Academy f Veterinary Emergency And Critical Care Technicians General Infrmatin and Instructins Fr the 2019 Applicatin 1
GENERAL INFORMATION The Academy f Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Technicians (AVECCT) wuld like t thank yu fr yur interest in becming a Veterinary Technician Specialist in Emergency and Critical Care VTS (ECC). AVECCT s gal in certifying veterinary technician specialists is t assure the veterinary prfessin and the public that AVECCT certified technicians pssess the knwledge and experience needed t wrk effectively in a well-equipped and staffed emergency r critical care facility. The requirements fr eligibility fr the examinatin are defined in the AVECCT cnstitutin and bylaws (available at: AVECCT.rg). Althugh AVECCT requirements are rigrus, they are nt designed t be bstacles t prevent candidates frm becming certified. The requirements are intended t assure the public and the prfessin, that technicians certified by AVECCT are truly qualified. Fr the purpse f eligibility requirements the definitin f emergency and critical care as established by the Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Sciety will be used and reads as fllws: Emergency Care actin taken in respnse t an emergency. The term implies emergency actin directed tward the assessment, treatment, and stabilizatin f a patient with an urgent medical prblem. Critical Care the care taken r required in a respnse t a crisis. In medicine, the treatment f a patient with a life-threatening r ptentially life-threatening illness r injury whse cnditin is likely t change n a mment-t-mment r hur-t-hur basis. Such patients require intense and ften cnstant mnitring, reassessment, and treatment. The AVECCT Credentials Cmmittee will use these definitins t determine: 1. if yur wrk experience was in the field f emergency and critical care. 2. if the cases in the case lg and case reprts are emergency and critical care cases. 3. if yur cntinuing educatin is related t emergency and critical care medicine. Yur applicatin will be submitted electrnically via nline frm. The nline frm is fund at http://www.avecct.rg/applicatin-infrmatin, r by clicking the Applicatin Infrmatin link n the right side f the AVECCT.rg hmescreen. The applicatin can be accessed as ften as necessary t be cmpletely filled in AND submitted by the deadline f December 31, 2018 at 11:59pm EST (Eastern Standard Time, UTC -5). T leave the frm at any pint, click save. A ppup will appear shwing yu the link t resume yur entries, and asking if yu wuld like it emailed t yu. Please have this link sent t yur email. In the email will be a blue RESUME buttn which cntains yur link. KEEP this email safe! If yu lse yur link, cntact us immediately at applicatins@avecct.rg. We can send yu a different entry link t cntinue yur applicatin, hwever keep in mind this is nt as easy t use as yur resume link. 3
Once yu have submitted yur final applicatin, yu will receive a cmplete pdf summary f yur entire submissin. Please take a mment t verify all details, and, if an errr r missin is nted, yu may cntact Andrea at applicatins@avecct.rg t received a shrt term edit link. Yur RESUME link will n lnger wrk nce yur applicatin is submitted. The applicatin requires yu t fill in the necessary infrmatin, as well as uplad dcuments in supprt f yur applicatin. See the next sectin t understand what needs t be upladed The applicatin fee is $65. Payment is made directly n the applicatin frm by credit card, at the bttm prir t submissin. COMPLETE applicatins AND payment must be received n r befre December 31, 2018 at 11:59pm EST. The applicatin is turned ff at this time and will n lnger be available t submit r edit. The applicatin fee will nt be refunded if applicant is nt apprved t take the examinatin. Eligibility rulings are made by the Cuncil f Regents based n recmmendatin f the Credentials Apprval Cmmittee. Applicants will be ntified f eligibility results n less than 6 mnths preceding the scheduled examinatin date. Ntificatin letters will be emailed t the email address prvided n yur applicatin in March, 2019. 4
