Define Scutwork

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I will answer that this time next year if I pass this year...
 
One of the vet clinics I work at uses clinical extramural students to do kennel hand work... im never doing prac there!
 
Scut is any work students or house officers don't want to do.
 
Eh, I think there's a little bit of a difference between busy work and scut work. Like busy work is excessive paperwork and the like. Scut work is taking the trash out and mopping floors.
 
I work as a tech in our SA ICU on the weekends. At our school,when a 4th-year student is "on" ICU they are responsible for nursing care and technician duties. (Personally, I think learning nursing care is one of the most important things any soon-to-be-vet can learn.) Part of being an ICU tech-for-a-day is taking out the trash and cleaning the floor during your shift.

It makes my blood boil to hear students say things like, "isn't that a *technician's* job?" in a snide way when I ask them to help do something like, say, collect the trash. (And I'M actually helping THEM, technically speaking.)

Um, actually, cleaning up after yourself is everyone's job. Also sick of students leaving messes for others to clean up.

You're probably referring to something different, of course. I don't know how it works at your school--I suspect each is different (I've heard of one vet school who doesn't expect their students to clean and kind of babies them in other ways).

YMMV, of course. 🙂
 
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Alliecat, those students should meet my old boss, who would pick up a pitchfork and start cleaning stalls occasionally if the techs were slammed. I really admire the vets who remember what it's like to be a tech and are willing to do whatever needs to be done to make everything run smoothly. Usually that's delegating to the techs/assistants, but sometimes that means everybody pitches in and gets stuff done together.
 
eventualeventer, yup--and the board-certified surgeons I worked with would mop the OR floors if we were short-staffed and busy.

When this happens, I just think to myself of how difficult it is going to be for these students to relate to their staff in the future. *sigh* And they don't necessarily realize that technicians are pretty vital to your success in practice.
 
If it's just not going to get done otherwise and it's a slow night, whatever, that's fine. But when when there's treatments to be done and there are techs there and they're being paid to stand around chatting while I'm paying 30K a year to mop up or take out trash, that's not real cool... 🙄 I've also heard of students on call getting called in to ICU at 2 AM to restock supplies. Also not cool. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind cleaning up after myself (in fact, clean up time on gross pathology rotation is sort of oddly fun), but I'm fairly certain med students aren't taking out the trash and mopping floors. But someone correct me if I'm wrong.
 
electrophile, sounds like that's a personality/personnel issue more than anything.

I have a feeling if the school knew about it, they wouldn't approve.

Cleaning is always second to treatments--but once we're caught up, the next thing is to clean and stock. There are always those crazy-busy shifts where there's no time for it.

However, when the student is magnetically drawn to DVDs on their laptop at the nurse's station when it is the STUDENT checklist that includes the cleaning--which *I* am doing FOR them--and they do not seem to care, then I get pretty pissed. They can move their chair aside for me to sweep/mop under it, but can't lift a finger to help--when I'm technically working a "bonus" shift (no ICU techs on the weekends at all during the summer, etc). Smacks of entitlement to me.

I'd let the ICU/whatever department supervisor know.
 
Med students may not have to mop, but then RNs don't have to take out the trash, either.

Alliecat, you're at KSU, right? Just asking b/c I'm narrowing my list of schools in part by where I'll be able to work PT in the SA ICU without tech credentials. I will have to work and can't think of anything that would pay better.
 
Hi, VeganSoprano,

I would definitely not count on working in our SA ICU. I work one 8-hour shift (Saturdays) and a classmate works one 8-hour shift (Sundays). That's all the money they currently have for weekend ICU techs and we have full-time people during the week.

Plus, it's $10/hour--less than half of what I was making as a tech in specialty practice--so not much $$.

One of my former co-workers--and a great tech--is a first-year this year. I tried to get her a PT position to no avail--just no $$ in the budget. 🙁

Sorry to be so negative! I'd check at the other schools regarding feasibility--they might/might not be in the same situation.

P.S. I have a feeling I know where you work (and the neuro department!). Could I be right? 🙂
 
I know it's hit or miss as far as actual job avaibility, but I'm trying to end up somewhere where it is at least legal for me to work as a tech. I figure the primary option otherwise would be retail, which would pay even less.

The hospital where I work doesn't have a neuro service.As a tech I personally can't complain about that since caring for painful Dachsunds isn't exactly my favorite thing!
 
The good news is that most state practice acts allow veterinary students to do pretty much...whatever...as long as it is under the "direct supervision" of a veterinarian. (However, California's practice act stipulates that the person be in their third year of veterinary school--I think.) So, once you attain the magic status of veterinary student, you're good to go for just about anywhere. I would just check the practice act in whatever state you're looking at. You can email the hospital to double-check, but...my understanding is that doing the duties you are hired to do--asked to do--by veterinarians is folded into the "direct supervision" rule. Bottom line, I doubt you'd have a problem anywhere. 🙂

(drat! I guessed wrong...)
 
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