Technicians

15 tools and tips to take your team from good to great.

This veterinarian's passion for practice-and helicopters-lets him fill a unique niche.

I work in a new practice and everyone is used to different protocols. How can we get on the same page?

Just whisper the word tests, and clients will flood you with questions: what, when, how much? Try these answers to get the OK.

Jessica Harris, RVT, describes herself as the quintessential veterinary person who knew she wanted to be a veterinarian since she was knee-high to a grasshopper. This March, she realized her dream of attending veterinary school with an acceptance letter to North Carolina State University's College of Veterinary Medicine.

Want to get more done in less time? Plan for efficiency with these one-step-at-a-time solutions.

Sharing my love for animals helped me reach out to a student struggling with a drug addiction.

Hospital tours attract new clients and cement your bond with existing ones. "We like to take the mystery away," says Dr. Lisa Barlow of Centennial Valley Animal Hospital PC in Louisville, Colo. "We think hospital tours help clients feel better about leaving their pets here."

Are you unhappy at work? Maybe it's time for a change. You know you need a new job when ...

Our practice just cut employee discounts because of an IRS law. Most of us have worked here for five or 10 years, and we have many pets to take care of. We can't afford their care now. Should we look for other jobs?

What's the nicest thing a client ever said to you?

Are you unhappy at work? Maybe it's time for a change. You know you need a new job when ...

Looking for a fun way to say thanks for a job well done? When the price at the pumps started rising this summer, the team at Community Veterinary Center in Oneonta, N.Y., received a special bonus: a little gas relief.

Few pets miss their regular test or get behind on their medications at Lost Mountain Animal Hospital in Marietta, Ga. That's because Tiffany Gluckman, a receptionist, sends out reminders to clients to make appointments for procedures, tests, and medications, such as T4 levels and phenobarbital screens every six months, heartworm medication every year, and regular dentals.

You have a whole week to recognize these blood-drawing, anesthesia-monitoring, animal-loving team members Oct. 15 to 21. Not sure what to do? Try some of these ideas from Nancy Allen, a Firstline Editorial Advisory Board member and the practice manager at Olathe Animal Hospital in Olathe, Kan.

Editor's Note: DVM Newsmagazine asked Cheryl Weber, a grief counselor from the University of Illinois, to share her expertise and advice when a doctor is asked to euthanize a sick animal.

Use this sample form to track your accomplishments.

What's your biggest challenge in practice?

Step back-so you can put your best foot forward

I'm frustrated with my team members' bad attitudes, and it's really bringing me down. What should I do?

Looking for some art to fill those empty walls? Check your mailbox! You probably receive a wealth of great artwork from clients every month, says Cheryl Dyer, practice manager at Noah's Ark Animal Clinic in Kansas City, Mo. When patients recover from a serious illness, their pet parents often send a note of thanks with a picture to the practice. Dyer says they frame these photos and hang them in the practice's front lobby.

I've worked at the same practice for eight years and I still only get 10 days of either paid vacation or sick leave. Is this fair?

Elimination of pain is an effective focus and client motivator.

Give the last clients of the day the same warm reception the 40 clients in front of them enjoyed.

Next time you walk into an exam room, look down. Are there curious little faces looking back? They may be small in stature, but children are an important ingredient in pets' health, says Cindy Adams, MSW, PhD, associate professor of communication and epidemiology at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada.

When you say apple, do others hear orange? Use these tips to give helpful feedback that others will understand and appreciate.

Do you struggle to remember all of the mountains you've climbed when it's time for your performance review? Use this simple solution from Katherine Dobbs, RVT, the director of client services at Gulf Coast Veterinary Internists and Critical Care in Houston: Track your goals and accomplishments with a weekly activity report.

The way you talk to clients about what you charge and why can help your practice provide good care- or block your progress. Do you need to rethink your role?

Are you ready to rekindle your love affair with your job? Do you need tips to work more effectively as a team, offer out-of-this world client service, or deal with your biggest frustrations in practice? We'd love to help. And that's why we're jazzed about Firstline Live, a team training event designed to give you the same kind of high-energy advice and inspiration we deliver in Firstline—except in person.

Tough issues call for tough talks. Using the right approach and communicating effectively will help you get on the same page-and get on with work and life.