Veterinary Viewfinder Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Does Your Mom’s Dog Get an Employee Discount? Confusion and Misuse of Veterinary Staff Discounts and Pet Care Benefits Aug 30, 2023

Show notes

Hypothetically speaking, have you ever encountered a veterinary staff member who added their parent’s pets to their personal account? Do those pets receive the same discounts, priorities, or privileges as other staff member’s own pets? What about calling for after-hours assistance on behalf of friends and family? Viewfinders, how far do pet care discounts and benefits extend? Do you have written policies governing these rules? Let’s get into it. Host Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT, share their experiences with veterinary team members skirting on the edge of extending their pet care benefits too far. Our hosts reveal real-life examples and tactics they used to avoid hurting feelings. Dr. Ward also discusses the guilt he has felt when contacted after-hours by a well-meaning staff member seeking help for a neighbor or friend’s pet. He shares how he overcame these feelings of guilt and why he believes every clinic needs to discuss this issue and develop guidelines. Beckie encourages all veterinary practices to “get ahead of this issue before it becomes a problem.” She also worries that this is a bigger problem than most clinics realize (or admit) and how it may negatively impact team morale. Viewfinders, have you experienced this? Share on our Facebook or Instagram pages or email us at vetrerinaryviewfinder@gmail.com.

AVMA Pledges to Fight Against Expanding Scope of Practice Aug 16, 2023

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The controversies began before the official opening of the 2023 AVMA Convention in Denver. One debate that resurfaced this year was expanding the scope of practice, review of licensed veterinary technicians’ roles, and their permitted professional duties. Despite having no regulatory or enforcement abilities, the AVMA proclaimed it would pledge “to defend against expanding the scope of practice,” particularly in the role of a proposed midlevel practitioner. Unfortunately, the discussions quickly grew to include debates about preventing any establishment of a VCPR by a licensed veterinary technician, going against legislation passed in several states. Viewfinders, we’ve got a lot to talk about in this episode. Hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and President-elect of the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA), Beckie Mossor, RVT, discuss the recent controversies around expanding the scope of practice and the duties a licensed veterinary technician can perform and how this potentially impacts both the veterinary profession and access to pet care. Viewfinders, this is a critical issue that impacts veterinarians, vet techs, and all members of the veterinary profession. Please share your opinions on our Facebook or Instagram pages, or email us at veterinaryviewfinder@gmail.com RESOURCES CITED: “AVMA pledges to defend against expanding scope of practice” - AVMA Convention 2023 Daily News https://www.avma.org/events/avma-convention/convention-newspaper/avma-pledges-defend-against-expanding-scope-practice AVMA Policies - Safeguarding care for animals with veterinarian-led teams https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/avma-policies/safeguarding-care-animals-veterinarian-led-teams NAVTA Response to AVMA Statement on Scope of Practice https://navta.net/news/navta-response-to-avma-statement-on-scope-of-practice/ Academy of Internal Medicine for Veterinary Technicians open letter to the AVMA: https://www.aimvt.com/ “AVMA, the ultimate gatekeepers and their disdain for veterinary technician advancement” by Stephen Niño Cital, RVT, SRA, RLAT, CVPP, VTS- LAM (Res. Anesthesia) https://medium.com/@NinoCital/avma-the-ultimate-gatekeepers-and-their-distain-for-veterinary-technician-advancement-2e09622e400d “AVMA’s two faces” by Stephen Niño Cital, RVT, SRA, RLAT, CVPP, VTS- LAM (Res. Anesthesia) https://medium.com/@NinoCital/avmas-two-faces-adf4c7e53364

Who Chooses and Pays For Your Veterinary CE? Aug 09, 2023

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Most U.S. veterinary professionals are required to complete continuing education (CE) to maintain their professional licenses. But who chooses those CE opportunities, and who pays for them? How are you paid for time away from the clinic? Who decides when you can take CE? This week we discuss the perils and pitfalls of providing veterinary CE for employees - and the dangers of not. Viewfinders, there’s a lot to discuss! Hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT, share stories from their own practices as well as recent awkward scenarios of associate veterinarians and registered veterinary technicians struggling to negotiate and navigate CE benefits. Our hosts also examine the risks of inequitable CE offerings, including non-licensed staff, and why educational opportunities for all staff can benefit your practice. Viewfinders, this is a complicated issue with few easy answers. Please share your thoughts and ideas with us on Facebook and Instagram or at veterinaryviewfinder@gmail.com.

Solving Vet Med's Lack Of Diversity: A Conversation With Pawsibilities Vet Med's Dr. Valerie Marcano Aug 02, 2023

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Veterinary medicine has a diversity and inclusion problem. While an issue that large may not be something most veterinary professionals believe they can solve, Dr. Valerie Marcano is committed to trying. This week hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT, are thrilled to introduce you to one of the founders of Pawsilbilities Vet Med, Dr. Valerie Marcano. Pawsibilities Vet Med is an organization created to provide mentorship to minorities, LBGTQ+, and other marginalized communities in veterinary medicine. Dr. Marcano shares her journey from growing up in the Dominican Republic, to moving to the Bronx as a teenager to becoming a poultry veterinary specialist. She shares the realities of going to veterinary school and practicing as a minority. Dr. Marcano explains how these experiences inspired her to encourage diversity and inclusion in vet med by providing mentorship and training opportunities for all veterinary professionals. Viewfinders, we hope you’ll find this conversation as uplifting and informative as we did. To learn more about how you can get involved: Links: www.pawsibilitiesvetmed.com https://www.pawsibilitiesvetmed.com/why-dei/ https://www.pawsibilitiesvetmed.com/join-us/ Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/PawsVetMed https://www.linkedin.com/company/pawsvetmed/ https://www.instagram.com/pawsvetmed

