Riverview’s Amazing Assistants

Since starting work here at Riverview Animal Health Centre, I have had the pleasure of working with so many amazing people. I’ve worked with vets, vet techs, vet assistants and receptionists. If I could, I would write a whole book on each person who has helped me become a better technician but that would take way too long! Instead, for this blog, I would like to focus on a certain group of fantastic people. Our amazing assistants. I have been so blessed with such an amazing support system of assistants, I don’t know how I ever functioned without them!

As technicians we like to joke that without us, our veterinarians would be lost. But I have come to learn that without the help of our assistants, myself, as a technician, would most certainly be drowning in work without them! Our main goal is to make sure that our patients are well taken care of and comfortable while they stay in our hospital. Some days we have a large amount of patients and our in hospital technicians can easily have 6 or more patients each. All of these patients are hospitalized for different reasons and each need their own specific treatment plan. With the help of our assistants, technicians can make sure that medications are given on time and treatments are completed. Our assistants make sure that our patients are fed, hydrated, walked and comfortable during their stay. We can also count on our assistants to help us with treatments and procedures like drawing blood, taking x-rays, holding patients for IV catheters, and changing bandages, among many other things. We also rely on our assistants to know where almost any surgical instrument is, no matter how obscure. I can stare at our giant shelf of surgical instruments for what seems like an eternity and not find what I’m looking for. Yet as soon as I ask one of our assistants, they can find it within seconds. I swear they could probably find it with their eyes closed.

I’ve worked many night shifts when it’s only a veterinarian, an assistant and myself working where we have had at least 10 patients to take care of. If I wasn’t blessed with an assistant overnight, I would probably have lost my sanity a long time ago! There was a time not too long ago when overnight shifts only consisted of a veterinarian and a technician. I am so thankful that our hospital has grown enough that we can staff assistants overnight now and in almost all areas of our hospital. Our assistants go above and beyond and I am so happy that I get to work with so many kind-hearted people.

Each and every day I am thankful for our assistants. I think that the role of a veterinary assistant can sometimes go unnoticed by some. But let me tell you, they are some of the most versatile people in the hospital. So next time you see a vet assistant, thank them for all their hard work. Without them, our hospital would not be able to run as smoothly and efficiently as it currently does.

To all our amazing veterinary assistants, THANK YOU.

Written by Kelsey Hewgill, RVT