I am in strong support of allowing properly trained unlicensed assistants to place IV catheters under the supervision of a veterinarian. This is a simple technical skill that can be safely performed by assistants with appropriate training in hospital training and does not require the extensive knowledge of an LVT. This step would allow veterinarians to better serve our patients and provide a higher quality of care, particularly in emergency situations. Allowing an assistant to place the IV catheter frees the veterinarian to be giving medical orders, calculating emergency drugs and making assessments while supervising the catheter placement. The ability to work in parallel rather than having to wait on the veterinarian to do this simple technical task can be lifesaving.

Licensed veterinary technicians should not feel undervalued in this measure as their knowledge of anatomy and physiology, and associated capabilities extend so far beyond simple technical skills such as IV catheter placement. 

Furthermore, my understanding is that on the human side, IV catheter placement is also a skill that can be delegated to properly trained (according to individual hospital regulations) unlicensed personnel. This measure would bring the veterinary profession into further alignment with the standards in place in human medicine.