2+ Early-Stage Breast Cancer: Published in the peer-reviewed journal Clinical Breast Cancer in October 2023, the study concluded that crofelemer may be effective for the management of neratinib-induced diarrhea.⁴

Whether it be human or dog, all three completed trials provide a scientific rationale for the use of crofelemer in dogs and humans for the treatment of CTD.

References:

1. Jones, K. Review of sangre de drago (Croton lechleri) – a South American tree sap in the treatment of diarrhea, inflammation, insect bites, viral infections, and wounds: traditional uses to clinical research. J Altern Complement Med. 2003;9(6):877-896. doi:10.1089/107555303771952235.
2. Guy M, Teixeira A, Shrier A, Meschter C, Bolognese J, Chaturvedi P. Effects of orally administered Crofelemer on the incidence and severity of neratinib-induced diarrhea in female dogs. PLOS One. 2024;19(1):e0282769. Published 2024 Jan 24. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0282769.
3. Pohlmann PR, Graham D, Wu T, et al. HALT-D: a randomized open-label phase II study of crofelemer for the prevention of chemotherapy-induced diarrhea in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer receiving trastuzumab, pertuzumab, and a taxane. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2022 Dec;196(3):571-581. doi: 10.1007/s10549-022-06743-9.
4. Jacob S, Johnson M, Roque B, Quintal L, Rugo HS, Melisko M, Chien AJ. Crofelemer for the Management of Neratinib-Associated Diarrhea in Patients With HER2+ Early-Stage Breast Cancer. Clin Breast Cancer. 2023 Oct;23(7):721-728. doi: 10.1016/j.clbc.2023.06.014.

Dr. Craig Clifford is a medical oncologist at BluePearl Malvern and was previously the director of BluePearl Science. He is active in clinical research within a referral setting and serves as an advisory board member with industry and non-profit foundations.

Michael K. Guy, DVM, MS, PhD is the Vice President of Preclinical and Nonclinical Studies at Jaguar Health, Inc. ‘Dr. Mike’ joined Jaguar Health in September 2015 and has over 25 years of experience in animal and human pharmaceutical development in the areas of clinical development, drug manufacturing, regulatory, and pre-clinical drug discovery.

Allison Ackerman Shrier has held diverse roles within the pharmaceutical industry, including entrepreneur, consultant, clinical trialist, CMO, and CEO; currently as VP of Medical Affairs and Clinical Research at Napo Pharmaceuticals.

Health literacy problems extend beyond human healthcare and into veterinary healthcare—and the veterinary team needs to be aware of its existence and take steps to take to overcome the barrier.

Consider the following prescription label: “Give 2 tablets twice daily for 14 days; Give 1 tablet today, 2 tablets tomorrow, then 3 tablets daily until finished.” It sounds like typical labels for any medication dispensed to treat a pet’s condition, right? However, in a study of human patients receiving a group of labels as examples for their medication, forty-six percent did not understand the instructions, and 38% with adequate literacy skills missed at least one label.¹

Now think about your clients and what they could miss on their pets’ prescription bottles. A label on a pill vial may not be enough communication. It is the role of every team member at the veterinary practice to make an effort to recognize warning signs of low health literacy and provide clear communications to help the client make informed decisions.

Avoid questions such as, “Do you understand?” or “Do you have any questions?” because these types of questions are too easy to give a quick yes/no reply to.¹ Instead, use teach-back techniques to ensure the client understands the instructions. Phrases such as, “I want to make sure I have explained your pet’s medicine clearly,” or “Can you tell me how you think you will give this medicine to your pet?”

Enable your team to check if the client heard what they said. In addition to confirming the client heard/understood what was said, the veterinary team can ensure they address the client’s needs.

Surveys conducted face-to-face or through email, text message, phone call or social media are great ways to collect information from your clients. You may want to use one method for one point of focus (i.e., medical care received) and a different approach for a different focus (i.e., ease of doing business with your hospital). Examples of client survey methods include:

• NET PROMOTER SCORE (NPS): “How likely are you to recommend us to your friends and family?” Sounds simple enough—ask a single question, get an easy reply.
• CUSTOMER EFFORT SCORE (CES): “How difficult was it for you to schedule an appointment with us?” This is another single-question survey designed to tell you about the client’s effort to schedule an appointment to see you.
• CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SCORE (CSAT): “How would you rate your overall satisfaction with the service you received?” This question measures client satisfaction with services they received on a 0-100% satisfaction scale.
• FOCUS GROUP: A focus group is a way for your practice to get feedback, gather ideas and suggestions, and hear about client needs from those who use your services. It would be best to have a clear purpose for the group and a good mix of participants.

