Programs handbooks

Veterinary Technology: Standards and procedures

Procedures

Animal care requirements

Portland Community College and the VT program are designated as a research facility by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and come under the jurisdiction of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). The Veterinary Services Division of the USDA/APHIS administers this inspection service. To be clear, the Veterinary Technology program does no animal research. However, all educational activities involving animals must meet the same USDA regulatory standards. As a research facility we must abide by the rules and regulations set by law in the Animal Welfare Act, specifically Title 9, Subchapter A – Animal Welfare, Parts 1-4. This law dictates all activities related to the housing, care, and handling of the dogs, cats, laboratory animals, and other warm-blooded animals owned by this program and college. Failure to abide by this law can result in revocation of the privilege to own and keep animals on our campus. The Veterinary Services Division of the USDA makes surprise inspections once or twice annually.

If the VT program, for any reason, does not or cannot have animals at this facility, accreditation by the American Veterinary Medical Association would be in serious jeopardy.

In accordance with the USDA/APHIS regulations, all animal enclosures must be of sufficient structural strength for the animal’s safety, provide sufficient space per animal to assure health and welfare, and be devoid of any dangerous conditions that might prove injurious to the animal. Additionally, adequate amounts of water and food in clean containers must be available, adequate electrical power, waste disposal, and clean-up facilities to maintain enclosures must be available, and adequate protection from environmental conditions must be provided.

Each student is required to take an active role in fulfilling and adhering to the Animal Welfare regulations to ensure that the program is allowed to maintain animals at this facility. Any deviation from the above or other problems should be reported immediately to the program’s faculty or staff. Each student will be assigned rotating daily, weekly, and periodic duties related to the care of program-owned animals and their housing facilities. All students should wear gloves at all times when working with animals in the program.

Details of the specific tasks to be completed are covered in the VT program Animal Care and Facility Maintenance Manual. Animal care and facility maintenance will be discussed in detail during the Facility Ward Care class that is required for the incoming Veterinary Technology student. This course is offered in the fall. A brief summary of animal care duty requirements are provided here.

Summary of animal care duty and attendance rules

Daily, weekly, equine, and laboratory animal care duties are assigned to students before the start of each term and will be posted on the Vet Tech Dashboard and Google Share Drive under “Animal Care”. Additionally, assignments will be emailed to each student prior to the beginning of each term; typically during finals week of the preceding term. Each student shall check these assignments to see when they have been scheduled for animal care duties. The student shall record assignments on his or her calendar as there are penalties for not attending these duties.

If a student is unable to attend or will be late to perform their animal care duties, the student must notify a program veterinary technician by 7am, as well as his or her team leader, on the assigned day. Notification by telephone or through email will be adequate provided it is done by 7:00 a.m. and will then be considered an Excused absence. Failure to communicate an absence will result in the absence being considered Unexcused. If a student must be gone on an assigned duty day, it is the student’s responsibility to exchange places with another student for the same duty. The program veterinary technician must be made aware of and approve this change before it occurs. It would be considerate and professional to also contact members of your group to notify them of the situation. It is always best to attend the day(s) you have been assigned unless you are experiencing unforeseen circumstances.

Since attendance is mandatory – all absences will be recorded and filed in the students’ file.

  1. Excused absence: Student misses assigned animal duty(s) but follows protocols to communicate the absence:
    1. The student must contact the program CVT who will coordinate with the student to make up the absence.
    2. All makeup duties must be scheduled, and completed within two weeks of the missed duty.
    3. If a student misses two animal duties (daily duties, weekly duties, laboratory animal duties or animal enrichment) in any one term, the student and the program CVT will meet with the faculty department chair to discuss concerns about absences.
    4. A diploma will not be awarded until all make-up duties have been completed.
  2. Unexcused absence: Student misses assigned animal duty(s) but does not follow protocols to communicate the absence:
    1. The student must contact the program CVT who will coordinate with the student to schedule two duties for the one duty missed.
    2. The student will meet with the faculty department chair and program CVT to discuss concerns about the unexcused absence.
    3. A diploma will not be awarded until all make-up duties have been performed.
  3. Tardies/early departures: Students must arrive on time to daily duties and not leave early. Team leaders and program CVTs will maintain a record of tardiness and early departures.
    1. Excused tardies/early departures are defined as arrival to daily duties any time after 7am, or departure before 8:30am, as well as having contacted their team leaders and program CVTs.
    2. Unexcused tardies/early departures are defined as arrival to daily duties any time after 7am, or departure before 8:30am, and not having contacted their team leaders and program CVTs.
    3. Any two unexcused tardies/early departures are the equivalent of one unexcused absence.
    4. Any three unexcused tardies/early departures are the equivalent of one unexcused absence.
    5. Vet Tech staff may assess tardies on an individual basis and impose stricter penalties if the pattern or type of tardy warrants.

