My name is Dr. Hiedi Orr.  I have practiced veterinary medicine in the state of Virginia for sixteen years.  I have concerns about the following changes in the regulations concerning the practice of veterinary medicine in Virginia.   Thank you for taking the time to address my concerns.  Please feel free to contact me via email at wvuproud1996@gmail.com or via phone 276-647-3714 if needed.  

1)   18VAC150-20-172

B:  Injections involving anesthetic or chemotherapy drugs, subgingival scaling, or the placement of intravenous catheters shall not be delegated to an assistant.  An assistant shall also not be delegated the induction of sedation or anesthesia by any means.  The monitoring of a sedated or anesthetized patient may be delegated to an assistant, provided the patient is no longer intubated and provided the veterinarian of licensed veterinary technician remains on the premises until the patient is fully recovered. 

I am opposed to assistants not being able to place intravenous catheters.  If assistants were allowed to place intravenous catheters they would be trained by a LVT or veterinarian.  I feel assistants being able to place IV catheters will benefit the licensed veterinary technicians and veterinarians.  This will free up the licensed veterinary technicians to help in surgery if needed.   My biggest reason for wanting assistants to place intravenous catheters is in  case of an emergency (example :  if there is  only one veterinarian and that veterinarian  and the LVT were working on a patient and another patient presented as an emergency and need an intravenous catheter). 

I am opposed to the words “provided the patient is no longer intubated.”  I feel trained assistants should be able to extubate patients if directed to so by a veterinarian.   We have trained assistants to perform this task when needed.  As veterinarians we are the ones responsible for our patients, thus anything that occurs when they are in our care is our responsibility.  We do not delegate tasks to untrained assistants or LVTs.

C. The following tasks that may be delegated by a licensed veterinarian to a properly trained assistant include but are not limited to the following: 

I am opposed to removing the words “include but are not limited to the following.”  By removing these words you are putting very specific limitations on what procedures can actually be performed by a trained assistant.  Many veterinary clinics, including our own, do not have the luxury of employing several licensed veterinary technicians.   We do, however, train our veterinary assistants so they can be of the greatest benefit to us.