POPULARITY
Happy New Year, Viewfinders! This week our hosts preview the veterinary profession's toughest topics and trends we predict for 2022! Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT join in a rapid-fire discussion of the top challenges they foresee for 2022 (and beyond). Some of the issues they discuss include: * Veterinary workforce shortages * Mental health issues (burnout, depression, compassion fatigue, substance abuse, etc.) * Veterinary staff wages and benefits * Student loans and the rising cost of DVM/RVT degrees * Inflation of vet services and products - what impacts will inflation have on patient care and client communications? * Social media complaints - We're seeing reports of vets being charged with ethics and professional behavior violations when they engage clients online. Yikes! * Corporatization vs Independent Practices: How can we get along and compete? * Core vaccines - potential challenges post-pandemic vaccine controversies? * Politics - Veterinary Practices and 2022 Midterms * What happened to the Veterinary Nurse Initiative (VNI)? Our continuing plea for veterinary technician Title Protection * Telemedicine - Muddy waters ahead or smooth sailing? * Brachycephalic breeds - Will US veterinary professionals speak out as they are in the UK? * CBD - definitely maybe? * Climate change * Animal welfare and Food animal production, ventilation Shutdown (VSD) Looks like 2022 is going to be an exciting and promising year! Happy New Year, Viewfinders!
It’s hard to hire a Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT, CVT, LVT) these days! This week we’re joined by the 2020 National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA) President, Kenichiro (Ken) Yagi, MS, RVT, VTS (ECC, SAIM). Ken gives us the latest update on the Veterinary Nurse Initiative (VNI) and engages in an important discussion with hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT on the need for veterinary technician title protection (and what this means), how to get the most out of your RVT staff, what procedures RVTs can - and should - be doing, and a free online tool to help any veterinary clinic determine how well they’re utilizing support staff. This is a timely conversation on a wide variety of topics affecting the veterinary profession in 2020 and beyond. Please share with your colleagues! Viewfinders, don’t forget to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts this week. Thank you!
This week hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT are joined by one of the veterinary industry’s longtime female leaders and entrepreneurs, Brenda Andresen. Brenda shares her personal story, what she sees as some of the most pressing challenges faced by veterinary professionals today, and her latest project, The Bridge Club. Brenda also weighs in on the Veterinary Nurse Initiative (VNI), telemedicine, and how professional women can support, instead of competing against, each other. The Bridge Club website: https://thebridgeclub.com/ Thanks, Viewfinders for your continued support! If you haven’t, please leave us a quick review in iTunes. Talk to you again every Wednesday!
One of the most controversial topics in the veterinary profession during the past few years has been the Veterinary Nurse Initiative (VNI). What should veterinary technicians be called? What should their credentials be? And what responsibilities should they have? This week we’re pleased to sit down with one the VNI’s most vocal, and articulate, critics, Liz Hughston, RVT, VTS (SAIM, ECC). Liz has been a guest before, and this time she shares her disagreements with Mark Cushing, JD, the lead attorney for the VNI. Liz is an outstanding guest, and listen to find out why Dr. Ward said “every neural connection on this topic was blown” after listening to Liz’s cogent arguments. This is an AMAZING episode. PLEASE forgive us for Dr. Ward’s audio… he was traveling and wound up stuck in a very echo corner of a random office for this recording! Thank you again, LIZ! If you don’t mind, please leave us a review on iTunes. That’s all we ask of you in exchange for producing this podcast each week. Your review means the world to us and helps us reach more veterinary professionals.
This week we review breaking news about the Veterinary Nurse Initiative (VNI) with lead attorney Mark Cushing from Animal Policy Group. Veterinarians Ernie Ward and Cyndie Courtney along with registered veterinary nurse (RVT) Beckie Mossor review the latest developments and objective from the VNI lead lawyer. Whether you support or object to the VNI, this is a conversation all sides can benefit from listening -- from start to finish! After you listen, please leave us an iTunes review!! Thank you!!
A new article in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA) asks if U.S. veterinary technician programs are measuring up to standards and Dr. Ernie Ward discusses the Veterinary Nurse Initiative (VNI); the Michigan State Senate votes to eliminate breed-specific legislation (BSL) statewide; a new study evaluates canine artificial intelligence (A.I.) and may bring us one step closer to realistic robot dogs.
This week we’re delighted to share the microphone with registered veterinary technician specialist, Liz Hughston, MEd., RVT, CVT, VTS (SAIM, ECC). Host veterinarians Ernie Ward and Cyndie Courtney and registered veterinary technician Beckie Mossor embark on a wide-ranging discussion about veterinary staff unionization and collective bargaining, Liz offers her perspective on the Veterinary Nurse Initiative (VNI), and the quartet discuss pet medical marijuana / CBD / cannabis usage. This podcast is a little longer than normal, but I think you’ll want to stick around for the entire conversation! WE NEED YOUR HELP TO MAKE THE PODCAST BETTER! Please leave us a review on your favorite podcast site, ESPECIALLY iTUNES. We love making this podcast, but we need your reviews to help us grow and improve. You can follow us on FACEBOOK, TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM. Join the conversation and share your thoughts about these topics and what you’d like to hear us tackle on Facebook/VeterinaryViewfinder, Twitter @VetViewfinder and Veterinary Viewfinder on the Instagrams. C’mon, brah, we’re not asking for much!
Finding good employees is a challenge for any clinic. Finding good veterinary technicians is even harder! This week Drs. Ernie Ward and Cyndie Courtney, along with registered veterinary technician Beckie Mossor are joined by “MKA from Minnesota,” or Michelle Krasicki-Aune, MBA, BS, CVT, a credentialed veterinary technician who has a company dedicated to providing clinics with relief veterinary technicians, mentorship, and much more. Michelle tells how (and why) she became a veterinary technician (canine heartworms are involved), how the profession has changed, and where she thinks the future of veterinary technicians lies. Along the way, the quartet chat about the Veterinary Nurse Initiative (VNI), her best advice for staying motivated in clinics, how managers and owners can learn from RVT/CVT/LVT’s, and some of the challenges she sees in daily practices. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!! PLEASE LEAVE US A REVIEW! Please leave us a review on your favorite podcast site, ESPECIALLY iTUNES. You can also join the conversation and share your thoughts about these topics and what you’d like to hear us tackle on Facebook/VeterinaryViewfinder and Twitter @VetViewfinder.