At work we currently have a Vet. Technician student doing her externship. I will call her Ima as in "I'm a Tech, I'm a know it all, I'm a lot better than you".
She is attending PIMA, the same school where I received my Vet. Assistant certification. Even though attending the same school, we have no friendly feelings towards each other because she has the attitude of "I'm a Technician, you're just an Assistant". Add to that I'm also performing my Vet. Tech externship and wow, major attitude from Ima towards me. Rather than working together and learning Tech. things together, she gives me attitude.
She is required to learn and perform various duties that the Assts. at our clinic perform. Things such as cleaning surgical instruments, correctly prepping surgical packs and autoclaving. Other things she is required to learn such as ensuring the sterility and disinfection of hospital areas, maintaining cleanliness and comfort of the animals, feeding, obtaining urine and poop samples are beneath her because they are Asst. duties at our clinic.
Her first day there I was asked to teach her how to care for the surgery packs. I had no problem with that because the Techs. we have don't really know much about that particular area since it is an Asst. duty. What Ima said was, "But she's just an Assistant". I showed her the procedure, explained the need for placing the instruments in a particular manner. Ima paid no attention and hasn't prepped a single surgery pack even after being with us four weeks now. Hmmm, what grade do you think she will get for that area of her externship?
Ima had attitude towards me from day one because to her, I was "just an Asst.", but when she learned I had ten years experience and was performing my Vet. Tech. externship ("practicum" is my school's term of the hands on education), she became even icier towards me. And when she found out I was the one who would teach her various things...if she were a dog her animosity would show with the raised hair on the hackles, growling and bared teeth and then lunging for my throat.
Yeah, she wants to bite my head off. I'm a threat to her with my clinic experience and knowledge because with her thinking and attitude, I'm "just an Assistant".
Today was a very busy stressful day for me due to Ima's attitude. When I clocked in and passed her in the hall, I said "Hello Ima". She looked at me and walked past with no returning hello, no smile, just a glare. Throughout the day she conveniently placed herself in my path many times while I tried to pass with animals and then she stood there doing nothing other than nonchalantly looking around. I got tired of her ignoring my repeated "excuse me, you're blocking my path" and ended up bumping into her to push her out of my way. When I'm carrying a very mean cat and Ima blocks my path playing dumb after my "Clear the way, I have a fractious cat", I see her attitude as outright animosity.
Ima's attitude towards me is a war declaration.
Who will win? The Assistant with ten years experience who is open to all advice and learning experiences, trusted by all clinic staff to properly care for the animals and assist in all situations. Or the Extern who has no clinic experience, but claims to know everything, doesn't listen and is on a "know more than you" attitude, someone who everyone at the clinic says they would not want to work with.
Even without the clinic staff supporting me, Ima picked a war with the wrong person. Being just an Asst., I will put her in her place with my knowledge and experience. Might even embarass her at times when a lowly Asst. can get hit the jugular vein for a blood draw after her numerous feeble attempts.
She is attending PIMA, the same school where I received my Vet. Assistant certification. Even though attending the same school, we have no friendly feelings towards each other because she has the attitude of "I'm a Technician, you're just an Assistant". Add to that I'm also performing my Vet. Tech externship and wow, major attitude from Ima towards me. Rather than working together and learning Tech. things together, she gives me attitude.
She is required to learn and perform various duties that the Assts. at our clinic perform. Things such as cleaning surgical instruments, correctly prepping surgical packs and autoclaving. Other things she is required to learn such as ensuring the sterility and disinfection of hospital areas, maintaining cleanliness and comfort of the animals, feeding, obtaining urine and poop samples are beneath her because they are Asst. duties at our clinic.
Her first day there I was asked to teach her how to care for the surgery packs. I had no problem with that because the Techs. we have don't really know much about that particular area since it is an Asst. duty. What Ima said was, "But she's just an Assistant". I showed her the procedure, explained the need for placing the instruments in a particular manner. Ima paid no attention and hasn't prepped a single surgery pack even after being with us four weeks now. Hmmm, what grade do you think she will get for that area of her externship?
Ima had attitude towards me from day one because to her, I was "just an Asst.", but when she learned I had ten years experience and was performing my Vet. Tech. externship ("practicum" is my school's term of the hands on education), she became even icier towards me. And when she found out I was the one who would teach her various things...if she were a dog her animosity would show with the raised hair on the hackles, growling and bared teeth and then lunging for my throat.
Yeah, she wants to bite my head off. I'm a threat to her with my clinic experience and knowledge because with her thinking and attitude, I'm "just an Assistant".
Today was a very busy stressful day for me due to Ima's attitude. When I clocked in and passed her in the hall, I said "Hello Ima". She looked at me and walked past with no returning hello, no smile, just a glare. Throughout the day she conveniently placed herself in my path many times while I tried to pass with animals and then she stood there doing nothing other than nonchalantly looking around. I got tired of her ignoring my repeated "excuse me, you're blocking my path" and ended up bumping into her to push her out of my way. When I'm carrying a very mean cat and Ima blocks my path playing dumb after my "Clear the way, I have a fractious cat", I see her attitude as outright animosity.
Ima's attitude towards me is a war declaration.
Who will win? The Assistant with ten years experience who is open to all advice and learning experiences, trusted by all clinic staff to properly care for the animals and assist in all situations. Or the Extern who has no clinic experience, but claims to know everything, doesn't listen and is on a "know more than you" attitude, someone who everyone at the clinic says they would not want to work with.
Even without the clinic staff supporting me, Ima picked a war with the wrong person. Being just an Asst., I will put her in her place with my knowledge and experience. Might even embarass her at times when a lowly Asst. can get hit the jugular vein for a blood draw after her numerous feeble attempts.
posted by Stephanie @ 1:12 AM
1 Comments:
At 7:45 AM,
Anonymous said…
Steph - I am all the way over here in Massachusetts & have been reading your blog for a few weeks now. Keep up the great work you are doing - Ima tech is a jerk & does not represent the profession - YOU do.
Kim, CVT
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