Those strappy slingbacks look pretty snazzy on the rack. But you'll only discover the pinches, pulls, and blisters if you
try them on. So slide out of your slippers and take a turn in your co-workers' sneakers.
Use these examples to learn how to tread lightly with team members and give them a leg up when they're feeling low.
RECEPTIONIST
Main tasks: Client care, including greeting clients and checking them in, answering phones, assessing pets' needs, scheduling appointments,
educating clients, and checking clients out—all done with a smile Biggest challenge: Angry, aggressive, utterly irate clients. While clients are the practice's lifeblood—and many are a pleasure to serve—sometimes
receptionists must pull out the combat boots to protect themselves from the flak.
At Ardmore Animal Hospital in Ardmore, Pa., receptionist Karen Sabatini finds it particularly frustrating to deal with irate
clients and those who buy or adopt pets, then refuse to pay for proper care. "Some people spend more time investigating what
kind of refrigerator to buy than they do on their living, breathing pets," she says.
Tips to relate: Remember, the receptionist's role is hectic and mentally exhausting. "Receptionists must always be at their very best—upbeat,
never frustrated or angry," says Sabatini, a Firstline Editorial Advisory Board member. "And it's difficult to always remain in control." She advises other team members, "Just
be nice and realize that receptionists aren't your personal secretaries. They are very busy with clients and doctors." Translation:
If you need something and can get it yourself, take the initiative—especially if the front desk is swamped. Better yet, if
you're not busy and the front desk is crazy, jump in and lend a hand.
VETERINARY ASSISTANT
Main tasks: Exam-room upkeep, appointment flow, exam-room assistance (including pet restraint), client education, lab work (perform basic
tests, file reports, complete forms), prescription preparation, and possibly kennel attendance
Biggest challenge: If you're the middle child in a large family, you understand why veterinary assistants often feel as overlooked as moccasins
on the sandal shelf. "Veterinary assistants work exam room after exam room with an assortment of doctors—and that can get
hectic," says Sheila Grosdidier, BS, RVT, a Firstline board member and a partner with VMC Inc. in Evergreen, Colo. "They don't feel they're appreciated for what they do, and between
all the other team members, they often feel forgotten."
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Tips to relate: Acknowledge the valuable contribution veterinary assistants make to the team by treating them as equals and respecting their
time, too. "Assistants can make or break the receptionist or credentialed technician," Grosdidier says. "And managers need
to remember to show veterinary assistants equal respect by avoiding favoritism of one group over another." Without their efforts,
moving clients and pets out of the waiting room and into the exam rooms is chaotic at best, and finding someone to help restrain
a pet or draw blood can be difficult.
CREDENTIALED TECHNICIAN
Main tasks: Patient history and evaluation, surgical preparation, surgical monitoring (before, during, and after an operation), anesthesia
administration, radiography, lab work (perform basic tests, file reports, complete forms)
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