Textbook for the Veterinary Assistant. Lori Renda-Francis

a second chance to make a first impression.” First impressions can be highly effective or may have devastating consequences. When meeting others for the first time, we want to establish comfort, trust, and rapport. A study from the University of Connecticut shows that first impressions turn out to be accurate 67% of the time. Clients will base their judgment of the practice and value of a veterinary hospital and its employees on the first appearance of the health‐care team and the veterinary hospital. Personal grooming and professional appearance, appropriate language, and basic common courtesy are central to making a good impression and representing the veterinary hospital for which you work. When clients meet the health‐care team for the first time, our clothing, manners, and etiquette are on display. Clients measure our self‐confidence and our ability within 60 seconds of the first interaction. Health‐care teams do not want to give the impression that team members are not self‐confident and able to carry out their responsibilities.

When considering personal grooming and professional appearance, the health‐care team must consider the safety of themselves, the patient, and their teammates and remember that each member of the veterinary hospital has the potential to have a very physically active position. Each individual must take into account everything from personal jewelry to professional clothing. Every veterinary hospital should have a standard operating procedures (SOP) manual. This will review every procedure and requirement in the hospital and will include guidelines for personal grooming and professional appearance. Hospitals vary in regard to uniforms. Some may designate scrub tops and bottoms as the uniform of choice. Others may designate colors of scrubs to certain positions in the hospital. It is recommended to wear comfortable and durable clothing that is easily washable in hot water. To decrease the risk of disease transmission, clothing should be washed daily. Every member of the health‐care team should wear a name tag which includes name, credentials, and job title (Figure 5.2). Remember patient and team member safety when choosing a name tag. Consider embroidery on the scrub top with a name or a name badge that is magnetic. Pin‐style name badges have the potential to puncture the wearer and/or patient. Insure the required information is applied to whatever type of identification the hospital and the individual approve. Open‐toed shoes should never be worn when working in a veterinary hospital. Many positions in the hospital require long days with short or nonexistent breaks, so it is important to wear comfortable and durable shoes.

Figure 5.1 Health‐care team member and client.

      Source: Sirois, M. (ed.) 2010. Principles and Practice of Veterinary Technology, 3rd edition. Elsevier Mosby, St Louis, MO.

Figure 5.2 Name badge alternatives.

      Source: Courtesy of Kara M. Burns, LVT, VTS (Nutrition).

      The SOP manual will also give guidance for wearing jewelry, including piercings. Remember, common sense plays a big part in choices of jewelry and piercings that are worn to work. The health‐care team must think of patient and team member safety when considering jewelry. A watch that is waterproof with a seconds hand is needed when working in veterinary medicine. Other jewelry such as piercings, earrings, bracelets, and necklaces must be approved by the hospital owner or practice manager as directed in the SOP manual. There is high risk for a patient to catch their paw, claws, or teeth on jewelry, thus potentially injuring themselves or the individual. Rings pose a risk as described above in addition to potentially harboring bacteria. If rings are to be worn, the recommendation is a ring with a flat and smooth surface that may be taken off and washed frequently. Tattoo requirements will be detailed in the hospital SOP manual.

      Part of working as a professional and portraying a professional appearance includes appropriate language and behavior. The language of every health‐care team member should be professional at all times. Remember common courtesy. Swearing is NEVER appropriate. All health‐care team members should be familiar with the appropriate language used when communicating about veterinary medicine.

      Team etiquette should be established by the hospital and used by every member of the health‐care team. Respect is the number one requirement in a professional working environment. Respect should be given to every member of the team with whom you work and to the client. All team members are important to the success of the hospital and the care of a patient. No one position is above another when patient care and successful hospital operation are involved.

Telephone techniques

      The telephone is a very strong communication tool. It allows people at a distance and strangers to immediately access your hospital. Answering the telephone is the first impression that a client receives from your hospital. Improper phone etiquette may lead to the last interaction with your hospital as well.

      The phone should be answered within the first three rings, otherwise the client may believe the hospital is too busy and impersonal to treat their pet. One should always be polite and courteous. Inaccessibility may drive existing and potential clients to another hospital. Always smile when answering the phone. Although the client cannot see you smile, they can hear it! This gives a warm and welcoming perception to the caller. Always introduce yourself when answering the call, identify the hospital name, and ask how you may help the caller. An example would be: “Hello, 123 Veterinary Hospital, Lori speaking. How may I help you?” Instantly a relationship is established because you have identified yourself and your hospital, and asked to assist the caller.

Always attempt to answer the call. Try not to put the caller on hold. There will occasionally be times when health‐care team members may have to put a caller on hold. Again, common courtesy plays a big role. Ask the caller if you can put them on hold and listen for an answer. Do not ever simply ask and put the caller on hold without hearing their response. The caller may have an emergency that cannot wait. It is proper to not leave a caller on hold longer than one minute without returning to check on them. If you need them to continue to hold, take their name and phone number and give a time frame within which you will return their call. If a callback is necessary, it is imperative that the client is called within the agreed time frame. Not doing so gives the client the impression that they and their pet are not important to the hospital.

      When answering a phone call, be sure to write down the owner’s name and the patient’s name. Repeatedly asking for this information suggests the hospital is not well organized and may imply that the owner and patient are not important. If this information is written down and the call is placed on hold, the caller feels as though the health‐care team member remembers them personally when returning to the phone call.

      There are certain phrases that team members should learn to use – and not use. To answer a question with “I don’t know” gives the impression that the team member (and possibly the hospital as a whole) is not informed or educated. Even worse, it may give the impression that the veterinary team does not care enough to find or learn the needed information. Try using the phrase, “That is a great question, let me find out” rather than “I don’t know.” Also, the phrase “Just a second” signals abruptness and lacks compassion. Instead focus on a helpful response such as, “I will have that information for you in just a moment.” Words, tone, and inflection all matter and we should choose to portray confidence, compassion, and understanding. Words and phrases such as “Absolutely!”, “I know how much you care”, and “I understand” are powerful assertions that help to create empathy with pet owners.

      Every hospital should employ guidelines for health‐care team members regarding what can and cannot be said. It is prudent to develop a list of frequently asked questions and appropriate responses. This insures consistency in answering questions and continuity from