Who Decides What To Buy? Veterinary Team Decision-Making For Software and Equipment Purchases Jul 26, 2023

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Who would guess that choosing a software subscription or medical equipment could cause division and disharmony within a veterinary practice team? Join Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT, in The Veterinary Viewfinder's latest podcast episode: "Who Decides What To Buy? Veterinary Team Decision-Making For Software and Equipment Purchases." This week our hosts delve into the critical aspect of choosing software and equipment in the veterinary world and discover the thought process behind these crucial decisions. With expert insights from Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT, this episode sheds light on the complex dynamics of veterinary team decision-making and empowers practices to make informed choices. Gain valuable tips on aligning technology with practice needs, optimizing workflow efficiency, and maximizing patient care. Stay ahead of the game and elevate your decision-making skills with this engaging and informative podcast episode! Viewfinders, what do you think? Has this been an issue in your clinic? How did your team or leadership handle it? Please share your experiences on our Facebook and Instagram pages or message us at veterinaryviewfinder@gmail.com.

Who Gets To Go When It's Slow? A Veterinary Practice Dilemma Jul 19, 2023

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Who gets to go when it’s slow at your veterinary clinic? This week we tackle a tough topic rarely talked about, yet it happens in a variety of ways. Who gets to leave early can be divisive among your team if you don’t set boundaries and guidelines. Hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT, begin with an overview of this seemingly innocuous issue. They share their own personal experiences, and lessons learned the hard way! This conversation is full of practical advice, and we think it should be shared with your clinic leaders! Viewfinders, what do you think? Has this been an issue in your clinic? How did you handle it? Please share your experiences on our Facebook and Instagram pages or message us at veterinaryviewfinder@gmail.com.

Do You Have Veterinary Medical Consent? Boarding, Holiday and Emergency Dilemmas Jul 12, 2023

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What happens when an animal needs emergency care, and you can’t contact the owner? What if you don’t have adequate equipment or medications? Do you tell the owner? What if that animal is under your care or being boarded? What about giving a boarding pet an anti-diarrheal without explicit permission? Viewfinders, this week we’ve got a multitude of ethical dilemmas concerning veterinary medical consent. It’s a good one! Hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT, share stories from the trenches regarding sticky situations concerning the consent of care. Our anchors cover many moral and ethical issues, from boarding to emergencies to neighborhood kennels. Viewfinders, this is an excellent podcast to share with your friends and colleagues. It will catalyze conversations to help you stay ahead of problems. Please share your thoughts on our Instagram and Facebook pages, or email us at veterinaryviewfinder@gmail.com. Thanks for listening!

How Do You Celebrate Your Veterinary Team Jul 05, 2023

Show notes

We talk a lot about the importance of rewarding and recognizing your veterinary team members, but what about celebrating them? This week we discuss the difference between benefits, incentives, and rewards and why all are essential in maintaining a harmonious and healthy workplace environment. Viewfinders, there’s much more to this topic than an “Employee of the Month” certificate! Host Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT, take a deep dive into what it means to celebrate veterinary clinic employees. Dr. Ward suggests “inspiring” should be an essential element of any celebration, and Beckie offers real-world tips for highlighting team members. Viewfinders, what are some of the ways you celebrate your team? Share them on our Facebook or Instagram pages at Veterinary Viewfinder, or email us at veterinaryviewfinder@gmail.com.

Celebrating PRIDE Month in Veterinary Medicine Jun 28, 2023

Show notes

As PRIDE Month comes to a close, we wanted to share our thoughts, experiences, and tips for being a better ally for the veterinary profession’s LBGTQ+ community. Hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT, reveal their experiences and learnings from their own LBGTQ+ advocacy efforts. Dr. Ward shares lessons from his political campaigning, and Beckie reviews how she has grown in her allyship efforts. For more information, check out these excellent resources: BlendVet: www.blend.vet Chapter VIII: Veterinary Inclusion and Intersectionality Initiative: chapterviii.org Diversify Veterinary Medicine Coalition: diversifyvetmed.org “Diversity & Inclusion on Air”: bit.ly/3YULScS Journey for Teams: journeyforteams.org Pawsibilities: pawsibilitiesvetmed.com Vet Med Interconnected organizations: bit.ly/3lz8T7j Other Perspectives on Allyship “Providing a safe place for those in the field to be who they are should be our No. 1 goal.” https://todaysveterinarybusiness.com/other-perspectives-on-allyship-0423/

Are You (Accidentally) Talking Bad About Veterinary Colleagues? Jun 21, 2023

Show notes

Have you ever talked smack about another veterinary clinic? Have you ever had a client bad mouth their previous vet? This week we examine how we talk about our veterinary colleagues and how we may be inadvertently “talking trash” about each other. Hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT, explore the intentional and unintentional ways our comments and questions may negatively impact our colleagues. From clients questioning prior care to veterinary professionals publicly dismissing others’ opinions and actions, this episode features a bevy of thorny ethical and moral dilemmas. Viewfinders, how we treat each other affects our personal and professional self-esteem and joy. While we point out that we’re not against speaking out when negligence or malpractice occurs, we question how seemingly innocent remarks can “throw a colleague under the bus.” Viewfinders, this is another good podcast episode to share with your colleagues and friends! #veterinary #veterinarytechnician #veterinary #podcast #veterinarypodcast #vettechpodcast #vetpodcast

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