Career Essay: A Career As A Veterinary Assistant

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I have never technically been a receptionist, however I have been a veterinary assistant for two and a half years now. As a veterinary assistant I am cross-trained to be a receptionist when necessary. For me the hardest part about being a receptionist is the balancing act that comes with answering phones, dealing with walk in clients, discharging patients, admitting boarders and checking out clients. Most of the time I have found that all of these acts seem to occur at the same time and handling them alone is very challenging. Focusing on one thing at a time is hard and becoming overwhelmed can happen in an instant. There are times when everyone goes to lunch and I run the front desk alone. These are the times that clients and patients seem to need everything at once and it is hard not to want to crawl under the desk. The most profound thing that I remember to do and has helped me bring my mind out of panic mode and into help mode is to breathe. Taking a minute and taking a deep breath really helps me collect my thoughts and keep events in order of occurrence and importance. Information overload is an understatement sometimes, so breathe, knock out those tasks and …show more content…

It is a team because everyone is able to help in any aspect of the job. During busy seasons it is great to have other team members cross-trained helping the receptionist team. As a technician it is rare that you are not interacting with clients during a normal day. Technicians often are charged with discharge appointments and are using this time to educate clients, so having proper training on communication and interaction is a must. Clients return to a practice where they feel they have had a good communication interaction and or feel that a negative outlook has been turned into an education option or a positive outcome. It is up to the entire team to make that difference for the

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