Define Professional Ethics for the Veterinary Care Field Flashcards
a veterinary assistant should always be
Enthusiastic Proud Confident Competent Understanding Knowledgeable Patient
appearance
Veterinary support staff members are expected to present themselves in neat, clean, and appropriate attire. Most veterinary hospital staff members wear surgical scrub suits or laboratory jackets. This dress is appropriate for animal medical duties and reflects both your position in the medical field and the high value of your services.
enthusiasm
Veterinary professionals have a lifelong commitment to learning and staying up-to-date with new developments and trends. All professionals have the ongoing desire to improve their knowledge and abilities in the field. A command of this knowledge helps project the confidence and competence vital to a professional attitude.
veterinary professional must display empathy
Clients have very strong emotional bonds with their pets. Often the client has difficulty understanding why a pet needs certain veterinary services. The veterinary professional must be patient and sensitive when working with clients.
veterinary professional client information to be confidential
Veterinary professionals should never discuss patients or cases with individuals outside of the veterinary practice. In some cases, the release of confidential information about a client or pet is illegal. When in doubt, it’s best to assume that information is confidential.
the most prominent associations for veterinary technicians and assistants are as follows
National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America
Academy of Veterinary Dental Technicians
Academy of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Technicians
American Veterinary Medical Association- membership is limited to veterinarians only, but does provide good resources for technicians and assistants as well as veterinarians
American Animal Hospital Association
Association of Zoo Veterinary Technicians
Academy of Veterinary Technicians in Anesthesia and Analgesia
ethical code,
a set of standards defining what’s good and bad for the profession. Professionals are individuals who meet a profession’s requirements and agree to uphold its ethical code.
“Principles of Veterinary Ethics”
The “Principles of Veterinary Ethics” is the official ethical code for veterinarians. The code was written by members of the American Veterinary Medical Association. The veterinary code of ethics was first adopted in 1867 and has been modified only a few times. Veterinarians also agree to be governed by the general values of “The Veterinarian’s Oath,” which they take as part of their graduation from veterinary school.
The code of ethics for the veterinary technician
was adopted in 1989
Both the “Principles of Veterinary Ethics” and the “Code of Ethics for the Veterinary Technician” embody the general principles that govern the practice of veterinary medicine. The codes describe what the profession considers morally correct. They describe appropriate professional behavior and attitudes. The codes also delineate training requirements, continuing education, and even the services a veterinary practice should offer.
VETERINARY TECHNICIAN’S OATH
I solemnly dedicate myself to aiding animals and society by providing excellent care and services for animals, by alleviating animal suffering, and by promoting public health.
I accept my obligations to practice my profession conscientiously and with sensitivity, adhering to the profession’s Code of Ethics, and furthering my knowledge and competence through a commitment to lifelong learning.
VETERINARY TECHNICIAN CODE OF ETHICS
Veterinary Technicians shall:
Aid society and animals by providing excellent care and services for animals
Prevent and relieve the suffering of animals
Promote public health by assisting with the control of zoonotic diseases (diseases transferable from animals to people) and informing the public about these diseases
Assume accountability for individual professional actions and judgments
Protect confidential information provided by clients
Safeguard the public and the profession against individuals deficient in professional competence or ethics
Assist with efforts to ensure conditions of employment consistent with the excellent care of animals
Remain competent in veterinary technology through commitment to lifelong learning
Collaborate with members of the veterinary medical profession in efforts to ensure quality healthcare services for all animals
official policy statements
These statements differ from the general ethical code guidelines. Policy statements are designed to reflect changing trends and concerns. The ethical code, for example, doesn’t prohibit a veterinarian from declawing a cat, but a policy statement recommends declawing cats only under certain circumstances.
In veterinary medicine, policy statements issued by the American Veterinary Medical Association represent the unanimity of opinion on a specific topic among veterinarians in this country.
Veterinarians and veterinary support staff members regularly face ethical decisions
These decisions often reflect the fact that the veterinary profession serves both animals and people. Often the choice that best serves the client may harm the patient; similarly, what’s best for the patient may not be what the client requests. Veterinary professionals face concerns with euthanasia, animal welfare, animal rights, and economic factors that affect the patient’s treatment.
Veterinary staff members face animal welfare concerns.
There are laws that prohibit animal cruelty and abuse, and a veterinary staff may encounter cases they feel obliged to report for investigation. Some treatment they find cruel or abusive, however, is legal. Pet owners are required to provide food and water for their pets. They aren’t usually required to provide routine medical care, and some owners don’t. Pet owners may be required to confine their animals, but they aren’t required to interact with their pets, and some owners don’t. Veterinary professionals who consider an animal abused if it’s confined to a garage or yard with little interaction from its owners may find these situations difficult to confront.
veterinary professionals face animal rights issues
Veterinary professionals working in research and food animal production (animals reared for food) must understand the role of the animals in their care. These animals perform a vital service to humankind. Often that service requires that the animal be euthanized. Working with research and food animals may be emotionally difficult.
