I am absolutely against allowing assistants the opportunity to place IV catheters. IV catheter placement is not a benign practice and requires training from properly credentialed educators who perform the tasks of an LVT as dictated by the AVMA. LVTs know the ins and outs of proper catheter placement, vein selection, aseptic technique, and risks associated with substandard IVC care. Patients can and do experience complications, sometimes life-threatening ones, secondary to improper IVC placement technique which can result in severe phlebitis, nerve damage, and even sepsis.

The state should not be entertaining the idea of loosening restrictions on scope of practice, but instead enforcing the laws more strictly and supporting LVT utilization. Underutilization of LVTs and disregard for our educations and licenses are what drive us out of the field and make it that much more difficult for vets to find LVTs wanting to stay in practice. Practices which refuse to acknowledge our skillset need to re-evaluate their treatment of LVTs before jumping to try to change the laws and risk patient care and safety.