5 Personal Qualities of a Vet Tech
A Veterinarian Technician is trained to be the veterinarian’s nurse. Just like nurses that treat human patients, a vet tech must complete the proper education and certification before starting work. However, just having the right qualifications is not enough to be an in-demand vet tech. Animals and their owners alike will appreciate a vet tech that has good “bed-side manners.” What are the personality traits that help make a great vet tech in addition to education and certification?
1. A vet tech must love animals and be willing to work around all types. Animals have an ability to know when someone is timid or scared. Vet techs must be able to win over the trust of all types of animals. This includes farm animals like horses and cattle; exotic animals like elephants, bears and snakes, in addition to the more normal household pets like dogs and cats. This is due to the fact that not all vet tech jobs are located in the traditional veterinarian’s office. Some are located in rural areas that service farms and others can be found at zoos and wild life preserves.
2. A vet tech needs to have good people skills. While not all pets are the most pleasant to work with, the same could be said for their owners. A good vet tech needs to possess skills like friendliness, empathy and patience. When a personal pet is severely injured or ill, an owner is experiencing a number of emotions and questions. Their pet is like a member of the immediate family. A good vet tech has the ability to calmly and patiently deal with these tense situations and difficult people.
3. An in-demand vet tech has top-notch communication skills. As a veterinarian nurse, communication is an essential part of the job. Having good verbal and non-verbal communication skills is important. The ability to remain calm is key when working with scared and nervous animals. It is also crucial to be able to explain to the vet what is going on with an animal so it can be properly diagnosed and treated. It is also essential to be able to explain to the pet’s owner or caretaker what the animal’s problems are and how to take care of them. Just as human patients like it when their doctors and nurses can communicate in terms the patient can understand – so does an animal’s owner.
4. A vet tech should enjoy learning. Continuing education is important for staying up-to-date with the advances of veterinarian medical technology. As new procedures are discovered that allow treatment to be quicker, less invasive and less painful for an animal, it will be important for the vet tech to stay current with the technology. It will also be important for a vet tech to learn on the job from the veterinarian employer. A vet tech that shows an enthusiasm for learning will always be appreciated.
5. A great vet tech loves the job. No matter the field, individuals that excel at their work are people who love what they do. The same is true for vet techs. A great vet tech loves going to work every day to care for the animals and loves interacting with the owners.
A career as a vet tech is not for everyone. A person considering a career as a vet tech should make sure they have a personality that fits the daily demands.