If a student is having trouble completing required animal care duties because of illness, injury, or other hardship, it is the student’s responsibility to communicate this to her/his leader and the program CVT. Leniency will be considered only for the period of the hardship and missed duties must be made up at a later date.

If the PCC campus is closed due to weather and/or road conditions, animal duties will be performed by the Farm Coordinator and students are not required to perform duties on these days.

At no time are students allowed to have family members, friends, or others, accompany them during any animal duties or any other time the student is actively working with a program animal. Only enrolled veterinary technology students are allowed to be in and/or around the animal facilities during required work shifts.

With the exception of student employees, students are not allowed to work in program facilities or with program animals after 5pm.

For all animal concerns, including emergencies, students should immediately contact:

  • Hailey Zweigart (for all large animals)
  • Alisa Leeper, CVT (for all small animals, rabbits, rodents)
  • If either of these people are not available, contact any Veterinary Technology CVT

Refer to the due process for violations of policies, procedures, standards, and ethics section for information about program dismissal and appeals.

Stray/feral animal species on campus
  • Feral: Untamed; A domestic animal species living outside of human harborage.
  • Stray: A domestic animal species wandering at large or without an owner.

All stray and feral animals, including cats, should be reported to a program faculty or staff member or to Hailey Zweigart, Farm Coordinator. The Vet Tech staff will then facilitate the transfer of these animals to Washington County Animal Control. The PCC Vet Tech program will not use college resources, including cage space, to provide non-emergency medical treatments or surgical procedures, to stray and feral animal species, or facilitate their adoption.

As a research and teaching facility, it is unethical to harbor stray or feral animals because:

  1. They are potential reservoirs of zoonotic diseases and parasites.
  2. They are potential reservoirs of debilitating infectious disease that could be transmitted to program animals.
  3. Their unpredictable nature puts the campus community at risk.

All stray and feral animals are under the jurisdiction of Washington County Animal Control. Stray or feral animals will not be used as Vet Tech program animals as this is a direct violation of the USDA’s Animal Welfare Act.

Ethics and conduct

It is the goal of this program to instill and promote a professional demeanor in its students that is reflective of the level of professionalism that will be expected of them upon graduation and entry into the workplace. This professionalism encompasses professional and academic integrity, professional dress, communication, interaction, and attitude. This handbook and the Portland Community College Student Code of Conduct (see College policies: conduct, professional standards, and ethics section clearly define what is considered appropriate conduct for students within the VT program.

