Working in a vet clinic?

[Panderson]

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Hi! I began working at a practice 3 weeks ago that does small animals and the occasional horse or cow. My experience so far has been with the small animals. I plan to work until right before fall semester starts, 6 days a week. For now, I only work 5 hour early morning shifts. I have enjoyed it, as no day is the same and I am learning a lot!

Only problem? I feel very intimidated by my peers and superiors and sometimes, pretty stupid. There is so much to learn as far as the policies of the clinic goes, and I feel like I will never get it right. I am worried that I am not catching on quickly enough and might not get a LOR in the future. ): I just get so nervous and sometimes my hands get shaky. I poked myself with a needle the first week and I felt super dumb then. Has anyone else felt like this their first few weeks of clinic work? I just feel overwhelmed and unconfident at times, and I'm afraid my practice will grow to not like me. I would appreciate any advice.

Also, I am new to SDN and I am looking forward to learning from and meeting you all! Hope I am not breaking any forum rules, kindly point out if I am please 🙂

 

[orca2011]

It goes away, promise. Or at least you don't feel incompetent all the time. I've only worked in a clinic since 2011 (mostly on breaks with one full year of a PT position) and I still have moments like this. Learning the clinic protocols and veterinarian preferences can definitely be the hardest part, but it comes with time. Also, don't worry about double checking with them. I still do it because protocols/preferences can change and sometimes they like to switch things up.

If it makes you feel better, I stabbed myself with an 18g needle I was trying to take off a fluid line on my first day of actual paid work. Everyone just laughed and congratulated me on being initiated to the field. I continue to stab myself every now and then because I can be clumsy. Just have to watch myself if I'm handing penicillin.

Just be open to constrictive criticism if you get any and feel free to ask if there is a way for you to practice something in order to improve on it.

 

[Panderson]

This makes me feel much better! It's true though, there are 3 vets in my clinic who all had different educations and all like different things. I do try to look smart and get ahead of myself
At times, I just need to take it back. But it's a relief knowing others have felt like this too!

And the 18 gauge needle... Ouch. Thankfully, I hadn't drawn anything yet when I poked. Would have had my five in one... Lol.

 

[MnW2014]

Hi! I began working at a practice 3 weeks ago that does small animals and the occasional horse or cow. My experience so far has been with the small animals. I plan to work until right before fall semester starts, 6 days a week. For now, I only work 5 hour early morning shifts. I have enjoyed it, as no day is the same and I am learning a lot!

Only problem? I feel very intimidated by my peers and superiors and sometimes, pretty stupid. There is so much to learn as far as the policies of the clinic goes, and I feel like I will never get it right. I am worried that I am not catching on quickly enough and might not get a LOR in the future. ): I just get so nervous and sometimes my hands get shaky. I poked myself with a needle the first week and I felt super dumb then. Has anyone else felt like this their first few weeks of clinic work? I just feel overwhelmed and unconfident at times, and I'm afraid my practice will grow to not like me. I would appreciate any advice.

Also, I am new to SDN and I am looking forward to learning from and meeting you all! Hope I am not breaking any forum rules, kindly point out if I am please 🙂

Don't feel intimidated!! Every person you work with has felt like that at some point. When I first started at my clinic, I was clueless. I was 18 and it was my first job ever. I know how it feels to be unsure of yourself. Now I have been at my clinic for 4 years, so evidently I wasn't as stupid as what I thought. I promise the feeling will pass and they don't expect you to know everything. I still stab myself with needles, just because I am clumsy. Once I even dropped a needle and it stuck straight into someone's leg. I screamed then pulled the needle out! Haha!

 

[Panderson]

Don't feel intimidated!! Every person you work with has felt like that at some point. When I first started at my clinic, I was clueless. I was 18 and it was my first job ever. I know how it feels to be unsure of yourself. Now I have been at my clinic for 4 years, so evidently I wasn't as stupid as what I thought. I promise the feeling will pass and they don't expect you to know everything. I still stab myself with needles, just because I am clumsy. Once I even dropped a needle and it stuck straight into someone's leg. I screamed then pulled the needle out! Haha!

