| |
   |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
       |
|
|
|
|
|
Many people used to ask me, “Why specialize in Emergency
and Critical Care Nursing?” It is important for all veterinary
nurses to become certified, to further their education and hone
their skills. This will not only benefit me but my patient care
as well.
The amount of work it takes to apply and study for the exam
can often be overwhelming. Everyone who strives to accomplish
such a goal should only do it for one reason, expand their knowledge
and skill base so as to be better nurses overall. By doing this
we are also expanding the understanding of the role that we
nurses play in the care our patients receive for the doctors
that work with us as well as pet owners. Nurses play a vital
role in saving lives at VESCONE every day. We are a medical
team partner with our veterinarians, giving our input on how
patients respond to monitoring and performing many of the technical
tasks needed to diagnose and treat these patients while in our
hospital. The reward, once accomplished, is priceless and the
satisfaction I received is like none other that I have experienced.
So, how does one go through the process? To find out if you
are eligible you can go to the Academy of Veterinary Emergency
and Critical Care Technicians at www.avecct.org.
If eligible, you must prepare your application. Details can
be found on the website. You should plan to take at least one
year to do your application which will consist of case studies,
case reports, and a written and oral exam. A skills check off
sheet and letters of recommendation from veterinarians must
also be included. The exam committee, which is responsible for
going through the applications, has a very stringent process
and expects that you will follow the very specific application
rules and regulations to perfection.
Upon completion of the application, no matter when you submit
it, the committee releases acceptance list by the end of March
in the next calendar year. It is then that you are eligible
to sit for the exam. The studying begins!
Everyone has their own technique for studying. Most Academy
of Emergency and Critical Care Technicians (AVECCTs) all suggest
the same basic premise - read. The recommended study list of
books can be found on the AVECCT website.
After you have studied you will take the exam which is held
each September at the IVECCS conference. The test is 200 multiple
choice questions. You have two hours to complete the exam. When
I took the exam, the fastest person completed the exam in an
hour and fifteen minutes. Myself and five other people stayed
for the full two hours. After taking the exam, you can expect
to wait the full 60 days before learning of your fate. It should
be made mention that you should not expect a large envelope
of information saying you passed the exam. The same size letter
is sent out to those who passed and those who did not.
For those who have passed the exam, they all have a different
story as to how they studied. One thing is the same, all candidates
who take the exam say one thing when they are done, and “I
know I failed.” The exam is grueling and it is tough to
know how well you did.
The good news is, not everyone fails. I feel very lucky. I now
am frequently asked, “What did you do to pass the exam?”
Answer is, I’m not sure. I studied a lot and the night
before; I rested and made sure I ate well. Taking care of yourself
and keeping calm is so important to a successful exam. I was
also visited by a little mouse in my hotel room. At the time
I was angry at the mouse for keeping my mind away from studying,
but now I’m fairly certain he may be have been my lucky
charm. Everyone has their own story as to why they passed.
I would encourage any veterinary nurse who has worked hard to
meets the requirements, to be able to apply for this specialization.
It opened up a new world of opportunity for me as well as allowed
me the skill set needed to practice a whole new level of nursing
that continues to stimulate me to grow, and learn every day.
Visit www.avecct.org
to learn more about becoming a Veterinary Technician Specialist
(VTS (ECC)). |
|
|
