Registered Veterinary Technician Job Task Regulations

2034. Animal Health Care Tasks Definitions.

For purposes of the rules and regulations applicable to animal health care tasks for registered veterinary technicians, permit holders and veterinary assistants, contained in the division, the term:

(a) "Veterinarian" means a California licensed veterinarian.

(b) "R.V.T." means a registered veterinary technician.

(d) “Supervisor” means a California licensed veterinarian or if a job task so provides an R.V.T.

(e) “Direct Supervision” means: (1) the supervisor is physically present at the location where animal health care job tasks are to be performed and is quickly and easily available; and (2) the animal has been examined by a veterinarian at such time as good veterinary medical practice requires consistent with the particular delegated animal health care job task.

(f) “Indirect Supervision” means: (1) that the supervisor is not physically present at the location where animal health care job tasks are to be performed, but has given either written or oral instructions (“direct orders”) for treatment of the animal patient; and (2) the animal has been examined by a veterinarian at such times as good veterinary medical practice requires, consistent with the particular delegated animal health care task and the animal is not anesthetized as defined in Section 2032.4.

(g) “Animal Hospital Setting” means all veterinary premises which are required by Section 4853 of the Code to be registered with the board.

(h) “Administer” means the direct application of a drug or device to the body of an animal by injection, inhalation, ingestion, or other means.

(i) “Induce” means the initial administration of a drug with the intended purpose of rendering an animal unconscious

(j) “Veterinary Assistant Controlled Substances Permit” or the abbreviation “VACSP” means a Veterinary Assistant Controlled Substances Permit issued by the board.

(k) “Permit holder” means a person who must be at least 18 years of age and is a holder of a VACSP issued pursuant to section 4836.2 of the code.

Authority cited: Sections 4808, 4826 and 4836, Business and Professions Code. Reference: Sections 4836, 4836.1 and 4853, Business and Professions Code.

2035. Duties of Supervising Veterinarian.

(a) The supervising veterinarian shall be responsible for determining the competency of the R.V.T., permit holder or veterinary assistant to perform allowable animal health care tasks.

(b) The supervising veterinarian of a R.V.T., permit holder or veterinary assistant shall make all decisions relating to the diagnosis, treatment, management and future disposition of the animal patient.

(c) The supervising veterinarian shall have examined the animal patient prior to the delegation of any animal health care task to an R.V.T., permit holder or veterinary assistant. The examination of the animal patient shall be conducted at such time as good veterinary medical practice requires consistent with the particular delegated animal health care task.

Authority cited: Sections 4808 and 4836, Business and Professions Code. Reference: Sections 4836, 4836.1, 4840 and 4840.9, Business and Professions Code.

2036. Animal Health Care Tasks for R.V.T.

(a) Unless specifically so provided by regulation, a R.V.T. shall not perform the following functions or any other activity which represents the practice of veterinary medicine or requires the knowledge, skill and training of a licensed veterinarian:

(1) Surgery;

(2) Diagnosis and prognosis of animal diseases;

(3) Prescription of drugs, medicines or appliances.

(b) An R.V.T. may perform the following procedures only under the direct supervision of a licensed veterinarian:

(1) Induce anesthesia;

(2) Apply casts and splints;

(3) Perform dental extractions;

(4) Suture cutaneous and subcutaneous tissues, gingiva and oral mucous membranes,

(5) Create a relief hole in the skin to facilitate placement of an intravascular catheter

(1) Administer controlled substances.

(d) Subject to the provisions of subsection(s) (a), (b) and (c) of this section, an R.V.T. may perform animal health care tasks under the direct or indirect supervision of a licensed veterinarian. The degree of supervision by a licensed veterinarian over a R.V.T. shall be consistent with standards of good veterinary medical practices.

Authority cited: Sections 4808, 4826 and 4836, Business and Professions Code. Reference: Sections 4836, 4840 and 4840.2, Business and Professions Code.

2036.5. Animal Hospital Health Care Tasks for Permit Holders and Veterinary Assistants.

(a) Permit holders and veterinary assistants shall be prohibited from performing any of the functions or activities specified in subsections (a) (b) and (c) of Section 2036 of these regulations, except that a permit holder under the direct or indirect supervision of a licensed veterinarian may administer a controlled substance.

(b) Subject to the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, permit holders and veterinary assistants in an animal hospital setting may perform auxiliary animal health care tasks under the direct or indirect supervision of a licensed veterinarian or the direct supervision of an R.V.T. The degree of supervision by a licensed veterinarian over a permit holder or veterinary assistant shall be higher than or equal to the degree of supervision required when an R.V.T. performs the same task and shall be consistent with standards of good veterinary medical practices.

Authority cited: Sections 4808 and 4836, Business and Professions Code. Reference: Sections 4836 and 4840, Business and Professions Code.

2069. Emergency Animal Care.

Emergency animal care rendered by registered veterinary technician.

Under conditions of an emergency as defined in Section 4840.5, a registered veterinary technician may render the following life saving aid and treatment to an animal:

(1) Application of tourniquets and/or pressure bandages to control hemorrhage.

(2) Administration of pharmacological agents to prevent or control shock, including parenteral fluids, shall be performed after direct communication with a licensed veterinarian or veterinarian authorized to practice in this state. In the event that direct communication cannot be established, the registered veterinary technician may perform in accordance with written instructions established by the employing veterinarian. Such veterinarian shall be authorized to practice in this state.

(3) Resuscitative oxygen procedures.

(4) Establishing open airways including intubation appliances but excluding surgery.

(5) External cardiac resuscitation.

(6) Application of temporary splints or bandages to prevent further injury to bones or soft tissues.

(7) Application of appropriate wound dressings and external supportive treatment in severe burn cases.

(8) External supportive treatment in heat prostration cases.

Authority cited: Sections 4808 and 4836, Business and Professions Code. Reference: Section 4840.5, Business and Professions Code.