Just out of curiosity, how long did it take before you felt like you caught on? This job is in my hometown and I will have to move back to my college town to start classes again. I am also looking into an internship at LSU vet school, and may not be back next summer. I feel like 2+ months is adequate time, right?

 

[Ashgirl]

I think that this is a very common experience to have. I have been working at a clinic for several years with the best vets and staff around, and the first day back this summer and I was still nervous and afraid of getting in the way, messing up the computer system, having a fatal mistake, etc. Of course it all went (mostly) smoothly, but having jitters for a while is completely normal, and does die down some. To this day though I always seem to mess up when the vet is around, or when they are watching me closely with a task I haven't done in over a year my hands can get a bit shaky, but it all turns out well in the end. I found that my comfort level has drastically gone up, and I know even after all this time it will continue to do so.

Don't worry, the learning curve is exceedingly steep, and you will catch on quicker than you think. However, if you are struggling with a task or procedure, definitely don't be afraid to ask for help if you need to, as everyone has undoubtedly been in that position before.

 

[WelshCob]

How long it takes to catch on depends on how good of a teacher the techs and doctors are, also on how you learn best. I can watch something done once and I've got it down. Sadly this skill doesn't roll over to lectures and retaining material. It also depends on your personality type. My first job was in a ridiculously busy clinic where you sank or you swam and you better damn sure swim if you wanted to stay. So I swam and I swam hard. The clinic I left that clinic for had an excellent training program but I had managed to teach myself most everything from the other clinic which allowed me to hit the ground running at my current job.

Needless to say if you can't remember something get a small note pad that fits in your scrub pocket and take notes! No one will laugh and everyone will be impressed. If a doctor ask you to do something write it down and take it with you to complete the tasks. Ask how and why something is done that way you can link it in your brain and remember more that way. Also repeat everything back that you are told to do.

For example:

"So and so place a catheter in the right cephalic." 'Okay so I'm going to place a 20g IV cath in the right cephalic of Lucy?"

"So and so give 3.6ml of Cefazolin IV slow to that dog over there" "Okay you said 3.6ml of Cefazolin IV slowly to Spot?"


I was a tech for 3 years before vet school and continue to work relief shifts. I STILL poke myself with needles. Thankfully we don't work in human medicine.

 

[MnW2014]

In my situation, I started off in the kennel which took me only like a few weeks to catch on. After a while, I trained as an assistant. Since I had already worked in the kennel for a while, I had caught on to the basics of what an assistant does. So I would say it took me 3 weeks to a month to feel completely comfortable with the routine. However, I still learn something new every single day, because every case is different.

So basically 2 months should be plenty of time for you to catch on to the basics and the routine of the clinic. But in my opinion, it wouldn't be long enough to learn a lot about veterinary medicine. For example in my clinic, we often have to explain medications in depth to clients, go over blood work and tell them what it means and what it is for, explain our protocol and procedures etc. Don't worry though, you will have plenty of time to learn about all this in vet school. My clinic just gives us a lot of responsibility.

 

[MnW2014]

Oh and to add to my previous comment... It took me FOREVER to be able to pull blood from the jugular. I have no idea why, but one day it finally clicked and I have no problem now. So that may be something you will want to start doing early while you are there, so you can get practice.

 

[orca2011]

Oh and to add to my previous comment... It took me FOREVER to be able to pull blood from the jugular. I have no idea why, but one day it finally clicked and I have no problem now. So that may be something you will want to start doing early while you are there, so you can get practice.

I'm currently struggling because I haven't really done it since like December. Makes me sad because at the end of the last summer I was able to use my non-dominant hand. =(

 

[MnW2014]

I'm currently struggling because I haven't really done it since like December. Makes me sad because at the end of the last summer I was able to use my non-dominant hand. =(

🙁 I afraid that's how I will be too. I start vet school in the fall, and I won't be able to work and pull blood until next summer. I am worried I will forget!

