My name is Ren, and I’m an LVT from Nevada. I just got done reading through Today’s Veterinary Nurse, which I received in the mail tonight. I must say I’m impressed. This journal is specifically designed for credentialed technicians, and even though I enjoy reading several other publications, I found this one to be more able to connect to me as a technician, a simple footsoldier in the trenches.
It is refreshing to see that there are still so many of us dedicated career techs out there—I have found that there are fewer and fewer of us long-timers. This is a very demanding career and it’s not easy to remain steadfast in our resolve, but your editor’s note, as well as several other articles, really gave me a sigh of relief that there are not only just a few of us, but a lot of us that feel blessed by being a tech, and none of us would ever consider quitting.
I’ll be honest with you, the only reason I received the journal is because it was an option prompted to me when I accepted to do a small case report at the NAVC this year. Otherwise, I may not have had the chance to subscribe, but I am very glad that I did. There comes a point in one’s career where it is our duty to pass the torch to the next generation of our counterparts, and this journal is a perfect avenue to do so. Although the experiences and skill set that we gather as we work through the years belong to us as individuals, the knowledge which we gain does not—it belongs to our patients, to be used to their benefit. It is our duty to pass the torch and help inspire other techs to continue to strive forward. If I can be instrumental in igniting the spark of dedication, motivation, and innovation in a single technician, I have done my job.
I just wanted to thank you for your contribution to our profession and hard work in getting this journal up and running. I have no doubt it is an enormous task, but you need to know that even though not many techs will take the time to provide you feedback on this accomplishment, I felt it was important that you know you are being heard. Veterinarians may be the brains of a practice, but we techs are the lifeblood of a practice.
Sincerely yours,
Renaud “Ren” Houyoux, LVT
Baring Boulevard Veterinary Hospital, Reno-Sparks, Nevada
We’d like to know what you think about Today’s Veterinary Nurse. Drop us a line at LJohnson@NAVC.com or RHenry@NAVC.com. Letters to the editor may be published in a future issue of the journal.