AVECCT APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS Please read the instructins carefully. Incmplete r faulty applicatins will result in applicatin rejectin. Please be sure yu are using the current nline applicatin frm btained frm the website www.avecct.rg. This frm is filled in cmpletely nline. It is cmpatible with Mac/PC/iOS/Andrid brwsers, and allws yu t save and resume t finish cmpletin at any time up until the frm deadline (December 31, 2018, 11:59pm EST (EASTERN STANDARD TIME!!) Cntact applicatins@avecct.rg immediately if yu are having applicatin issues!! Please remember, even thugh this is an nline applicatin, the final utput will be the exact same as yur entry. This is a PROFESSIONAL applicatin, s please d nt frget t use apprpriate capitals, punctuatin, grammar, and spelling! Spell check is nt available n the frm. THE APPLICATION 1. Applicant infrmatin. Please prvide us with yur cntact infrmatin NAVTA membership is a requirement fr all AVECCT Candidates. Please prvide yur membership number. Internatinal candidates can still becme NAVTA members by chsing assciate member. Nte the applicatin will allw yu skip this questin and return t it later. D nt frget t return t this questin! 2. Credentials and Educatin Infrmatin (Page 2). Please prvide yur date f graduatin (if applicable), current credentials, and licensure infrmatin. Nte, yu can add as many licenses as necessary that yu have held during the past 5 years (click Add License ). If prviding a diplma frm a recgnized Veterinary Technlgy prgram, licenses are nt required. If prviding licenses, yu must shw yu have been licensed in sme state/prvince fr the entire duratin f yur wrk experience perid! NOTE: the applicatin has calendar fields t chse dates. Click n the field, and the current mnth and year will appear. T mve t a past r future date, use the right r left arrws, OR click the mnth/year at tp f bx. This will give a bx f all the mnths fr the current year. Click the year at the tp f the bx, and yu will be given ther years t chse frm. Each calendar field has restricted entry t the pertinent dates. 3. Emplyment Histry (Page 3). A minimum f 5760 hurs, which is equivalent t ~3 years f full-time wrk experience in the field f veterinary emergency and critical care medicine is required (see definitins f emergency and critical care n page 2). All experience prvided must be within five calendar years prir t the applicatin submissin date. All wrk experience must be perfrmed after becming legally credentialed. Please nly give us the AVERAGE number f hurs wrked per week, nt a range f hurs. Nte, if yur start date is prir t January 1, f the 5-year perid, just enter January 1 as yur start date. We are 5
nly interested in calculating yur hurs during the 5-year perid. Yu may add as many emplyers that yu may have had during yur 5-year experience perid, just click Add Clinic Infrmatin. Hurs will self calculate. 3. Cntinuing Educatin Frms Official prf f attendance dcuments must be prvided fr each CE event. These dcuments will be upladed directly int the applicatin frm at the end f the applicatin. Tpic titles, attendance date, lcatin, and length f lecture must be listed. A scanned cpy f a dcument prvided by the rganizatin r speaker must be prvided as prf f the attendance. Cancelled checks r ther dcuments will nt be accepted as prf f attendance. Nte there are tw frm types prvided. Frm A: is fr a cnference r event in which yu may have attended several hurs f lectures by different speakers. Frm B: is used fr events in which there may nly have been ne speaker, r fr single hur lectures. Yu can als use this frm fr recrding nline CE. Yu may add as many CE events as necessary t either frm, by clicking Add Lecture r Add Cnference fr Frm A, r Add Event fr Frm B. The frms are bth self tabulating. A minimum f twenty-five hurs f cntinuing educatin related t veterinary emergency and critical care are required. The cntinuing educatin must be received frm a natinally-recgnized cnference; lcal, state, reginal veterinary medical r technician assciatins; accredited veterinary schl r technician schl spnsred CE prgrams; American Assciatin f Veterinary State Bards (AAVSB); Registry f Apprved Cntinuing Educatin (RACE) apprved CE; r publically advertised lcal meetings delivered by instructrs wh are cnsidered experts n the subject they are discussing. The AVECCT definitin f emergency and critical care will be used t determine whether r nt yur cntinuing educatin meets the requirement regarding cntent. If the title f the CE des nt prvide enugh infrmatin t shw that CE was related t emergency and critical care yu may submit phtcpies f the curse descriptin prvided by the rganizatin presenting the CE as prf that the cntinuing educatin was related t emergency and critical care. The cntinuing educatin must be cmpleted within the five calendar years prir t the applicatin deadline. The frm will nt allw yu t enter dates utside this windw. 4. Case Lgs A case recrd lg is t be maintained frm January 1 December 31 in the year immediately preceding the submissin f the applicatin. Only cases seen during this perid qualify. The cases shall reflect the management f the emergent r critically ill patient and cmpetence in advanced nursing skills. The lg shuld 6