 

[orca2011]

🙁 I afraid that's how I will be too. I start vet school in the fall, and I won't be able to work and pull blood until next summer. I am worried I will forget!

You don't really forget, just might not get it that first time every time. I was just happy I could get the catheter in for a euthanasia that wanted it all done in front of the owners. That situation always makes me nervous cause I want it to go smoothly.

 

[Panderson]

You guys are so helpful! My superiors seem to not trust me enough yet to pull blood, inject, get catheters in, etc. but the assistants who work there have all been there for years, so tenure is def the name of the game. Thank you. My Saturday, always the busiest day, shift starts at 7 tomorrow with kennel cleaning, and the kennels are full to the brim with boards... Needless to say its time for bed. @MnW2014, congrats on starting vet school and good luck! Thanks all of you! 🙂

 

[DVMDream]

I will echo what everyone else has said, there is a big learning curve when first starting out working at a vet clinic. Learning where things are located, how things work, learning a bit about medicine in general, etc... it is a lot to take in, but if you pay attention, work hard and ask questions you should be fine. Each vet is also different so learning what each vet likes/does not like takes some time, even every tech is different in that aspect too. It does take some time to get used to the dynamic and many of the people working there may have known each other for years. Even after working in vet med for 5 years, switching to a new clinic made me nervous. Even now, 7 years of working in clinics and 2 years in vet school, it is nerve wracking to go into a new clinic or meet new people and work or gain experience. Just make sure you are polite, decent, ask questions, work hard, etc and you should get along ok. 🙂

 

[that redhead]

Hi! I began working at a practice 3 weeks ago that does small animals and the occasional horse or cow. My experience so far has been with the small animals. I plan to work until right before fall semester starts, 6 days a week. For now, I only work 5 hour early morning shifts. I have enjoyed it, as no day is the same and I am learning a lot!

Only problem? I feel very intimidated by my peers and superiors and sometimes, pretty stupid. There is so much to learn as far as the policies of the clinic goes, and I feel like I will never get it right. I am worried that I am not catching on quickly enough and might not get a LOR in the future. ): I just get so nervous and sometimes my hands get shaky. I poked myself with a needle the first week and I felt super dumb then. Has anyone else felt like this their first few weeks of clinic work? I just feel overwhelmed and unconfident at times, and I'm afraid my practice will grow to not like me. I would appreciate any advice.

Also, I am new to SDN and I am looking forward to learning from and meeting you all! Hope I am not breaking any forum rules, kindly point out if I am please 🙂

This pretty much describes the first couple days of my first rotation, and I've already gotten through three years of vet school and have plenty of technical skills already

There's a steep learning curve when you begin working in any new environment: where do they keep certain supplies, the different attitudes and quirks of all of the various staff members, how they like certain things done. It's intimidating and overwhelming but the best thing you can do is continue to have a good attitude and keep improving. There's a Maya Angelou quote that I like along the lines of do the best that you know how to do. When you know better, do better. Right now you're still learning, and it's understandable that you make some mistakes. But learn from the mistakes that you do make (for example, when you stabbed yourself with a needle [something we've all done], were you trying to recap it, were you just being careless, was there a rambunctious dog around? Learning from the mistakes that you make is far more important than never making any mistakes in the first place.

Practical recommendations I'd suggest: when there's a quiet moment, ask a knowledgable tech about how you can improve a certain skill ("You're really good at drawing blood, Technician! What are your secrets?" or maybe, "I noticed Dr. Bob likes to have everything ready for a radiograph. Can you show me how to set up for a patient?"). Maybe even just asking that tech where they think you can improve, or any general tips they have will show a willingness to learn and that you're humble and acknowledge you're still learning. Don't beat yourself up over it, either; we've all done something stupid!

 

[LetItSnow]

It goes away, promise. Or at least you don't feel incompetent all the time.

