Recommended Code Governing Veterinary Technicians in Colorado As revised from the Colorado Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) Code, April 1990

This is a voluntary program of the Colorado Association of Certified Veterinary Technicians (CACVT) for Veterinary Technicians. The state law defines that all non-veterinarians must work under the direct supervision of a Colorado-licensed veterinarian.

(1) Veterinary Technician Governing Board defined: The CACVT will serve as the governing body for veterinary technicians in Colorado as the current laws so allow.

• Recognizing that the nature of the association is meticulous, it is comprised of individuals that have established common goals. General membership participation and input is always appreciated, but the elected Executive Board and appointed Committee Chairs shoulder the responsibility for governing the association since they are the ones with the overall knowledge of the association.
• New ideas and direction shall be presented in a fashion whereby the leaders of the association may discuss and refine before being presented to the general membership. If possible, new concepts shall be presented at a committee meeting. It will be the Chair's responsibility to then present, if appropriate, the refined idea to the Executive Board.

(2) Certified Veterinary Technician defined: A graduate of an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited school in veterinary technology who shall have successfully passed the Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE) prescribed by the Professional Exam Service (PES) and the AAVSB, or an individual who has met the criterion to transfer into the state.

(3) Renewal defined: The certification period runs from July 1 to June 30 of even numbered years. All certified veterinary technicians must apply for renewal at this time regardless of when they entered the certification period. Renewal fees and penalties shall be set and assessed by the CACVT.

• All certified veterinary technicians will be required to submit continuing education requirements as defined in the Certification section.

(4) Reinstatement of certification: A certification which has lapsed for the sole reason of nonpayment of fees may be reinstated within four years of issue by paying the delinquent fees and penalties as assessed by the CACVT or as otherwise noted in the manual.

(5) Relationship with the Client: On any occasion where the technician deals or communicates directly with a client, he shall make it perfectly clear to the client that he/she is not a veterinarian and that he/she is employed or directly supervised by a veterinarian.

(6) The Licensed Veterinarian's Responsibility: The veterinarian has a legal and moral responsibility to the client and to the veterinary technician in the following respects:

• To personally examine the animal before the veterinary technician carries out any procedure.
• To direct, control, and supervise the conduct of the veterinary technician in his/her work.
• To authorize or require the veterinary technician to perform only such work as the veterinarian knows that the veterinary technician is capable of performing.
• To direct the veterinary technician to perform his/her work in the proper method and manner.
• No one may use a veterinary technician to staff a separate place of business without direct supervision of a licensed veterinarian on the premises.

(7) The Veterinary Technician's Responsibility: The veterinary technician is responsible to the client and to the veterinarian in the following respects:

• To undertake only what the veterinarian authorizes or directs.
• To perform his/her work only in the manner directed by the veterinarian.
• To employ his/her best care and skill in performing all work for the veterinarian; not to undertake any work which he/she is not capable of performing satisfactorily.
• To NOT diagnose/prognose, prescribe, initiate treatment, or perform surgery.

(8) Violation of the Practice Act: Any persons that practice veterinary medicine without a license, shall be directed to the Colorado State Board of Veterinary Medicine for disciplinary actions.

(9) Discipline of Certified Veterinary Technicians: Upon written complaint or upon its own motion, the CACVT may set a meeting to revoke or suspend the certification of a certified veterinary technician.

• The CACVT Ethics Committee will send written notice, return receipt requested, to the respondent of the complaint against him/her. The respondent will have 20 days in which to reply to the complaint in writing to the Ethics Committee.
• If the Ethics Committee deems that enough information is present, they may recommend to the CACVT Executive Board to revoke or suspend for a time the certification of any certified veterinary technician for any of the following reasons:
  • Unprofessional or unethical conduct or engaging in practices which are in violation of the standards of the State Board of Veterinary Medicine;
  • Fraud, misrepresentation, or deception in obtaining certification;
  • Fraud, misrepresentation, deception, or dishonest or illegal practices;
  • Fraud or dishonesty in the application or reporting of any test for disease in animals;
  • Incompetence, gross negligence, or malpractice;
  • \Willful making of any false statement as to any material fact in any oath or affidavit which is required by law;
  • Revocation by another state of credentialing as a veterinary technician in that state;
  • Conviction of: a) a charge of cruelty to animals; b) a violation of either federal or state laws regarding controlled substances; c) a violation of any act prohibited in Article 64 of Title 12 CRS 2001 (or as amended); d) a felony in the courts of this state or any other state any territory, or any other country which, if committed in this state, would be deemed a felony; e) charges which involve the unlawful practice of veterinary medicine. The CACVT Executive Board may take temporary action based upon a record of a conviction of any of the above, even though an appeal of the conviction may be pending;
  • Engaging in any act constituting cruelty to animals, unlawful practice of veterinary medicine, violation of any federal or state law regarding controlled substances, any violation of Article 64 of Title 12 CRS 2001 (or as amended), or any violation regarding the dispensing of drugs, narcotic drugs, medicines, poisons, or dangerous drugs;
  • Permitting another to use his/her certification for the purpose of obtaining employment;
  • Obtaining employment under a false or assumed name or impersonating another technician;
  • Addiction to alcohol or habit-forming drugs or habitual use of narcotics, barbiturates, amphetamines, hallucinogens, or other drugs having similar effects to the extent that it incapacitates or limits his/her ability to function;
  • A determination that he/she is mentally incompetent by a court of competent jurisdiction
• The Executive Board has the final responsibility for acting on the recommendations of discipline of the Ethics Committee.
• If in the decision of the Executive Board, suspension is the discipline, they may establish what ever conditions to reinstatement they deem necessary to protect the public and the profession which may include community service, continuing education, special classes, fees, and/or taking the certification examination.
• The Executive Board shall notify the respondent of their decision by mail, return receipt requested.

(10) Reinstatement of Certified Status: At the conclusion of a period of suspension, the disciplined technician may make written application to the CACVT, through the Ethics Committee, for the reinstatement of certified status. The disciplined technician shall have the Burden of Proof of establishing to the satisfaction of the Ethics Committee that he/she is professionally and ethically rehabilitated to resume practice as a certified veterinary technician.

(11) Negligent Failure to Renew Certification: Any technician who represents himself/herself as a certified technician after the expiration of his/her certification and willfully or by neglect fails to renew such certification, shall be misrepresenting his/her qualifications; but any person may renew an expired certification by paying the current renewal fee plus all delinquent renewal fees plus any penalties as established by CACVT. The CACVT may refuse to renew any certification which has expired for conduct which constitutes a violation of paragraph 9 of this code.