include the fllwing: date, patient identificatin (name r number), species, age, sex, weight, diagnsis, length f care, final utcme, and summary f nursing care techniques and prcedures perfrmed by the applicant n the patient. If the animal s weight, age, r sex is unknwn enter nt knwn in the case lg. Preferably, the case lg entries shuld appear in chrnlgical rder, hwever because f the nature f nline frms, yu cannt edit the rder f yur lgs after entry. Yu will nt lse pints fr this in the applicatin apprval prcess. If there is a case that spans Jan 1 (arrives befre this date), but care cntinues int the new year, the case may be used, hwever the calendar will nt allw yu put their actual entry date. Use January 1, and under length f care, put the actual number f days. HINT** We highly recmmend that yu d a rugh draft f yur case lgs and nly fill in the nline frm clser t the end f the year, nce yu have finalized which cases yu wish t use. List individual nursing skills yu perfrmed; d nt use unspecific phrases such as critical care nursing, intense mnitring r pain management. Prvide a key if abbreviatins are used. A page has been prvided fr yur key. Candidates must submit 50 cases that meet the AVECCT definitin f emergency and/r critical care. Hwever, if nly 50 cases are submitted, a single unacceptable case culd result in yur applicatin being rejected. Therefre, it is strngly suggested that additinal cases (up t a ttal f 75) be submitted. The Case Lg frm will expand t allw yu t submit up t a maximum f 75 cases, by clicking Add Case Lg. The case lg will be used t cnfirm yur advanced cmpetency in veterinary emergency and critcal care thrugh clinical experience. 5. Fur case reprts See examples included n the applicatin page f the website. The case reprts must be selected frm the case lg and the case lg number shuld be nted in the header f the case reprt. The reprts must be typed and duble spaced. Case reprts must nt exceed five pages each. Case reprts nt meeting these requirements will be rejected. The fllwing manuscript frm shuld be used: Times New Rman fnt; margins justified and 0.5 tp, bttm, and sides; tp right f each page: APPLICANT #-CASE REPORT # (1-4), CASE LOG #, PAGE #, fnt size 10, all caps, bld; HEADINGS capitalized, fnt size 10, bld; bdy fnt size 10. FOR EXAMPLE: 15-2, CASE LOG # 54, PAGE 1 YOUR APPLICANT NUMBER WILL BE FOUND ON THE CONFIRMATION EMAIL EACH TIME YOU SAVE YOUR APPLICATION. DO NOT INCLUDE YOUR NAME ON THE CASE REPORTS. 7
Case reprts must be saved as PDF files. If using Micrsft Wrd 2007, 2010, r 2013 (PC) please chse File, then Save As and chse the.pdf frmat. If using Wrd 2008 r 2011 n a Mac cmputer, nce yur dcument is finalized, select File, then Print. Under Print, chse PDF (lwer left hand crner), then Save As PDF. Please save each case reprt individually with the fllwing frmat fr title: Applicant NUMBER-Case Reprt # (1-4). Ie 15-4.pdf HINT** when saving yur final files use cautin t save them in a separate lcatin frm any wrking dcuments. Fr example, make a flder called FINAL APPLICATION FILES, and save nly final cpies f each file in this area. Last year, several candidates sent incmplete files, r files with track changes markup n the dcument. This culd result in yur applicatin being rejected. Please ensure that all dcuments saved in yur final applicatin flder, are indeed the cpies yu wish t send!! If yu are using the track changes feature in Micrsft Wrd if yu have smene review yur dcuments, please ensure that yu accept all changes in the dcument befre yu save as a PDF. Review yur dcument fllwing refrmat t PDF, t ensure all f the frmatting elements remained. Please d nt submit a pdf that has the track changes visible. See case reprt examples. Case reprts must be the riginal wrk f the applicant. Case reprts must demnstrate expertise in the nursing management f a variety f veterinary patients requiring emergency and critical care. Select cases that will demnstrate yur expertise in emergency and critical care nursing. Be sure that infrmatin such as the patient s name, identificatin number, and date the case was seen is included in the reprt. The case reprt shuld describe, in detail, hw the patient was diagnsed and treated, and specifically demnstrate hw yu used yur knwledge and experience t assist the veterinarian in diagnsing and treating the patient. It is imprtant that the infrmatin in yur case reprt can be clearly