Roles

Let's say you could forget "receptionist" or "technician" and pick any title you wanted-something that really reflects your skills and goals. So you could be "chatty chief greeter in charge of great visits" or "superwoman for sensational care." Would you think about your job differently? What title would you choose for yourself?

Proper disposal is the law-and it's for your own safety.

Educate clients about the benefits of senior care by putting together a protocol and sending a consistent message. Handouts such as this one can help you deliver your message.

Q. Many of our clients don't seem to recognize the signs that their pets are in pain. What can we do?

Make sure your benefits stack up well against the other options team members could find in your area-and give employees more reasons to stick around.

What do you like best about your job?

After a seven-month investigation, a Senate panel concluded that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) should be abolished and rebuilt from scratch, according to The Associated Press.

Do chatty clients drive you batty? Does a dusty counter or paw prints on a newly washed floor raise your hackles? A 2005 AVHC Veterinary Team Study shows difficult clients, lack of recognition, and co-workers with bad attitudes top the list of your colleagues' frustrations.

Solid communication skills bridge the gap between you and the client-and reduce your risk of malpractice claims. Use these strategies to refine your approach and avoid potential trouble spots.

Q. I've recently been promoted to a supervisory position. What's the best way to ease into my new responsibilities without offending co-workers?

Tired of reseeding with new hires every year? It's time to cultivate perennials.

2006-2007 Firstline MVP Nomination Form

Customize this sample Word document to terminate a doctor-client relationship politely and professionally.

Difficult clients do your practice more harm than good by damaging team morale and causing conflict. Figure out who they are, and let them go.

Promoting dental health starts with your team. So develop a team approach to educating clients?and use tools such as this dental prophy admitting form to help you deliver great care.

I disagree with recent decisions my boss made and with the quality of his practice. After 12 years, I'm ready to move out on my own. I don't have a noncompete agreement and plan to open a practice in the same town. My clients deserve to know I'm leaving and should have the opportunity to follow me. What can I do?

Every practitioner who orders, dispenses, prescribes, or administers a controlled substance must be registered with the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and sometimes with a state agency that regulates such activity, says Philip Seibert, CVT, a consultant with Veterinary Practice Consultants in Calhoun, Tenn., and editor of The Veterinary Safety & Health Digest. What's more, you must keep such substances in a "securely locked, substantially constructed cabinet or safe," according to Title 21 CFR 1301.75. So what exactly does that mean?

In a recent survey, 54 percent of team members felt cross-training was beneficial.

When our owner's out of the building and the technicians perform dentals, does our part-time associate receive credit even if the owner scheduled it and already performed a physical exam?

From divorce to debt, everyone deals with personal issues?and you may feel you shoulder too big a burden. Use these strategies to manage tough situations when they spill into the workplace.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed a final rule to prohibit extra-label use in poultry of two classes of approved human antiviral drugs in treating influenza: anti-influenza adamantane (amantadine and rimantadine) and neuraminidase inhibitor (oseltamivir and zanamivir).

This doctor learned communication is a two-way street. And meeting this small dog in the middle made all the difference in the world.

Michigan Veterinary Specialists in Southfield, Mich., is a large specialty practice with a 24-hour facility. Technicians work different shifts and are constantly passing on important information about patients. "To improve communication between shifts, we made cage tags that highlight patients' special needs," says Kathy Estrada, LVT, the practice's technical services manager.

The goal: As Bob Townsend, former CEO of Avis Rent A Car System LLC, has said, "Create the kind of environment that pays people to bring their brains to work." The more you identify and address employees' job-related needs, the more likely they'll engage in what psychologists call "motivated behavior."

Sometimes it's tough for a new associate to find his fit as part of the team, but having a good relationship with those up and down the roster is important for growth and success.

Let others know how much you care with these simple steps.

Help! One of our veterinarians always says we have a zero-tolerance policy for gossip, but she's the worst! She talks about clients and staff members all the time. What should we do?

Reduction in appetite indicates that the induction phase of therapy has been completed.

Should the doctor know the prices for procedures and services?

Business philosopher Jim Rohn, one of my favorite speakers, says that what happens in life happens to all of us. It's what you do with what happens to you that matters. On the upside, that means that when you think things couldn't get worse, the person you go to for advice will likely have faced something similar, or will know someone who has.