Oh, I dunno. The further I get through vet school the less I feel like I know. Pretty sure by the time I finish these rotations I won't be able to tell a cat from a dog.

 

[LetItSnow]

But learn from the mistakes that you do make !

You know what bugs me? Not 'learning curve' mistakes, but mistakes on things I generally don't make mistakes over. Just today I gave a dog regular insulin instead of the NPH it was supposed to get ... because somebody handed me the wrong bottle and I didn't doublecheck. Thing is, I'm fanatical about verifying what's handed to me, what's supposed to go in the animal, the dose, etc. But for whatever reason, this time I just took the bottle, drew up the insulin, and gave it. Busy or tired, maybe. Who knows.

Sigh.

 

[orca2011]

Oh, I dunno. The further I get through vet school the less I feel like I know. Pretty sure by the time I finish these rotations I won't be able to tell a cat from a dog.

I can see that. We enter clinics in January and I really don't understand how anyone thinks I'm even remotely capable of diagnosing anything.

 

[LyraGardenia]

Hi! I began working at a practice 3 weeks ago that does small animals and the occasional horse or cow. My experience so far has been with the small animals. I plan to work until right before fall semester starts, 6 days a week. For now, I only work 5 hour early morning shifts. I have enjoyed it, as no day is the same and I am learning a lot!

Only problem? I feel very intimidated by my peers and superiors and sometimes, pretty stupid. There is so much to learn as far as the policies of the clinic goes, and I feel like I will never get it right. I am worried that I am not catching on quickly enough and might not get a LOR in the future. ): I just get so nervous and sometimes my hands get shaky. I poked myself with a needle the first week and I felt super dumb then. Has anyone else felt like this their first few weeks of clinic work? I just feel overwhelmed and unconfident at times, and I'm afraid my practice will grow to not like me. I would appreciate any advice.

I've been working at the clinic I'm at now for over two months, and I STILL feel like I make dumb mistakes every day I'm there. There's just so much I'm expected to know that it seems like new things crop up every day, and I'll think I know what I'm doing, but then screw up the simplest thing. Sometimes I feel especially stupid because this isn't the first clinic I've worked at, but there are just a lot of things this clinic does differently, and it's a larger clinic so I have more people's preferences and personalities to keep up with.

For example, at the last clinic I worked at we had an exam room table that adjusted up and down, so even the largest dogs were able to go on the table. Here the tables are attached to the wall, so heavy or tall dogs stay on the floor to be examined. I've had to get used to restraining large dogs on the floor, which can be very awkward, especially since I'm 5'2" and petite and can easily be overpowered by a large dog! Then there are just the airheaded mistakes like @LetItSnow was talking about, for example the other day I walked to the back to work on cleaning without remembering to check if our next appointment was there so I could get them in the room. Early morning shifts aren't my friend!

I agree with above posts to take any opportunity you can to practice things you're struggling with. Figure out how you learn best, whether it's by watching someone else, getting verbal instructions, doing it yourself, explaining it to someone else, etc. I also agree to not be afraid to ask questions or write things down to make sure you get them right. If taking notes while you're there feels awkward, maybe write down new things you'll need to remember while you're on your lunch break or after you go home. And @that redhead has a great point to be sure to learn from your mistakes. Beating yourself up about it won't help, but identifying what went wrong and making sure it doesn't happen again will.

Basically my point is you're not alone, and it does get better with time assuming you're willing to work hard and keep a good attitude. If one of your coworkers seems mad at you, don't get emotional or make excuses, just apologize and correct things the best that you can. They probably don't hate you, they might just be stressed or tired, and they just want to fix the situation. Asking how you could improve is a good idea. Also remember you're human, and you're always going to make some mistakes. I see the vets I work with that have been practicing for decades make the occasional mistakes; they're just not as noticeable because they don't have superiors to berate them afterward! Keep your chin up, and don't let the job get the best of you! 🙂