understd. Present each case in a lgical manner, check spelling, use generic drug names, and define any abbreviatins that are nt cmmnly used, e.g. psitive end-expiratry pressure (PEEP). It is imprtant t shw that yu participated in the diagnsis, treatment, and nursing f the patient and were nt just an bserver. It is als imprtant t demnstrate yur depth and cmprehensin f knwledge abut the case that yu have chsen. Cnsider sme f the fllwing ways f demnstrating yur knwledge and experience: Shw hw yur bservatins, physical examinatin, and histry-taking assisted the veterinarian with the diagnsis. I statements are allwed but nt required. Explain why an bservatin was imprtant r why yu asked a certain questin while taking the histry. Describe the prcedures yu assisted with r perfrmed. Explain why the prcedure was indicated, pssible cntraindicatins, and nursing 8
care requirements. Describe hw yu assisted the veterinarian in treating the patient. Explain hw yu helped determine whether the patient s treatment was being effective. Explain hw yur bservatins and mnitring helped the veterinarian mdify the patient s treatment. Explain yur rle in planning the patient s care. Shw yur understanding f the prblem being treated. Brief explanatins f pathphysilgy help t demnstrate yur knwledge base. 6. File Uplads: Each uplad has its wn bx t assist yu in keeping things in rder, and ensuring all necessary files are received. Please make sure yur name r applicant number is included in every file name! Fllw the instructins n the screen t uplad. Nte, yu will have difficulty ding this part n a mbile device, and will likely want t access yur applicatin n a cmputer. 7. Signed cpy f Waiver, Release and Indemnity Agreement Digitally sign this frm using the instructin prvided. Yu can use yur finger r stylus n a mbile device r cmputer trackpad. Fr a mbile device, click the pencil icn t lck the bx frm mving while yu capture yur signature. 8. Payment infrmatin and payment, please fill in prir t submitting applicatin. 8. Submit yur applicatin! If fully cmplete, submit yur applicatin using the submit buttn at the end f the applicatin. This differs frm the save buttn. Yu will receive a cnfirmatin with an attached pdf f yur cmplete applicatin. Please g ver this carefully t ensure yu have nt made any errrs r missins. Yu can cntinue t edit by fllwing the link in yur cnfirmatin email but nte the frmat will be different. Any questins/cncerns/prblems, please email applicatins@avecct.rg! Tips fr ensuring a Happy Applicatin Experience 1. Save frequently!! We wuld recmmend yu hit save with each page, just in case f an interruptin f yur internet, r sme ther cmputer glitch causes yu t lse data. Once its at the server, it is safe. Nte, the save link yu are sent (resume) is the same each time yu hit save yu d nt need t have the link emailed t yu each time! 2. Dn t leave the applicatin t the last minute. Yu can access this frm fr almst a year. Keep a hard cpy f case lgs and start filling them int the applicatin later, r enter them as yu have them, but remember, this is a time cnsuming prcess. Make sure yu are wrking n yur applicatin fr as lng as pssible fr the best results. 3. Spell check all f yur dcuments. Spell checking des nt wrk n the frm. If yu are typing larger paragraphs etc, yu can type it ut in wrd and cpy and paste the infrmatin int the frm. This way yu can use wrd spell checker! 9
Part B: Nn-Digital Applicatins files upladed t applicatin. The fllwing frms must be scanned and upladed int yur nline applicatin. If yu d nt wn a scanner, this can be dne at a lcal Kinks, UPS Stre, Staples r any printing ffices, such as Kwik-Kpy. Nte there are numerus scanning apps fr smartphnes, which may prduce acceptable reprductins. These facilities will be able t assist yu with preparing yur dcuments apprpriately fr uplading the dcuments. When saving the files, please ensure that each file is titled apprpriately, beginning with the Applicant Name, then frm title (such as waiver, diplma, skills frm r recmmendatin). Fr example, save yur skills list as Applicant_Name Skills list.pdf All files be upladed prir t submitting yur applicatin. December 31 at 11:59pm EST. HINT** Please scan yur dcuments in grups such as Diplma/License, CE Prf, Skills Frm, and Letters f Recmmendatin. Please save them in the frmat Jane De Diplma.pdf, Jane De CE Prf.pdf etc. The maximum file size is 5mb. If yu have large numbers f pages t scan, yu may need t uplad multiple files. Please label them part 1, part 2, etc. Please d nt scan at mre than 180-200 dpi! Any larger than this may cause yur files t fail uplading. Yu can als scan in greyscale rather than clr, which will als keep the file sizes small. The maximum file size fr any file is 5mb Befre uplading, please duble check that all required dcumentatin is scanned apprpriately, is legible, and that it is all included. We cannt ntify yu if a dcument is missing. The cmplete frm, all upladed dcuments, and payment must be submitted prir t the deadline f December 31, 2017 at 11:59 EST. Please d nt leave it t the last minute, as yur applicatin may nt be fully submitted. 