Be sure to communicate your survey intentions to your clients by promoting the survey on your website, sending an email or text message survey link to your client after their visit, or providing a QR code on their invoice to link them to a survey. Then you can gather the responses, identify improvement opportunities, implement changes and monitor the results.

The over-arching purpose of conducting client surveys is for you to have an opportunity to hear from your clients. You will gain insights into their wants and needs and build your relationship with your clients by changing what services you provide and how you communicate with them.

Many veterinary hospitals have forms to complete upon arrival, but no one gave them a second thought until curbside services presented the challenge for the customer service team to get the documents to and from clients sitting in their cars. Even if the forms were available for download from the hospital website, the failure of clients to remember to bring the form to the appointment or the inability to print a hard copy had to be resolved. Online intake forms presented an easy and efficient way for the client to complete the form at their convenience; hit submit and quickly give the customer service team everything they needed.

Speaking of virtual visits, your team’s communication with your clients can be enhanced with the use of virtual care teams. Not only do these teams conduct virtual exam visits, but there are also team members monitoring data from wearable devices and communicating with clients. Instead of delaying an in-office visit, patients can be seen more quickly in virtual exam rooms.

Electronic medical records were just the beginning of connecting clients, primary care DVMs and specialists; wearable devices and asynchronous communications expand the opportunity to monitor patients and provide care outside the walls of the hospital exam room. Digital tools make it more convenient to do business with your team and improve access to care and communication between everyone caring for a pet.

The impact of all the necessary and creative changes undertaken by veterinary practices will continue well into the future. The pandemic exposed weaknesses in the veterinary business model and provided opportunities to pivot and reimagine how the veterinary team communicates with clients and provides patient care. With these improvemnents in client communication, the veterinary team can help break down clients’ health literacy barriers and provide better care to pets.

References:

1. Davis, T. Health Literacy: Hidden Barriers and Practical Strategies. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. https://www.ahrq.gov/professionals/quality-patient-safety/quality-resources/tools/literacy-toolkit/tool3a/index.html
2. Health Literacy. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/healthliteracy/index.html
3. Understanding Health Literacy. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/healthliteracy/learn/Understanding.html

“I think most of us can agree that we were born with that undeniable connection with animals,” she adds.

After high school, Sam spent four years in the Navy on aircraft carriers, where she was able to research her educational options. She ultimately decided to attend the vet tech program at Central Carolina Community College in North Carolina.

After graduation, Sam moved to Hawaii and worked in a small animal and exotics practice. With her hands-on experience, she then went on to help build the vet tech program at Windward Community College, where she taught for over 13 years.

In addition to her role as Chief of Staff of Animal Policy Group, Sam is also the current interim treasurer for the Minnesota Association of Veterinary Technicians, and she serves as co-chair of NAVTA’s Government Relations Committee.

“Through the GRC (Government Relations Committee) we’ve been able to assist over half of the states with various initiatives advancing vet techs,” Sam explains. “And I’ve offered workshops to teach others on legislative strategies and the governmental process to change practice acts.”

Sam’s interest in advocating for veterinary technician initiatives was inspired by her teachers, who she said set a great example for their students.

“Mrs. Robinson, our lab techniques instructor, was the first vet tech to sit on the North Carolina Vet Board,” Sam says. “And that made us all aware that we advance by raising our hands and getting involved. Once I became an instructor, I knew we needed an association and legislation so I stepped up.

“I try to tell students and recent graduates that volunteering is what has brought me to where I am—not only my paid work,” she continues. “The networking, experiences, and opportunities I’ve had would never have come to my life if I had not volunteered.”

Both her volunteer and paid work has certainly not gone unnoticed, even earning Sam NAVTA’s 2023 Vet Tech of the Year Award, which is presented to a NAVTA member who has provided leadership and contributed to the association and the overall betterment of the Veterinary Technology profession.

Sam isn’t stopping there, and plans to continue to facilitate change for the future of the veterinary technician profession, with a continued focus on the regulation of credentialing nationwide.

Since most state laws allow an individual to be hired and fully trained on the job to do all or nearly all the same skills as an educated, credentialed veterinary technician, Sam says we are seeing discouragement, frustration and short careers in the veterinary technician profession.

“We must put more emphasis on the education and qualifications for vet techs and build trust and respect for every role on the team,” she explains. “As long as veterinary technicians are expected to train the same skills and knowledge they went to school for, we’ll see this hemorrhage continue.”

