CHAPTER 8
AUXILIARY PERSONNEL
[Prior to 2/8/89, Veterinary Medicine, Board of[842] Ch 4]
811—8.1(169,17A) Definitions. As used in these rules, the following terms shall mean:
“Accredited school of veterinary technology” means a two-year college level training program providing basic training leading to a certificate of completion of a two-year program recognized and approved by the AVMA committee on accreditation of training for veterinary technicians or recognized and approved by the board.
“Board” means board of veterinary medicine.
“Department” shall mean the Iowa department of agriculture and land stewardship.
“Veterinary assistant” means an assistant employed by a licensed veterinarian for a purpose other than performing diagnosis, issuing prescriptions or performing surgery and includes, among other assistants, registered veterinary technicians.
“Veterinary technician” means any citizen of the United States who shall have graduated in veterinary technology from a two-year AVMA accredited school of veterinary technology; or in lieu thereof has assisted a licensed veterinarian for five years prior to 1980, or worked under the direction of a licensed veterinarian for at least three years, including at least one year of formal training approved by the board, in veterinary technology prior to 1981; and who shall have successfully passed an examination prescribed by the board.
811—8.2(169) Registration of veterinary technicians. All veterinary technicians shall be under the direct control of the board and shall be registered with the state veterinarian, bureau of animal industry, Iowa department of agriculture and land stewardship. Each veterinary technician must pass both a written and practical test as approved by the board. Applications for registration shall be obtained from and remitted to the board. Successful candidates shall be issued a certificate by the board stating that the named candidate is registered as a veterinary technician.
811—8.3(169) Examination. An application fee of $25 shall accompany the application to take the examination; and both must be received by the board at least 60 days before the examination. An additional fee shall be submitted for the national board written examination as provided by the professional examination service, when utilized by the board as part of their examination process, which shall be the fees charged for the examination by the professional examination service plus $10 for the costs of administration. Examinations shall be given annually in June at a site to be designated by the board at least 30 days before the date of the examination. The fee may be waived for qualifying military service personnel upon request.
This rule is intended to implement Iowa Code sections 169.5(8), 169.9, 169.12 and 272C.4.
[ARC 1984C, IAB 4/29/15, effective 6/3/15]
811—8.4 Reserved.
811—8.5(169) Supervision. All veterinary assistants, including veterinary technicians, shall be employed by and receive compensation from and be under the direct supervision of a licensed or license exempt veterinarian, and shall function at the same place of business as the veterinarian. Such supervision shall include, but not be limited to, the availability of the veterinarian on the premises.
	8.5(1) Veterinarian’s responsibility:
	a. 	To personally examine the animal within 12 hours before the assistant carries out any procedures.
	b. 	To direct, control and supervise the conduct of the assistant in the assistant’s work.
	8.5(2) Veterinary assistant’s responsibility:
	a. 	The veterinary assistant, including registered veterinarian technicians, shall not perform surgery; shall not make a diagnosis and prognosis of animal diseases; shall not prescribe drugs, medicine and appliances, and shall not administer rabies vaccine.
	b. 	Under conditions of an emergency, a veterinary assistant including a registered veterinary technician may render without supervision such lifesaving aid and treatment as follows: administration of oxygen; maintenance of airways including the nonsurgical insertion of an endotracheal tube; and control of hemorrhage. Under conditions of emergency, a registered veterinary technician but not an unregistered veterinary assistant may render such additional lifesaving aid and treatment as follows: placement of an IV catheter and the administration of fluids; external cardiac massage; and the administration of corticosteroids. Emergency aid and treatment, if rendered to an animal not in the presence of a licensed veterinarian, shall only be continued under the direction of a licensed veterinarian, which in the case of emergency may include telephone or radio contact by a veterinarian en route to the site, until the veterinarian arrives in a timely manner. “Emergency” for the purpose of this rule means that the animal has been placed in a life-threatening condition where immediate treatment is necessary to sustain life.
811—8.6(169) Revocation or suspension of veterinary technician’s certificate. The following shall be grounds for revocation or suspension of a certificate at the discretion of the board:
	1.	Fraud, misrepresentation or deception in obtaining a certificate.
	2.	Conviction of a felony, in which case the record of such conviction will be conclusive evidence.
	3.	Chronic inebriety or habitual use of drugs.
	4.	For having professional connection with, or lending one’s name to any illegal practice of veterinary medicine and the various branches thereof.