Program conduct standards
  • Any conduct detrimental to the safety and welfare of other students, staff, and/or animals, or conduct that is disruptive of school procedures will prompt a program dismissal review process.
  • Professional behavior will be required at all times while associated with Portland Community College and the Vet Tech program including while participating in all Cooperative Education experiences.
  • Academic dishonesty in any form, as described in the PCC Academic Integrity policy, will not be tolerated.
  • Theft of drugs, college property, or supplies will prompt program dismissal and Student Conduct review processes.
  • Being under the influence of alcohol or drugs while working with live animals is dangerous to yourself and others and is prohibited at all times during Veterinary Technology coursework, cooperative education, or any events relating to the program. Violations will prompt program dismissal and Student Conduct review processes.
  • Smoking is only allowed in the designated smoking shelter areas on campus.
  • Eating is not allowed in the Veterinary Technology program classroom during lectures or laboratories. Consumption of non-alcoholic beverages is allowed during lectures as long as the drinks are in a closed container. No food or drink items are allowed in any laboratories.
  • Students are expected to participate in their coursework both individually and as part of a team. Some activities are performed independently while many will be performed with a partner or group. Students are expected to come to class prepared to perform all aspects of a procedure independently and to communicate with lab partners to distribute tasks during class. Uncertainties or disagreements should be communicated between the partners/group before proceeding with any tasks and clarified with the instructor if not resolved. Teamwork, communication, and professionalism are considered to be critical skills that are to be developed and demonstrated throughout our program.
  • Please review the Communication section. No student will be allowed to leave class to answer a cell phone unless the student has previously notified the instructor that they may be expecting an emergency phone call.
  • Students are not allowed to bring their personal pets with them to school. The college has a Service Animal Policy, whereby only service animals and VT program animals, wearing PCC program IDs, are allowed on campus.

For more information about college-wide policies, please see the College policies section. Refer to the Due process for violations section for information about program dismissal and appeals.

College policies

Students are required to read, understand, and follow college and program policies, standards, and ethical guidelines. In addition to reviewing the policies linked in this section, any additional requirements described in the section for one’s program of study should be reviewed and followed. Students assigned to clinical sites are required to learn and follow the policies, rules, and regulations required by the site. Students are encouraged to reach out to program faculty and staff with any questions or clarification needed.

Comprehensive links to college policies can be found on the following webpages:

The policies of particular relevance to students include:

Conduct, professional standards, and ethics

It is especially important for students to comply with the following policies regarding conduct, professional standards, and ethics.

HIPAA

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) is a federal law that required the creation of national standards to protect sensitive patient health information from being disclosed without the patient’s consent or knowledge. The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued the HIPAA Privacy Rule to implement the requirements of HIPAA (Centers for Disease Control Public Health Law). Under this law, patients’ health information is protected. This includes individually identifiable health information that is transmitted or maintained in any form or medium (electronic, oral, or paper).

What does this mean for Healthcare and Emergency Professions students?

In the course of their study, healthcare and emergency professions students will work in patient-focused settings, which could include providing patient care at the dental clinic, at off-site clinics, with ambulance services, and in hospitals, and/or could include responsibilities for managing patient data. Additionally, patient data and images, including radiographic images, will be part of the classroom and lab instruction. Often, students will act as patients during lab and practice sessions and confidentiality policies will apply. Students will have access to confidential patient data in these settings and are expected to:

  • protect patient and student confidentiality at all times,
  • comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA),
  • strictly follow all policies and procedures at the facilities in which off-site clinicals, internships, practicums, and co-ops are held,
  • uphold the professional ethics guidelines of their field of study, and
  • adhere to Portland Community College’s confidentiality policies, including Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

Specific guidelines related to HIPAA and confidentiality include, but are not limited to:

  • Any information (including images, and written or verbal) related to patient care is strictly confidential and is:
    • not to be shared, copied, or discussed with anyone outside of the direct care of the patient, and
    • not to be removed from a healthcare facility or service unless written permission has been given by the clinical agency to remove such information. Information may be disclosed only as defined in HIPAA guidelines for educational purposes.
  • Radiographic images that are used for image critiques, case study, or lab sessions must have all patient and hospital identification removed. Students attending critique sessions away from their home sites may bring radiographic images only on approved devices that follow HIPAA requirements. No images taken with cell phones are allowed.
  • Photographs, recordings, and videos of patients must never be taken, whether a patient gives permission or not. If patient images are being considered for an educational purpose, the student must check with the instructor who will determine policies at the practicum site.
  • Absolutely no reference to a patient, even if de-identified, should ever be shared electronically via email outside of MyPCC email or on social networking sites such as Facebook. The instructor may direct students to share select de-identified patient information via MyPCC email or D2L for course preparation or learning purposes.
  • No facility or facility staff information should be shared via personal email, on social networking sites, or by other means outside the learning environment.
Required training
  • Read about the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
  • Students are required to complete a HIPAA training module through the college’s third-party vendor, CastleBranch.
  • Ongoing training and guidance will be provided as appropriate throughout the instructional courses.
  • Students participating in off-site clinicals, internships, practicums, and co-ops are required to attend their clinical site’s HIPAA training to become educated on the facility’s confidentiality policies and procedures.
Violations of HIPAA and confidentiality