With the 220 (and growing) accredited vet tech programs in the country, this should be enough to keep up with the demand, but only if vet techs stay in the field for 10, 20 or 30 years. However, the average time that vet techs are spending in their career is only three to seven years.

“No number of programs will keep up with that type of mass exodus from a career field,” Sam adds.

With a prediction that we will see more push to get legislation passed—especially in the remaining states with a voluntary credential—Sam expects that more vet techs will get seats on state boards.

“My hope is that we’ll be invited to more of the tables where decisions are made,” she says. “Vet techs need to help drive change for ourselves, and not be excluded from spaces where decisions are made for us.”

“The CSRs and vet assistants have a designated week. And if you want a staff appreciation week, that is great, have one…just not in October,” she adds.

As for specific tasks and skills veterinarians should be utilizing their technicians for, Sam suggests being familiar with the CVTEA Skills List,¹ the AAHA Vet Tech Utilization Guidelines,² and your state practice act and regulations.

“These resources will allow you to create a complete picture for onboarding, training, and who is allowed and trusted to perform which duties in your hospital,” says Sam.

The veterinary community has made a lot of advancements, and vet techs are definitely on an upward trajectory. However, to keep the momentum, Sam advises that we need more passionate technicians to get involved; progress doesn’t happen on its own.

“Someone recently commented on a post about title protection and said, ‘They should fix this!’ And I replied, ‘Who is they?’” she shares.

“I am they. You are they. We all are they. If you see a path forward to improve things, be they; don’t wait for someone else to fix it. Getting involved is as easy as contacting your state vet tech association and asking how you can help,” concludes Sam.

References:

1. CVTEA Accreditation Policies and Procedures. (2024, August). Appendix G – Veterinary Technology Student Essential and Recommended Skills List. AVMA. https://www.avma.org/education/center-for-veterinary-accreditation/committee-veterinary-technician-education-activities/cvtea-accreditation-policies-and-procedures-appendix-g
2. 2023 AAHA Technician Utilization Guidelines. (2023, September 30). AAHA. https://www.aaha.org/resources/2023-aaha-technician-utilization-guidelines/

he veterinary technician profession is evolving, but real progress requires active involvement from veterinary technicians themselves. While systemic challenges have long hindered the recognition and proper utilization of veterinary technicians, there are clear paths forward.

• Structural Imbalance: Historically, veterinary practices have operated under a veterinarian-centric model, which leaves technicians underrepresented and undervalued. Despite years of discussion about technician turnover, poor compensation and low morale, many of these issues remain unresolved because they are structural rather than attitudinal.
• Inconsistent Credentialing and Utilization: Arguably one of the biggest issues is the variation in credentialing and utilization across states. Currently, there are six states (CT, FL, MA, NJ, VT and WY) that do not have technician regulations and use a voluntary credentialing process. Some states allow uncredentialed assistants to perform critical tasks like anesthesia, while other states provide minimal recognition or differentiation for the work technicians do.
  Even within states, there is often variation between regions or even between practices in the same community regarding the tasks that technicians are permitted to perform. This lack of consistency limits the profession’s growth and creates confusion both within practices and across the pet-owning population.
• Limited Representation in Governance: In most states, veterinary boards are primarily or entirely composed of veterinarians, leaving technicians without a voice in decisions that affect their licensing/credentialing, scope of practice and professional development. The governing bodies for veterinary technicians’ educations and credentialing exams are similarly housed within organizations where technicians are grossly underrepresented. Unlike other professions requiring credentialing, including human healthcare professions, veterinary technicians do not have the autonomy to regulate their own profession.

1. Advocate for Title Protection.
Title protection is critical for ensuring that veterinary technicians are recognized for their education, skills and expertise—both within the veterinary industry and among the general public. Without title protection, anyone can claim the title of a veterinary technician, essentially diluting the profession’s credibility.

How to Get Involved:

• Understand your state’s current veterinary practice act or other governing documents and advocate for technician-specific language and advancement.
• Stay informed about legislation in your state and contact lawmakers to express support for title protection.
• Attend state veterinary medical board (VMB) and state veterinary medical association (VMA) meetings.
• Join advocacy efforts through your state and national veterinary technician associations.
• Participate in state-level discussions about credentialing, scope of practice and other technician-centric topics.

2. Support the Creation of Technician-Led Licensing Boards.
One of the most significant structural changes proposed is the creation of technician-led licensing boards. These boards would allow technicians to govern their own credentialing, scope of practice and enforcement of standards, similar to nursing boards in human healthcare. This would elevate the profession and ensure that technicians have more control over their careers.

