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Regulation of job titles is crucial for many professions because it standardizes the qualifications, training, and experience required to work in that specific role. This is particularly important in healthcare roles because it protects patients and improves the quality of care by ensuring that professionals have the necessary knowledge and skills to provide treatment and care to their patients.
While job titles for human healthcare jobs are well-regulated and have state-mandated title protection, the veterinary industry still needs to catch up. Veterinarians must be licensed in all 50 states, but there needs to be more standardization for the rest of the veterinary office staff: “Currently, there is not a unified credential in the United States for veterinary technicians. In fact, there are four titles currently in use which can cause confusion among the general public who may not understand exactly what we do,” shares Ashli Selke, instructional technologist at Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine and Veterinary Nurse Initiative committee member.
Each state has its own rules about title, scope of practice, and licensing process, including many states with no licensing for veterinary technicians. Some states with licensing don’t even have enforcement policies, so there are no repercussions for people using the title without obtaining a license.
As of 2023, 31 states have no protection and enforcement for the title “veterinary technician.” This leads to a need for more understanding about this role, the education required, and the job duties professionals in this field can perform. In fact, according to a National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA) member survey, only 40 percent of respondents currently understood their state’s licensing rules and enforcement.
To combat this confusion, the NAVTA launched the Veterinary Nurse Initiative (VNI) in 2016. This initiative aims to change and standardize the title of veterinary technician to registered veterinary nurse (RVN). The scope of the job and required education wouldn’t change, just the name used for licensing purposes. The title was carefully chosen after a large survey. “Veterinary nurse is an understood universal title, will progress our profession, and make it easily understood by the public,” explains Selke. “This title will also protect the public and allow states to enforce licensure.”
Continue reading to learn more from Selke about the VNI, why having the standardized title of “registered veterinary nurse” is important, and what progress has been made so far. Also, read our previous piece on this issue from Kenichiro Yagi, a practicing veterinary technician and a key member of the VNI task force.
Meet the Expert: Ashli Selke
Ashli Selke is a highly respected veterinary nursing advocate with an extensive background in the field. As the immediate past president of the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America, she has dedicated her life to animal welfare and the advancement of veterinary nursing as a profession.
She works at Purdue University’s veterinary nursing program, sits on the Indiana Veterinary Medical Examining Board, and is the president-elect for the Indiana Veterinary Technician Association. Selke has served on the Veterinary Nurse Initiative committee for over four years.
Why is a Professional Title Important?
Establishing and protecting a standardized professional title is critical. With it, there is more consumer protection, public confusion, and misrepresentation: “People also can self-report as ‘veterinary technicians’ in states with no title protection. In some places, people who work in a clinic are automatically called veterinary technicians,” explains Selke. “Unfortunately, when that happens, it contributes to low job compensation in addition to public confusion.”
Selke has had her own experiences trying to explain to people what she does. “One day, I had a shirt on that said that vet tech, and I was asked, ‘Oh, are you a veterinarian?’ To which I replied, ‘No, I’m a veterinary technician.’ Then they said, ‘Oh, so you’re a veteran?’ And I had to explain, ‘No, I’m an animal nurse,’ which then he thought was amazing,” she shares. “This is our career and our education, which, a lot of the time, is on the same pathway as human nurses. We take similar classes like anatomy, we just happen to do it on many different species. It would be good for this field to be better understood with a clear title.”
She continues, “Currently, only five states have enforceable title protection for veterinary technicians with an actual penalty. Title protection is so important. Without it, clinics can simply train staff how to do things without requiring education or understanding the why behind it. Knowing the why is a safety factor. If you had a baby in the NICU, would you want a nurse who was on-the-job training, or would you want somebody who had a degree, a license, and had to pass skill sets in order to be working there?” asks Selke.
Regulated titles also ensure regulation for a scope of practice: “In some states, our scope of practice is left wide open. If we tighten that scope of practice to say veterinary nurses can do XYZ, it would elevate our profession and encourage clinics to get licensed professionals in their hospitals to perform those services. Because if they didn’t, then it would all fall on the doctor to do those procedures. NAVTA has drafted the language we would like to see in a model scope of practices, and we hope that states will use that as a guideline when they do use their practice acts,” explains Selke.
Current Status of the Veterinary Nurse Initiative (VNI)
Initially, the VNI spent a lot of time raising awareness and educating the veterinary industry and the general public about the importance of transitioning to the title of “registered veterinary nurse.” By 2019, the VNI received endorsement from the American Animal Hospital Association, which brought legitimacy to this movement. Members of the VNI have worked tirelessly with universities to offer veterinary nursing degrees instead of vet technicians. They have had great success there, with several institutions coming on board, including Purdue, Lincoln Memorial University, and Harcum College.
“There are now over 15 veterinary nursing programs in the county,” says Selke. “Many others have signed on to start the transition. We want to make sure for legislative purposes that these veterinary nursing degrees will be seen as equal to a veterinary technician degree so that it can be licensed in those states,” explains Selke.
There has also been a lot of work to introduce legislation to as many states as possible to create title protection and a clear scope of practice for veterinary nurses. “We were doing really well before the pandemic hit, and then it stopped all of our legislation,” shares Sleke. “Currently, the VNI has a government relations committee, formed under my presidency, that is the boots on the ground helping to push forward legislative initiatives.”
The level of work to implement legislation varies by state. States that already have licensing requirements and title protection would need just to change the title to registered veterinary nurse. Other states must pass more in-depth legislation that adds title protection and scope of practice. Other states are starting from scratch: “Connecticut is one that has no regulations for veterinary technicians. They aren’t even in the practice act,” shares Selke. “These states can be a great opportunity to start legislation because you can implement it fully from the start.”.
Ways to Get Involved
Advocacy from professionals in the veterinary industry and the general public can help further the VNI’s work. Much of the advocacy centers on ensuring only credentialed staff is caring for patients and not accepting less from a clinic: “When veterinary technicians are applying for a job, they can ask if only credentialed veterinary techs receive that title or if the employer identifies everyone as a technician. If the latter is true, then they can opt not to accept those positions and let the employer know that’s a huge red flag,” encourages Selke.
Pet owners can ask clinics if they only hire credentialed veterinary technicians and insist that the staff that cares for their animal holds a certification.
Another way veterinary technicians can help further this initiative is to get involved with their state’s association and actively participate in implementing the VNI in their state: “Technicians need to join their associations to help create a larger voice in their state. Let your voice heard, and join that collective voice to move the profession forward,” says Selke.
