Technicians

Q: Six months ago I lost my beloved pet. Over the past several weeks I've been struggling to deal with the sad parts of my job. I can work a double shift and deal with angry clients, but I still can't room a euthanasia appointment. It seems like I'm always on the verge of tears.

Surveys let veterinary clients rate your performance before they take their frustrations online.

How can you handle smartphones in your veterinary clinic? Plus, a poem to help employees remember to keep their phone away.

When veterinary clients take a bite out of you, use these tips to retrain their most challenging behaviors.

An important trait of coachable players is their willingness to practice to improve their performance. So here are some exercises you can practice to develop yourself as a coachable veterinary team member:

I love my job but our office manager is a big problem. She's very unprofessional and rude. She has given a tongue lashing to many clients and driven them away. I and my other team members suspect that she's stolen money, and we're sick of her attitude, the disrespect to others and her laziness. We confronted the owner about our concerns. He will have brief chats with her, but it only does good for a couple of hours. Help!

Use this script to talk to veterinary clients about the advantages of ditching online pharmacies.

To prepare for a meeting with your veterinary team manager, write down your thoughts. State the problem in one or two sentences. Next, list two or three specific examples with approximate dates and times. Finally, offer a positive solution. "Fire Mary" isn't what most managers want to hear. Bosses want constructive steps that can help heal your team. Start your conversation with a request that respects your manager's time:

Ready to make game-changing plays in pets' health? You must start by opening yourself to messages from your coaches and practice leaders.

Huddle up and go over the day's schedule at your veterinary hospital.

Use this advice on how to talk about the practice's finances with your boss.

Whether you suffer from a disability or you're trying to make your practice friendlier for disabled clients and team members, consider this advice.

Use this sample appointment schedule to plan for emergencies and same-day appointments.

Help team members understand profits, threats and change.

Survey answers show many of you are feeling squeezed by the economy. Here's help.

If you're waiting for your raise still, remember that many practice owners are also waiting eagerly to offer you one. Marianne Mallonee, CVPM, encourages you to offer the benefit of the doubt to practice owners who may be playing financial catch-up and consider these reasons for the delay:

Check out the reasons your colleagues gave for why they love their careers in veterinary medicine.

Q: Why are some veterinary practices freezing wages or failing to offer raises?

This toolkit delivers team training, free client handouts, exam room education strategies and more, all designed to make it as easy as possible for veterinarians and their teams to promote preventive care and stress the importance of physical exams to pet owners. (With an educational grant provided by Veterinary Pet Insurance)

Do you embrace changes and new services?or flee from them? Take a look at the possible changes in store for your practice.

Find out common sources of angst and learn strategies to kick conflict to the curb at your practice.

Whether you're fueled by quiet or craziness, you can leverage your personality and skills in veterinary practice.

Use the power of social media for internal matters too.

Dr. Ward weighs in on current and future veterinary technology for monitoring pet?s health.

Violent incidents can happen anywhere, but there are things a practice team can do to be less vulnerable.

Continue to contribute to the practice's-and your own-well being.

New study finds the bond between mother and child is similar to puppy and owner relationship

Rate yourself with this quiz. Team members, guess your boss's responses, then read "Who's steering your practice?" in July 2013 Firstline for advice on how to work better with your boss.

Avoid blowups and miscommunication by teaching your team to offer pointed information about your vaccination protocols.

Educate pet owners about how to use topical parasite prevention and other steps they need to take in their household.