|Articles|February 21, 2018

Industry Support Grows for Veterinary Nurse Initiative

The Veterinary Nurse Initiative receives continued support of industry influencers in its pursuit to establish the universal credential of registered veterinary nurse.

Since announcing the official formation of the Veterinary Nurse Initiative (VNI) Coalition in May 2017, industry support for establishing the universal credential of registered veterinary nurse has continued to grow. The designation would replace the current credentials registered veterinary technician (RVT), licensed veterinary technician (LVT), certified veterinary technician (CVT), and licensed veterinary medical technician (LVMT). The coalition also seeks to make credentialing requirements and scope of practice uniform across the country.

Earlier this month, the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA)—which oversees the VNI—announced that the initiative had received official endorsements from a number of industry influencers, including the Michigan Association of Veterinary Technicians, Tennessee Association of Veterinary Technicians, Ohio Veterinary Medical Association, Michigan State University, Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association, Veterinary Innovation Council, and Ohio Veterinary Technicians Association. The Veterinary Innovation Council has also joined Banfield Pet Hospital, Royal Canin USA, and BluePearl Veterinary Partners in providing financial support to the effort.

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“These endorsements [from] industry organizations demonstrate just how important the veterinary technicians are to hospitals, their colleagues and the communities in which they serve,” said Heather Prendergast, RVT, CVPM, SPHR, co-chair of the VNI.

In addition, the North American Veterinary Community renamed its Today’s Veterinary Technician journal Today’s Veterinary Nurse.

NAVTA believes that a single, unified title with a standardized credential throughout the nation is the next step in improving the level of patient care, aligning public perceptions, and bringing clarity to the field of veterinary medicine. The title “veterinary nurse” incorporates not only the science and technology aspects of the role but also the art of caring for patients. Veterinary technicians in other parts of the world are commonly called veterinary nurses.

“The VNI is a movement veterinary professionals of all backgrounds support,” said co-chair Kenichiro Yagi, MS, RVT, VTS (ECC, SAIM).