In her more than 35 years as a veterinary nurse/technician, Paige Allen has seen and done it all. Her patients have included horses, cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, cats and dogs of course, but even the occasional ostrich, elk, llama and camel. From A to Z, veterinary nurses/technicians provide medical care for pets of all kinds and species.
Allen appeared on KPRC 2+ Wednesday to discuss the vital roles veterinary nurses/technicians perform on a daily basis.
Veterinary nurses and technicians perform many critical and life-saving procedures and tasks. Credentialed veterinary nurses and technicians are highly educated, skilled professionals who perform medical procedures including: monitoring anesthesia during surgery, diagnostic imaging, dental hygiene, taking vital statistics, nutritional counseling, correcting behavioral issues and emergency medicine.
DID YOU KNOW?
- A recent nationwide survey showed more than 63% of pet owners are unaware that veterinary nurses/technicians are the animal care equivalent of Registered Nurses (RN) in human healthcare.
- An overwhelming majority – 73% of those surveyed – thought veterinary nurses/technicians cleaned cages and groomed animals instead of performing often complex medical procedures alongside veterinarians
- Veterinary nurses/technicians can choose from 16 specialty areas to practice, including anesthesiology, dermatology, ophthalmology, nutrition and physical therapy among others.
- Currently in the United States, more than 100,000 veterinary nurses/technicians are working in private veterinary clinics, animal hospitals, animal shelters, farms, zoos, wildlife conservancies and research facilities and laboratories.
For more information, visit navc.com.
You can stream KPRC 2+ weekdays at 7 a.m. on click2houston.com and on the KPRC 2 app.