1. Cpy f valid veterinary technician license/registratin/diplma Applicants must prvide prf f license/registratin OR graduatin frm an AVMA- apprved veterinary technlgy prgram. They may prvide bth, if applicable. Phtcpies f the actual license/registratin/diplma are the nly prf that will be accepted. Cancelled checks r ther dcuments will nt be accepted. Each applicant, befre he r she is declared eligible fr examinatin must be a graduate f an AVMA apprved Veterinary Technician Schl and/r meet the requirements as a Veterinary Technician in sme state r prvince f the United States, Canada r ther cuntry. The requirements are set by each individual state, prvince r cuntry where credentials were btained. The riginal date f credentialing and graduatin date (if applicable) must be dcumented n the histry frm. Nte: if submitting licensure infrmatin, license must be prvided fr EACH year claimed as wrk experience. ALL f the requirements must be met AFTER graduating frm an AVMA (r its equivalent) apprved Veterinary Technician Schl r becming 1 0
legally credentialed fr an applicant t be cnsidered eligible fr the examinatin. Infrmatin abut requirements fr technician credentialing n a state-by- state basis can be fund n the AAVSB website: http://www.aavsb.rg/dlr/dlr.aspx Membership in NAVTA (Natinal Assciatin f Veterinary Technicians f America) is a requirement fr AVECCT Certificatin. It is strngly encuraged that the candidate be a member f a lcal, state, prvincial, technician assciatin, and a member f the Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Sciety. Membership in any f these rganizatins is ptinal and will nt be cnsidered when yur applicatin is scred. Please d nt include membership dcumentatin in the applicatin package. 2. Prf f attendance at all CE events. Yu will need cpies f certificates r ther prf f attendance fr each CE event attended. 3. Cmpleted Skills Frm. Be sure t include ALL 3 pages f this frm. The skills frm dcuments thse nursing skills that have been mastered by the candidate and are necessary t practice veterinary emergency and critical care nursing at an advanced level. The skills frm is subject t change based upn the current state f the art in veterinary emergency and critical care nursing. Please print this dcument and have it signed by the qualified prfessinal as utlined belw. AVECCT requires that a Veterinary Technician Specialist (ECC) r a veterinarian wh has mastered the skill attest, by signature, t the applicant s mastery f the skill. Mastery is defined as being able t perfrm the skill safely, with a high degree f success, withut being cached r prmpted. Furthermre, mastery requires having perfrmed the skill in a wide variety f patients and situatins. AVECCT is aware that sme states r prvinces may nt allw a skill t be perfrmed by a licensed veterinary technician. Each skill must include a signature; d nt use qutatin marks r arrws t indicate duplicatin. Keep the riginal fr yur recrds. Separate Uplad r can be attached t yur applicatin: Letters f Recmmendatin Tw letters f recmmendatin are required frm a VTS (Emergency and Critical Care, Anesthesia, Internal Medicine) member, a Veterinary Emergency Critical Care Sciety Veterinarian, a Diplmat f the American Cllege f Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care r bard certified veterinarian specialist in Anesthesia, Internal Medicine r Surgery. Letters must be typed, and shuld include details n training, ethical behavir, and quality f skills. 1 1
These letters may be upladed separately int their wn frm by the persn writing the letter, r may be upladed t yur wn applicatin. T uplad separately by the persn writing the reference, please use the fllwing frm: https://www.cgnitfrms.cm/academyofveterinaryemergencyandcritical CareTechnicians/_2019AVECCTLetterOfRecmmendatinSubmissins Letters must include: The full name f the applicant and the full name and qualificatins (as written abve) f the VTS r DVM writing the letter, as well as cntact infrmatin. Fr VECCS member DVM s please include yur membership number. 1 2