Think Anesthesia Podcast

In this episode we discuss with Liz Hughston, Med., RVT, CVT, LVT, VTS (IM-Small Animal, ECC) the potential for entrepreneurship of veterinary technicians. She outlines how she made this move and considerations when leveraging skills outside veterinary medicine towards a successful veterinary medicine profession. She shares with us why she helped create the Facebook group, Not One More Vet Support Staff and the importance for mental health awareness in veterinary medicine. 

In recognition of veterinary technician appreciation week 2021 we interviewed two leaders in veterinary technology: Jennifer Sager, CVT, VTS (Anesthesia & Analgesia, ECC) and Jeff Backus, CVT, RVT, VTS (ECC). Jenn shared with us her unique experience being the first, veterinary technician to co-chair an AAHA guideline. Learn ways to work towards authorship, where to find these opportunities and how to inspire the next generation of veterinary technicians and veterinarians. Next highlighted career veterinary technician, Jeff Backus, CVT, RVT, VTS (ECC) helps us “Find our Nerd” and shares how he was hooked on being a veterinary technician and how he found optimal work life balance with the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center.  

In recognition of veterinary technician appreciation week 2021 for our Think Anesthesia Podcast episode, we are interviewing career veterinary technicians. In this episode we speak with Darci Palmer LVT, VTS (Anesthesia & Analgesia) and Jessica Sosa, LVT! Darci shares with us the origins of her passion for veterinary medicine, how to be part of change and what it means to be an instructor for veterinary students. Jessica provides us with the unique insight into zoological medicine and the pathway to a fulfilling career. 

In recognition of veterinary technician appreciation week 2021 for our Think Anesthesia Podcast episode, we interview two career veterinary technicians: Charlotte Waack, CVT, RVT and VSPN Director and Joe DeFulio, CVT, Compassion Fatigue Educator and Certified Compassion Fatigue Professional, and currently serves as Vice President of Clinical Services for MedVet For Pets. We start with learning about how Charlotte became interested in pursuing a second career in veterinary technology! She outlines the benefit of skills gained from all professional experiences that navigated her from managing a restaurant to managing veterinary clinical practice, to pursing becoming a credentialed veterinary technician to eventually where she is now, developing and directing the veterinary support personnel network. She also shares with us the importance of being involved in our regulatory bodies to support change in the veterinary community. In the second half, meet Joe DeFulio, CVT. He provides us the unique perspective from the top and how serving in various positions provides him direction in his role. He shares with us the desire to give back to the community and profession and the importance of the veterinary technician’s voice in operational management of an organization. 

In this Think Anesthesia Podcast episode, we interview Amy Newfield, MS, CVT, VTS (ECC) and author of Oops, I Became a Manager: Managing the Veterinary Hospital Team by Finding Unicorns. In celebration of veterinary technician week 2021, she shares with us the top things she values when hiring a career technician. She sheds light on what qualities it takes to be a good leader in a management role. And she provides us career inspiration as she details her experience as a 20+ year veteran with the US Health and Human Services National Disaster Medial response teams and how you could become involved. 

Round Table Discussion with Exotic Animal Experts: Stephen Cital, Dr. Grayson Doss, Dr. João Brandão and Dr. Angela Lennox. We pose some questions involving anesthesia and analgesia for exotic companion, zoological and laboratory animals to our panelist experts. Learn their favorite or most interesting species to anesthetize and their expert techniques in providing anesthesia and analgesia for these unique, diverse patient populations.

Join Think Anesthesia® for a Fireside Chat featuring speakers from the 2021 Think Anesthesia® Virtual Conference. Moderated by Dr. Elizabeth Martinez, our group of expert panelists answer the most asked questions from the conference, including pre-hospital sedation, treating intraoperative hypotension, practical options for topical anesthesia for IV catheterization, and what anesthesia monitor everyone should have in their clinic. Panelists will also discuss how to introduce what you have learned to implement changes in your clinic protocols to optimize the anesthetic experience for the patient, client, and veterinary care team.

This podcast is a shelter anesthesia expert panel discussion on bridging the gaps between shelter and general practice anesthesia. Our panelists have dedicated their veterinary careers to providing care, and second chances, to the nation’s homeless pet population. They include: Dr. Erin Katribe, medical director of Best Friends Animal Society, Dr. Emily McCobb, DACVAA, co-section head for Community Medicine and Director of the Luke and Lily Lerner Spay Neuter Clinic at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, and Dr. Sadie Scott, medical director and chief veterinarian at Kansas City Pet Project and owner of Family Pet Hospital, in the Kansas City area. Topics discussed involve overcoming common challenges involving budgets, staffing and drug limitations, maintaining optimal anesthetic and analgesic care, and how as veterinary professionals to be more involved in shelter programs.

Seeking a sustainable surgical suite? The Think Anesthesia Veterinary Continuing Education podcast episode "Going Green in the Surgical Suite" will provide listeners with information on how to reduce the environmental impact of their activities in the surgical suite while maintaining high standards for safe patient care. Join Dr. Elizabeth Martinez, board-certified specialist in veterinary anesthesia and analgesia, as she discusses how our environmental impact can be minimized by learning strategies to reduce the use of inhalant anesthetics. You will learn what supplies and equipment used in the surgical suite can be recycled or reused and how to maximize environmental sustainability by reducing drug and energy waste.

Are stressed or fractious patients making you frazzled? Join Dr. Elizabeth Martinez, board-certified specialist in veterinary anesthesia and analgesia, for the episode ‘Anesthesia Starts at Home.’ Dr. Martinez discusses how to optimize the patient and pet owner experience by starting the anesthesia process prior to admission to the veterinary clinic.  Clinical use of drugs available for at-home anxiolysis and sedation for fearful and anxious pets and strategies for the management of the aggressive patient will be presented, as well as the use of antiemetics and considerations for the administration of chronic medications prior to anesthesia.