{"id":10601,"date":"2022-05-23T18:03:09","date_gmt":"2022-05-23T18:03:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/todaysveterinarynurse.com\/?p=10601"},"modified":"2022-11-28T17:03:54","modified_gmt":"2022-11-28T17:03:54","slug":"clinic-champion-windi-wojdak","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/navc.sitepreview.app\/todaysveterinarynurse.com\/personal-professional-development\/clinic-champion-windi-wojdak\/","title":{"rendered":"Clinic Champion: Windi Wojdak"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\" Windi Wojdak, RVT, knows that the right experience at the right time can change the course of one\u2019s life. A degree in psychology, ensuing graduate studies, and possibly even a career in academia loomed on the horizon for Wojdak as she neared the end of undergraduate school\u2014until the lifelong animal lover started volunteering at a small, rural animal shelter near her college town. That experience changed the course of Wojdak\u2019s career, enlisting her in a life of service work.<\/p>\n

Now, as senior director of Rural Area Veterinary Services (RAVS), Wojdak helps provide life-changing moments for others. Through high-level utilization of veterinary nurses\/technicians, hands-on learning experiences, and a relentless focus on expanding access to veterinary care for underserved communities, RAVS offers veterinary professionals the opportunity to <\/span>view their place in the profession through a different lens.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\"\"<\/span> Every day, veterinary nurses\/technicians make a positive impact on their clients, patients, coworkers, and greater community. But the stories behind each and every one of these professionals are often overlooked due to the selfless nature of working in veterinary medicine. <\/span>Today\u2019s Veterinary Nurse<\/i> aims to shine a light on some of these stories with its Clinic Champions series. Each issue, TVN<\/i> and Midmark will honor a veterinary nurse for their contributions in community service, scholarship, advocacy, or innovation. This series will highlight unsung heroes who make a lasting impact on their patients and community. <\/span>At the end of the year, 1 of the 4 honorees will be recognized as the Clinic Champion of the Year. This individual will receive a trip to VMX 2023 in Orlando, Florida, including registration, hotel, and airfare. <\/span>To nominate a veterinary nurse\/technician, visit bit.ly\/ClinicChampions<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cSo many of our colleagues leave the field because they\u2019re not finding that real reward and opportunities for professional growth,\u201d says Wojdak. \u201cWe\u2019ve had more than a few technicians stay in veterinary medicine because they found [RAVS]. They were on that verge and they kind of hit that wall where they weren\u2019t seeing a future for themselves in this field. And then they came out with us on a clinic, got to use their skills, see the impact that the work could have for the community, make new professional connections, and now, 5 or 10 years later, they are still in the field. And we would have lost them. Our profession can\u2019t afford to lose more good people.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

RAVS, a program under The Humane Society of the United States, expands access to veterinary care for Native communities in the western United States. RAVS has developed relationships with many communities throughout the years, but currently coordinates with 10 to 12 Native Nations partners in Arizona, the Dakotas, and Washington, where geographic isolation and financial barriers make accessing veterinary care difficult for many members of the community. The program sets up temporary veterinary clinics, where a team of students, staff, and professional volunteers bands together for a week or two and delivers essential care to hundreds of patients.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Windi Wojdak, RVT, consults with a pet owner at the community center during a RAVS clinic in Fort Yates, North\u00a0Dakota. Courtesy: David Paul Morris\/for the HSUS.<\/p><\/div>\n

Wojdak has run the RAVS program since 2011 and has been involved for more than 2 decades. She brings a passion for animal welfare, mentorship, and teaching that extends the program\u2019s impact to patients, community members, and veterinary professionals.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI first worked with Windi in 2010. Immediately, I became aware that the role of veterinary nurses within the clinic was raised to a level I hadn\u2019t experienced before,\u201d says Anne Marie McPartlin, LVT, and RAVS program coordinator. \u201cSo many clinic settings establish this archaic form of hierarchy, which hinders efficiency and morale. From the very beginning, Windi helped create a team mentality where, as an experienced credentialed technician, my opinion is heard, valued, and acted upon\u2014even as a volunteer. Windi has an extremely rare gift of identifying and allowing people to do what they do best, which makes for a happier team.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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