First Job at a Clinic! ..Help?

[Adrift108]

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Hi all!

I recently got my first paid position in a tiny small animal clinic 👍 and today was my first day. I was overwhelmed by all of the responsibilities and things I had to remember! Because we are understaffed I do both the job of kennel and vet tech. Do any of you experienced, pre-vet, techs have any advice for me? I'll be working a little more than full time during these summer months.

Thanks!

 

[mystic88]

Hey there!

I know exactly how you are feeling!!! I went through the exact same thing when I started working at my first clinic (and I am still working there as of now!). Everything seems overwhelming at first, but soon enough it all becomes second nature. In no time you will be placing catheters, monitoring anesthetized pets, helping in surgery, and cleaning runs and cages all at once! Hang in there, it will only get easier 😉

 

[BlacKAT33]

after a couple weeks i'm sure you'll start to have everything memorized. til then, sometimes a tiny notebook, like pocket size, is handy to write down things. you can fit it in the pocket of your scrubs. but i'm sure soon you will get used to where things are, what sizes of things to use, where on the chart you write things, etc. dont worry 🙂 and congrats!!

 

[that redhead]

To be honest, once you settle down there and start knowing the doctors, where things are kept, how to react to certain situations, etc, things will become a lot easier!

 

[Vet Engineer]

after a couple weeks i'm sure you'll start to have everything memorized. til then, sometimes a tiny notebook, like pocket size, is handy to write down things. you can fit it in the pocket of your scrubs. but i'm sure soon you will get used to where things are, what sizes of things to use, where on the chart you write things, etc. dont worry 🙂 and congrats!!

I second this ^. When I first started at the clinic where I currently work, having a little notebook to write stuff down in was great. Now it's helpful when the doctor lists off 3 injections and 4 oral prescriptions all at once and expects you to go fill them all.

 

[pagxurwoi]

Don't worry, you are not alone..
Everybody has the same experienced as a first timer...
But through and through you'll get used to it...
Anyways, Congrats for your first job in that clinic...
🙂

 

[goldengal]

I remember having that same anxiety when I first started. The little notebook is a great idea! I still have mine! Especially if you work at clinic with many doctors, it is really wonderful to give each doctor their own section. Since every doctor is different, and prefers certain instruments in certain situations, have their own anesthesia protocol, even down to the way you wrap a bandage. It is just really easy to be able to pull out a quick reference. Another thing, do the three check rule when filling medicine. Check your label as you pull down the medicine to dispense, after filling check your label against the bottle (before putting the label on the bottle) and then once again as you put the bottle away. I know this sounds redundant, but I have heard horror stories about wrong medication, and it is better to be safe than sorry.

 

[eventualeventer]

I've seen that (I think on the Anesthesiology board) as "once for the patient, once for you, once for your lawyer". 😀 I think of it as the "patient's rights":
- right patient
- right drug
- right dose
- right route (PO/IV/IM/SQ/topical)
- right time

Also, ALWAYS label your syringes. Always, always, always, even if you think it is obvious or you are going straight to the cage to give it - you never know when you might get asked to do something else when you're on the way. I learned this the hard way - I thought that I would remember which vaccine was which for two horses, then went to give them and realized I couldn't tell the WNV and PHF apart, so all of them had to be chucked and redrawn. If it is only you handling the syringes, you can use some sort of short-hand (e.g. K/V for a syringe of ketamine/valium), but, in my world, unlabeled mystery syringes get thrown out. It's just not worth the risk. If your employer does not supply little stickers, a Sharpie can be used to write directly on the syringe. Similarly, if they do not have medication additive stickers for fluid bags, write on the fluid bag with a Sharpie -- what drug was added, how much, and at what time.

Are you going to have hospitalized patients, or just outpatients?

For anesthesia: always have extra heparin flush and extra syringes of induction drugs drawn up and ready to go.

 

[Jamr0ckin]

My biggest piece of advice is to never be scared to admit you don't know. If you are unsure, double check. If you make a mistake, tell someone versus trying to cover it up. At our clinic we always say better to be told than to discover. My boss would rather be told you accidentally did something wrong than discover it later.
Also, ask questions, but make sure to phrase them so it seems as if you're trying to learn, not question the person's intentions/reasons.

OH - and always check to make sure when you're calculating drugs, you are using the appropriate pounds or kilograms, and know how to convert!

congrats on the new job and good luck!

 

[goldengal]

Oh and if you want to make friends real quick with your head surgery tech, do not screw up recording controlled drugs (as in forget to do it, or miscalculate). It is just one of those things that is such a pain to go back and correct.

Also, clean your own cages. If you have a patient that you have worked with has left, please be responsible for the cleanup of your cages. There is nothing more frustrating than taking an animal to the back, have all of the cages/runs filled, except for one that has dirty towels in it, then proceeding to clean is while holding on to a rather friendly and energetic lab. This applies to everything! If you do surgery, clean your surgery room and autoclave. People will really respect you and appreciate your hardwork.

Also there will be days when things are crazy! You barely have time to breathe! In these situations, take a deep breath, and categorize what needs to be done to keep the clinic running efficiently. If you have a dog that has been hit by a car that is currently being handled by the vet and two other techs, as tempting as it may be to run back to the action, please refrain! There are more than likely appointments that need to be started regardless (in case the other vet takes over) in order to keep the clinic running as close to on time as possible.

Also keep an extra set of scrubs in your car.... I hope you may never have to use them, but more than likely you will be glad you put them there!

