Scratching Posts

It's been quite a zoo here at TVEC lately. Not just a lot of cases, but a lot of very sick pets who need lots of care. It falls on the nurses (or technicians as they are more commonly called in veterinary medicine) to do the dirty work.

Being a veterinary nurse is hard work, but we are lucky to have some of the best in the business. They have to pay attention to the various patients, learning each pet's unique personality. Is this pet going to be one who is going to chew out their catheter? Is this pet going to respond better to being held this way, or that way? Does this pet like a lot of blankets, or do they like less? They have to anticipate problems before they occur if possible, and clean up the mess if they can't. Bodily fluids of all types have to be collected and analyzed, replaced, or just cleaned up. Dosages have to be calculated and double checked, tests need to be run, x-rays need to be taken, and everything needs to be done 10 minutes ago. Did I mention cleaning? It's constant. Dirty laundry multiplies in the bin. And all the while there are doctors making demands, receptionists are calling for patients to be brought to the owner, and clients are asking questions.

What impresses me the most is how they manage to do it all with a minimum of fuss and with so much compassion for the pets. You think you baby talk your pets at home? That's nothing compared to the sweet talk that goes on in here. If a pet appears to need something, it's usually the nurses who spot it first.

Being a veterinary nurse/technician is a demanding job that requires many skills, both technical skills and "people" skills. I once had a veterinary nurse joke that she was just a "scratching post for sick cats."

No, you're not. You're much more than that.