Veterinary Assistant + Externship (including Voucher)
Contact Hours: 150 (an estimated time frame devoted to a course of study from start to finish that can vary from student to student)
Includes a voucher to take the NHA Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) national certification exam upon completion.
Veterinary assistants are entry-level healthcare professionals that work in many different veterinary settings. They work with Veterinarians and Veterinary Technicians to provide medical care for sick or injured animals. Some other duties may involve providing water and food to animals and clean/disinfect their cages and work areas. Veterinary assistants are responsible for sterilizing lab and surgical equipment. A major duty of being a veterinary assistant is to provide pre and post-operative care. Under the supervision of a Veterinarian, Veterinary Assistants may be asked to administer medications orally and/or topically. Owners of pets and other animals today expect state-of-the-art veterinary care. To provide this service, veterinarians use the skills of veterinary technicians and veterinary assistants, who perform many of the same duties for a veterinarian that a nurse would for a physician, including routine laboratory and clinical procedures.
Students will be taught how to care for sick and injured animals in a veterinarian office, clinic or animal hospital. Students will learn client relations, office and hospital procedures, animal nursing, exam room procedures (hospital sanitation, weight/tpr, animal handling and restraining and preventative care protocols), surgical prep and assisting, laboratory procedures, radiology and pharmacology.
Externship Protocol
PLEASE NOTE the following caveat regarding all externships at this time: Due to partially relaxed COVID-19 guidelines, some Physical Externships may now be available! If at the end of the online portion of training, a Physical Externship is not available, a Virtual Externship will still be used in its stead. Virtual Externships are consistent with meeting the certification guidelines and are reviewed by faculty or preceptors.
This practice will remain in place until all COVID-19 guidelines have been removed and the healthcare sites will allow students to attend with patients and practice skills without hesitation.
National Association and Certification Exams -
The Vet Assistant Training program prepares students for multiple practice roles and national certifications. As an entry-level clinical profession this program is ideal for students in the allied health care field. The National Certification examinations require that students should have a high school diploma or completed the General Equivalency Diploma (GED).
The exams students could* be eligible for include:
•NAVTA Certification Exam for Veterinary Assistants.
(Students must meet the requirements of NAVTA to be eligible for the exam.)
Assessment Tools:
•Exams
•Quizzes
•Practical Experience
•Online exercises
•Lab Simulations
Course Modules:
1.Intro to the veterinary profession, professional organizations, medical ethics, staff roles and credentials, medical terminology, communication, human-animal bond
2.Medical terminology, communication, OSHA, office practices, overview of controlled substances (medical record documentation and log sheets)/DEA requirements
3.Anatomy and Physiology, dog and cat breed identification, disease predispositions by breed, aseptic technique, intro to animal behavior, communication between species
4.Animal behavior & restraint, pharmacology: syringes & needles
5.Pharmacology, Rx labels, drug classifications, basic conversions, medical terminology
6.Dermatology, ear care, dental care, body condition scoring, husbandry, preventative medicine, immunity, nutrition, mentation, aseptic technique
7.Pet loss, human-animal bond, obtaining vital signs, common diseases and zoonosis
8.Case studies, midterm review/exam
9.Career options, day in the life, real-world expectations for the field, triage, seasonal pet safety, client education
10.Basic animal nursing, vital sign monitoring, in-patient and out-patient care, physical exams/exam room preparations
11.Aseptic technique, surgical assisting, patient monitoring pre- and post- surgery, anesthesia machine care and maintenance, patient scrub methods, surgical equipment, surgical packs, sanitation and sterilization techniques
12.Lab equipment identification, lab equipment uses, diagnostic testing and supplies, lab safety
13.Lab procedures continued, radiological procedures and safety
14.Avian and exotic animal nursing, critical patient monitoring and wound care, extern preparation
15. Externships, final exam prep, welcome to the profession career guidance and resume updating, applying and interviewing for jobs
Students will receive access to all course materials: textbooks, supplies, and supplementary materials.