How to Get Involved:

• Engage with state veterinary boards and medical associations to push for technician representation and autonomy.
• Advocate for equal distribution of technician and veterinarian positions on the boards for all governing bodies.
• Start conversations with your colleagues and local associations about the need for technician-led governance.
• Attend state meetings or conferences where these issues are discussed and voice your support for structural changes.

3. Participate in Education and Awareness Campaigns.
Veterinary schools often fail to integrate the role of veterinary technicians into their curriculum, leaving new veterinarians oblivious to the vast education and skillsets that credentialed technicians possess. This leads to many veterinarians being underprepared to successfully work in a team-based model, where tasks are delineated appropriately.

Likewise, pet owners are often confused regarding the roles and responsibilities of different veterinary professionals due to the considerable lack of standardized terminology and job duties of veterinary professionals within their local practice, and even across their community, state and nation. Educating the next generation of veterinarians and pet owners about the importance of technicians and their unique skills and education is key to improving technician utilization.

How to Get Involved:

• Volunteer with veterinary
• schools to share your expertise with students.
• Understand your state’s current veterinary practice act or other governing documents.
• Educate colleagues and peers on current concerns and advocate for technician-specific language and advancement.
• Advocate for improved technician utilization in your workplace. To support your case, employ the 2023 AAHA Technician Utilization Guidelines.
• Create staff training programs that focus on understanding each position’s role in the veterinary healthcare team and provide a clarification of each role’s contributions.
• Join or introduce public awareness campaigns that help pet owners and veterinarians understand the critical role veterinary technicians play in animal healthcare.

How to Get Involved:

• Start by joining your local or state veterinary technician association.
• Join the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA).
• Encourage your peers to participate in advocacy and professional development initiatives.
• Educate veterinary technician students on the importance of active involvement in shaping the profession’s future.
• Offer mentorship to new technicians, helping them to become strong leaders in the field.

The pet healthcare system is evolving, driven by a new generation of pet owners who demand higher standards of care for their animals. Veterinary technicians are at the forefront of this shift, but the profession will only reach its full potential if technicians push for the structural changes needed to elevate their roles. By working together and taking action now to get involved, stay informed and advocate for their profession, veterinary technicians can be part of the movement that transforms veterinary technology into a respected, well-compensated and fully recognized profession.

Gain clarity by using productivity journals to reflect on and plan your day/week/month/year. This affords you an alternative perspective while allowing you to make refinements along the way. Here are a few key questions to ask yourself to prompt your journaling:

• What matters most to me right now and why?
• Am I giving my attention to that something that matters or am I giving it away to things that show up as urgent but aren’t truly important to me?
• If I am, how can I gently guide myself back to what is genuinely important and deserves a higher priority of my time, energy and attention?
• How do I want to show up for myself and others?
• What is a situation that may stress me out and how would my best self handle it?
• What does it look like and feel like to separate work and home?

The answers are different for everyone and you have to define them, otherwise you’re aimlessly wandering and you don’t know when you’ve hit your mark or missed it. When you journal, and things are going fantastic, you can look back at the “recipe” to recreate that positivity more often. If you don’t, how do you know which levers to pull? Levers being time with friends, cooking dinner, morning snuggles, going for a hike, having help from teammates during closing hours, using software to get notes done faster, etc.

• ACCEPT: Give yourself grace. We’re human—things happen and it’s healthy to be okay when things aren’t okay.
• BE OPEN: Be verbally open and honest with yourself and your family while committing to doing better next time. For example, “I apologize for taking my anger out on you, something happened that upset me and I’ll share the details when I’m in a better state.” Or to yourself, “That really sucked last night. I know I’ll be overwhelmed again and here’s what I’ll do to prevent another downward spiral.”
• CALM: Do something to calm your nervous system. Maybe it’s taking a shower (water has tremendous benefits on lowering our stress, and the privacy can be a place of refuge) or maybe it’s taking a walk. But there’s a difference between storming through your house, making a beeline for the shower and openly communicating something like, “Hey there, I’m going to take 30 minutes to quiet my mind and then we’ll watch a movie together.” Or send a text, “Once I park I’m going for a walk to the end of the street, and then I’ll be inside.”

You may say to yourself, I don’t have the time or energy for that. But I assure you the time spent will be well worth it and it will save you time and energy later.

In addition to employing these hacks to create a healthy separation from work and home life, it’s important to continue educating yourself on ways you can enhance your quality of life. As veterinary professionals, we have that conversation thousands of times in our careers, and it’s high time you have it with yourself. Give yourself permission to prioritize it.