 

[VeganSoprano]

Always have the following with you: a pen, a Sharpie, a watch with a second hand, a stethoscope (a cheap $15 one will do just fine), a tiny memo book, and a super-fast digital thermometer. These will make your life so much easier. Familiarize yourself with the basic reference materials in the hospital. Plumb's drug reference manual and the 5 Minute Veterinary Consult are pretty much my best friends. As others have said, label everything - your syringes, your patients (neckbands and cage cards), etc. Clean up after yourself and be an eager participant in routine hospital chores like laundry and mopping and stocking. Each night, spend some time studying up on what happened that day. Read up on a drug you'd never heard of or a disease you aren't very familiar with. You'll be amazed at how much you can learn this way.

And on a totally mundane note, have a full change of clothing with you including underwear. Walking around with male cat urine in your undies isn't a great way to make friends and going commando for the rest of the day is kind of embarrassing. Voice of experience here. 🙂

 

[eventualeventer]

Heh. I haven't had that experience but I can imagine the dilemma.

In case you were wondering, the thermometers are usually in the first aid aisle at CVS, often on a bottom shelf. Get two - your main one WILL crap out on you in the middle of a busy shift, or develop legs and walk off. Ditto for watches - keep a cheap-o Target-style water-resistant spare in your car.

Maybe it's less important in SA ????? but scissors are a must in LA, and the CVS $5 bandage scissors (look near the bandage material) last a lot longer than the fancy surgical steel ones, which go dull rapidly. I have two pairs. You can write your name on the handles with a Sharpie, too.

Volunteering to restock and do inventory is a great way to memorize where everything is.

Finally, don't forget to eat and drink! It may seem like you don't have time, but it's amazing to me how much less efficient I am after 6+ hours of working when I am dehydrated and starving and 1/3 of my brain (hey, I have limited capacity) is distracted by trying to tell my bladder to suck it up. Taking 4 minutes for yourself to wolf down a granola bar, hit the restroom, and chug a bottle of water can end up saving time in the long run.

 

[Must Love Dogs]

Not to worry Adrift108, it looks like there are many of us out there who have been in that same position at least once before, so you've got a good support system here 😀 I have been at the same SA clinic for 3 years now, and when I started, I was told by my co-workers when I started that it would be a "learn as you go" type of job. It has taken a lot of time, and there are still some cases that come in that I have never see before, but I have learned a lot about veterinary medicine (and myself as well). Even though it can still be overwhelming and unpredictable at times, it has taught me a lot about how to deal with stress (which is a good skill to have in this profession 🙂). Best advice that I have is that if you are not sure about something, always ask. Hang in there! After you get into the rhythm, I'm sure you'll begin to love it and won't feel so overwhelmed!

 

[VeganSoprano]

For SA general practice, bandage scissors are helpful but I don't think they're essential for an entry level assistant. They're essential in the ICU, though, and for anyone who is responsible for placing and removing bandages. I'd recommend a good stainless steel pair if you're going to spring for them. I've had mine for more than a year and they still cut sooo much better than the cheap ones. They were only $20, still not too steep. Anther highly useful tool is a humble $2 pair of drugstore tweezers. I use mine daily, to pluck hair from dogs, retrieve small items from tight spaces, and other things where precision grip is helpful.

Another thing I'd recommend is one of these: http://www.imprintitems.com/custom/spl/6145930
It fits right into the cargo pocket if you have one on your scrub pants. It's really helpful for keeping everything tightly in one place and for keeping your sharp tools from poking holes in your pocket. Which technically makes it a pocket protector. But hey, we're all secure in our nerdiness, right? 🙂

 

[sofficat]

I found it useful to know WHY I can/can't do certain things.
I won't remember to not give dextrose subQ. I WILL remember not to give it subQ because the animal's skin will slough off due to the hyperosmolarity of the solution.

I won't remember to use gloves when mixing cyclosporin ointment... but it makes a lot of sense when you know it is an immune suppressing drug given to dogs with KCS so it can also immune suppress you if absorbed through your skin.

I don't know... it helped me remember things!

 

[Jamr0ckin]

I found it useful to know WHY I can/can't do certain things.
I won't remember to not give dextrose subQ. I WILL remember not to give it subQ because the animal's skin will slough off due to the hyperosmolarity of the solution.

I won't remember to use gloves when mixing cyclosporin ointment... but it makes a lot of sense when you know it is an immune suppressing drug given to dogs with KCS so it can also immune suppress you if absorbed through your skin.

I don't know... it helped me remember things!

that is an excellent point! I think that is what helped me remember things, too

 

[Adrift108]

Are you going to have hospitalized patients, or just outpatients?

I will be watching over both hospitalized and outpatients.


I swear, SDNers are thee best! I feel a heck of a lot better about being new to the clinic scene and I've been following the advice I've gotten here. So far I've gotten a notebook, sharpie, an extra watch, extra scrubs, thermometer, and calculator. I'm super excited to go to work every time now (setting aside my allergies to cats)! 😀 Thanks for all the advice everybody!

 

[purplesaurus]

after a couple weeks i'm sure you'll start to have everything memorized. til then, sometimes a tiny notebook, like pocket size, is handy to write down things. you can fit it in the pocket of your scrubs. but i'm sure soon you will get used to where things are, what sizes of things to use, where on the chart you write things, etc. dont worry 🙂 and congrats!!

I was going to say this, so I'll just second. When I got my very first clinic job, I carried around a notebook and wrote down things like which door flag color was for which doctor, steps to run the bloodwork machine, vaccination schedules, etc.

I wrote down a lot, but I really focused on things I needed to be able to do on my own volition (i.e., something I didn't need the Dr.'s okay to go ahead and do, like draw blood for a heart worm test at a dog's annual exam or take pre-surgical bloodwork/radiographs.).

Also, DON'T BE AFRAID TO ASK QUESTIONS OR TO ASK FOR HELP!!!

If you are lost and don't seek help, then no one knows to help you. And this is how you learn things.