ABSOLUTELY NOT!! There is definitely a lot of opinions for this subject: what is good for the doctor, LVT, lay staff, patient, and owner.  We can all agree we are here for the care and welfare of each and every patient. As board members and our profession's representatives you have a duty to help move our profession forward NOT backwards! Yes, there are lay staff (assistants) who have more experience and skills than those who went to school but legally they are just that lay staff. If they want to do the duties of a LVT THEY NEED TO GO TO SCHOOL!  Drs/ Hospitals who have lay staff support them in all ways possible to get them licensed for YOU! Saying you can't hire a LVT is a "Cop out". 

  I have read all the postings and NOT one has mentioned that our field is changing very soon.  We will be addressed as RVNs, our title will be protected by law, skills will be uniformed throughout the entire 50 states!  For the past year or so NAVTA has implemented a Assistant Certification course that lay staff can take on-line and very, very soon (I hope) on campus at Northern Virginia Community College. Now I have a copy of the skill list that is used to teach the course and no where on the list is PLACING IV CATHETERS and also BLOOD DRAWS. How do we as a state professional body knowing that the standards are going to be uniformed very soon ignore the skill list. As a professional body we SHOULD be looking to the future and preparing our membership for the changes that are coming. Continue to NOT ALLOW LAY STAFF TO PLACE IV CATHETERS! Let this be the moment to start a new chapter of change for our state's veterinary paraprofessionals.  I hope we do not go with the status quo but move to the future.