Any action that violates patient or student confidentiality will have long-lasting consequences for the student’s career and a serious impact on their standing in the program. All actions will be addressed quickly and will prompt a review process in which program probation or dismissal is considered. See Due process for violations. The off-site clinical, internship, practicum, or co-op facility could impose further disciplinary actions, including immediate dismissal from the site.

Dress code

The purpose of these guidelines is to establish clear dress code and appearance standards to maintain a safe, professional, and inclusive environment at Portland Community College (PCC) in the Healthcare and Emergency Professions Pathway (HEP). These requirements ensure safety and infection control, as well as prepare students for clinical and professional settings. These guidelines are in accordance with applicable PCC policies. Students participating in clinicals, internships, practicums, co-ops, and other external educational settings may need to adhere to additional procedures and guidelines set by their assigned facility.

Dress code
  • Attire:
    • Clothing should be clean, neat, and appropriate for an academic setting.
    • Attire should not have offensive language, images, or messages in accordance with the college’s Nondiscrimination and Non-harassment Policy.
    • Footwear should be safe and suitable for the lab and clinical environment. Closed-toe shoes made of leather or a similar material that is resistant to needles and liquids are required.
    • Hats are not permitted in clinical settings (hair coverings worn for religious purposes are not an issue).
  • Uniform standards:
    • Certain programs may require uniforms or specific attire. These requirements must be followed.
    • Uniforms and shoes should be clean with no wrinkles or tears, properly fitted, and worn as intended.
  • Personal Protective Equipment (PPE):
    • Students in labs, workshops, and other hands-on environments must wear appropriate PPE as specified by their instructors.
    • PPE may include items such as safety glasses, gloves, lab coats, and closed-toe shoes. There may be additional/different PPE requirements based on the nature of the program.
Appearance
  • Grooming standards:
    • Students are expected to practice good personal hygiene.
    • Hair, including facial hair, should be clean and well-maintained.
      • Hair should be secured to prevent it from getting caught in equipment or interfering with the task at hand.
      • Facial hair should be groomed to ensure a proper seal with an N-95 mask, if required.
    • Students should avoid strong fragrances that may cause discomfort or allergic reactions.
    • Nails: Federal and state laws specify that artificial nails should not be worn when having direct contact with patients. The maximum nail length is 1/4 inch and nails should not pose a risk of tearing gloves. Nail polish, if worn, should be tidy and unchipped for hygiene purposes.
    • Ensure hands are clean and washed before touching or performing clinical procedures.
  • Tattoos and piercings:
    • Visible tattoos that conflict with professional standards and college policies may need to be covered.
    • Piercings are allowed provided they do not interfere with tasks, such as patient care. In some settings, jewelry that could get caught on equipment and pose a safety risk is not allowed. Please refer to program-specific requirements for further details.
Accommodation and exceptions

In cases where assigned facilities for clinicals, internships, practicums, and co-ops have specific dress and personal appearance codes, those regulations and any applicable process for accommodations will be used by the facility. For circumstances when PCC is the decision maker, the college will provide reasonable accommodations or modifications that do not fundamentally alter any program standard or compromise safety, health, and hygiene standards.

All students are responsible for adhering to the appearance and dress code standards of the Healthcare and Emergency Professions pathway, program, and the clinical setting (if applicable). For safety reasons, students who do not comply with the dress code will be asked to leave the course session to correct their attire and return only after making the necessary changes. Attendance and tardiness rules will apply when such corrections are necessary. Students not in compliance with these standards could be subject to a disciplinary review process. See Due process for violations.