	5.	Conduct reflecting unfavorably on the vocation of veterinary technology.
	6.	Conviction on the charge of cruelty to animals.
	7.	Failure to satisfy the continuing education requirements of rule 8.10(169,272C).
811—8.7(169) Action against veterinarians. The board of veterinary medicine shall take action against any veterinarian licensed to practice in the state of Iowa who:
	1.	Permits or directs any veterinary assistant, including a registered veterinary technician, to perform veterinary duties involving diagnosis, prescription or surgery.
	2.	Permits or directs any veterinary assistant, including a registered veterinary technician, to perform any act which would be a legal or ethical violation if committed by the veterinarian.
811—8.8(169,272C) Disciplinary procedure. Disciplinary action taken under rule 8.6(169) or 8.7(169) shall follow the procedure established by 811—10.50(169,272C). Where appropriate, references in 811—10.50(169,272C) to a person licensed to practice veterinary medicine shall be construed to mean persons certified as a veterinary assistant or technician.
811—8.9(169,272C) Certification by endorsement. On a case-by-case basis, the board may issue certification by endorsement and without examination to applicants who hold certification or licensure as veterinary technicians in another jurisdiction.
811—8.10(169,272C) Continuing education.
	8.10(1) At least 30 hours of continuing education in courses approved by the board of veterinary medicine shall be completed triennially by each registered veterinary technician. The registrant has the responsibility for financing continuing education. These credit hours may be obtained by attending approved scientific seminars and meetings on the basis of one credit hour for each hour of attendance. Attendance at any board-approved national, state or regional meeting will be acceptable. Credit for qualified graduate college courses may be approved on the basis of multiplying each college credit hour by 10, to a maximum of 15 hours during any one triennial. A maximum of 10 hours during any one triennial may be achieved by the completion of approved home study courses.
	8.10(2) Each registrant shall obtain the 30 credit hours between the registrant’s certificate anniversary date and the last day of the following three-year period. However, a registrant who graduated from an accredited college of veterinary technology within three years of the issuance of an Iowa certificate is required to obtain only 20 credit hours for the first triennial. Continuing education credits in excess of 30 hours for any three-year period may be carried over to the next triennial period, but the total number of credits carried over shall not exceed 10 hours.
	8.10(3) Completion of the continuing education will be reported to the secretary of the board of veterinary medicine on forms provided by the board by December 31 of the triennial anniversary year. The reporting form must be signed by the registrant and accompanied by an administration fee of $15.
	8.10(4) Compliance with this rule and subrule 8.6(7) is waived until January 1, 1993. Registrants whose certificate triennial anniversary dates fall in the year 1993 shall complete and report 10 credit hours. Registrants whose certificate triennial anniversary dates fall in the year 1994 shall complete and report 20 credit hours. All registrants whose certificate triennial anniversary dates fall in the year 1995 and subsequent years shall complete and report the full 30 credit hours.
	8.10(5) The board may waive continuing education requirements for qualifying military service personnel upon request.
[ARC 1984C, IAB 4/29/15, effective 6/3/15]
These rules are intended to implement Iowa Code sections 17A.3, 169.4, 169.5, 169.9, 169.20 and 272C.4.
[Filed 3/22/78, Notice 9/21/77—published 3/22/78, effective 4/26/78]
[Filed emergency 9/29/78—published 10/18/78, effective 9/29/78]
[Filed 7/1/80, Notice 10/31/79—published 7/23/80, effective 8/27/80]
[Filed 4/10/81, Notice 3/4/81—published 4/29/81, effective 6/3/81]
[Filed 12/2/83, Notice 10/26/83—published 12/21/83, effective 1/26/84]
[Filed 11/13/87, Notice 10/7/87—published 12/2/87, effective 1/6/88]
[Filed 1/20/89, Notice 11/16/88—published 2/8/89, effective 3/15/89]◊
[Filed 1/30/92, Notice 9/18/91—published 2/19/92, effective 3/25/92]
[Filed 10/6/94, Notice 7/6/94—published 10/26/94, effective 11/30/94]
[Filed ARC 1984C (Notice ARC 1756C, IAB 12/10/14), IAB 4/29/15, effective 6/3/15]
◊	Two or more ARCs