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Registered Veterinary Technician and unregistered assistant duties

2034. Animal Health Care Tasks Definitions.

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

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

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

(c) "Unregistered assistant" means any individual who is not a Board certified R.V.T. or a licensed veterinarian.

(d) "Supervisor" means a California licensed veterinarian or if a job task so provides a Board certified 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 order") 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.

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

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

HISTORY
1. New section filed 7-16-80; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 80, No. 29).
2. Repealer of subsection (e) and relettering of subsections (f)-(i) to subsections (e)-(h) filed 10-21-82; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 82, No. 43).
3. Change without regulatory effect amending first paragraph and subsections (b)-(d) filed 3-1-96 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 96, No. 9).
4. Amendment of subsections (e) and (f) and repealer of subsection (h) filed 6-3-2002; operative 7-3-2002 (Register 2002, No. 23).

2035. Duties of Supervising Veterinarian.

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

(b) The supervising veterinarian of a R.V.T. or unregistered 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 either an R.V.T. or unregistered 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.

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

HISTORY
1. New section filed 10-18-79; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 79, No. 42).
2. New section filed 7-16-80; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 80, No. 29).
3. Repealer and new section filed 10-21-82; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 82, No. 43).
4. Change without regulatory effect amending section filed 3-1-96 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 96, No. 9).

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 and when done so pursuant to the direct order, control and full professional responsibility of the licensed veterinarian:

(1) Anesthesia induction by inhalation or intravenous injection;

(2) Application of casts and splints;

(3) Dental extractions;

(4) Suturing of existing skin incisions.

(c) Subject to the provisions of subsection(s) (a) and (b) of this section, an R.V.T. may perform animal health care tasks under the direct or indirect supervision of a licensed veterinarian when done pursuant to the direct order, control and full professional responsibility of the 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.

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

HISTORY
1. Amendment and renumbering from Sections 2030 to 2036 filed 7-16-80; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 80, No. 29).
2. Repealer and new section filed 10-21-82; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 82, No. 43).
3. Change without regulatory effect amending section heading and subsections (a), (b) and (c) filed 3-1-96 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 96, No. 9).
4. Amendment of section heading and amendment subsections (b) and (c) filed 6-3-2002; operative 7-3-2002 (Register 2002, No. 23).

2036.5. Animal Hospital Health Care Tasks for Unregistered Assistants.

(a) Unregistered assistants shall be prohibited from performing any of the functions or activities specified in subsections (a) and (b) of Section 2036 of these regulations.

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

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

HISTORY
1. Amendment and renumbering from Section 2035 to 2036.5 filed 7-16-80; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 80, No. 29).
2. Repealer and new section filed 10-21-82; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 82, No. 43).
3. Change without regulatory effect amending subsection (b) filed 3-1-96 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 96, No. 9).

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.

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

HISTORY
1. New Article 6 (Section 2060) filed 9-4-75; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 75, No. 36).
2. Renumbering of Section 2060 to Section 2069 filed 2-17-77; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 77, No. 8).
3. Amendment filed 3-15-84; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 84, No. 11).
4. Change without regulatory effect amending first and second paragraphs and subsection (1) filed 3-1-96 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 96, No. 9).