8 ways to earn the respect you deserve (Proceedings)

How often do you sit back and really think about what amazing things you do every day as a veterinary technician? How frequently do you pat yourself on the back acknowledging your education, training, and skills? Do you ever reflect at the end of the day on what you accomplished during that day? How many surgical procedures that you successfully assisted with? How many challenging medical questions you answered? How many anesthesia cases you monitored? How many dentals you performed? How many lab results you correctly interpreted? How many clients you helped, soothed, or provided necessary service to? How many animals' lives you have changed, improved, or saved?

Do you ever sit back and say, "My gracious, I'm awesome at what I do?"

Guess what? YOU SHOULD! Veterinary technicians are extremely important in any veterinary hospital and when you think about everything you do on a daily basis you should be extremely proud (and perhaps a little exhausted!). Your job descriptions are long and impressive and you deserve to have respect for everything that you do.

Now, the tough question...do you always feel that you get the respect that you deserve? If your answer is yes, then you absolutely need to attend this presentation in order to share with your colleagues! If your answer is no, then you also need to attend this presentation in order to hear from your colleagues and learn together what you can do. There is no reason why any veterinary technician should not be able to earn the respect they deserve!

In this presentation we will discuss 8 ways (at least!) for you to earn that respect. These will include:

1. Acting the part of a professional

     a) Familiarity with and understanding of the Employee Manual

     b) General standards of conduct, protocol adherence and understanding

     c) Dress code/Proper attire

     d) Smile!

2. Proper communication (including exam room skills)

     a) Establishing rapport

     b) Understands what the hospital needs to do to provide phenomenal customer service and expects this of others

3. Being a lifelong learner and looking for growth opportunities

     a) CE – both internal and external

     b) Cross-training

     c) Teaching/mentoring others

4. Being entrepreneurial and looking for ways to improve your hospital

     a) New profit centers

     b) Innovation

     c) Commitment to the core values/vision/mission

5. Pitching in whenever and wherever you are needed (no, "it's not my job")

     a) Be supportive of others

     b) Be a "go-to" person in your hospital

     c) Be a team player!

6. Handling your emotions in an appropriate manner (emotional intelligence)

     a) Appropriate venting

     b) Recognition of compassion fatigue, burnout, stress and how you are dealing with these

     c) Taking care of you!

7. Assertiveness and conflict management skills

     a) Objectivity in dealing with difficult situations

     b) Knowing when to "count to ten" and how to handle tough conversations

     c) Speak from your own experience

8. Knowing when it is time to move on

     a) Pride and self-respect!

     b) Positive attitude!

     c) Opportunity!