Program-specific requirements

In addition to the Healthcare & Emergency Professions pathway dress code and appearance standards, Veterinary Technology program students are required to adhere to the guidelines below.

  • Clinical wear: Students are required to wear scrubs (any color or brand) with closed-toed shoes and a name tag.
    • Exceptions: In labs, a lab smock over scrubs is required. For farm animal duties, appropriate attire includes a jacket, coveralls, and/or muck boots.
    • Gloves: Must be worn when working with any animal.
    • Additional scrubs: It is advisable to keep an extra set of scrubs in your locker due to potential exposure to bodily fluids, weather, and chemicals. Change lab attire after sessions before attending other classes or handling animals.
  • Clinic rotations: Attire for cooperative education clinical rotations will be specified by the clinical site management.
  • Name badges:
    • Usage: Name tags must be worn during all laboratory classes in the first year and at all clinical rotations.
    • Replacement: Students are responsible for the cost and ordering of replacement name tags if lost. Options for purchasing will be provided by the Veterinary Technician program.

Attendance

Please note that these rules apply to the Veterinary Technology program courses (all VT numbered courses) as well as all required program activities. Contacting the Vet Tech program does not make arrangements or excuse absences from non-VT courses.

Students are required to attend all classes and laboratories. As imposed by the AVMA, every student must receive instruction and complete specific objectives in order to be eligible for graduation from the VT program. Future patient safety may be adversely affected by a lack of knowledge which mandates a strict attendance policy for all program education and activities. Some of these objectives are covered only once in the two-year curriculum. If the opportunity for a student to learn and demonstrate the task is missed, then the objective and goals of the course have not been met and the student may not be eligible for graduation.

Roll will be taken regularly during the course of lecture classes and laboratories. Roll can be taken verbally, or silently using a class roster.

Tardies/early departures

Students must arrive on time to classes and not leave early. Individual instructors will maintain a record of tardiness and departures.

  • Excused tardies/early departures are defined as arrival to the class any time after the start of the class period, or departure before the end of the class period, after having contacted the instructor prior.
  • Unexcused tardies/early departures are defined as arrival to the class any time after the start of the class period, or departure before the end of the class period, WITHOUT having contacted the instructor prior.
  • Any two unexcused tardies/early departures are the equivalent of one unexcused absence.
Absences

Students must attend at least 80% of classes and/or laboratory sessions (both unexcused and excused absences). Those who do not achieve at least 80% attendance will not be eligible for a passing grade and are therefore unable to matriculate through the Vet Tech curriculum. Individual instructors will maintain a record of absences.

  • An excused absence is defined as an absence due to a personal illness or other personal or family hardship, or jury duty.
    • Students are required to contact the instructor verbally and/or with written documentation (e.g.: email) alerting the instructor of the absence prior to the start of the class period. Note that all phone numbers and email addresses for VT program instructors can be found online in the PCC staff directory or, in some cases, on the course syllabi.
    • Absences are excused at the discretion of the instructor and/or department chair.
    • Documentation (doctor’s report, etc.) may be requested or required.
    • Make-up examinations, assignments, essential skills, and attendance points should be organized with the course instructor.
    • Excused absences are counted against the minimum 80% attendance requirement.
  • An unexcused absence is any absence that does not meet the above defined criteria for an excused absence.
    • Students are not eligible for make-up examinations or assignments given during the unexcused absence.
    • Students are not eligible for attendance points missed during the class.
    • Student make-up of any essential skills missed during the class will be at the discretion of the instructor.
    • Unexcused absences are counted against the minimum 80% attendance requirement.

Communication

Personal and professional communication

Students in the Healthcare & Emergency Professions pathway are trained to become professionals in their chosen careers. In these roles, they will have the privilege of interacting with a diverse group of people. During the course of their professional education, students will strengthen their personal communication skills to improve effectiveness with people. Communication involves interactions between students, patients, faculty, staff, and guests located on campus or at off-campus learning sites (agencies, clinical facilities, or other settings). Respect for individual differences in opinions, beliefs, gender, lifestyle practices, religious, racial, cultural, or social backgrounds should be demonstrated by using effective listening and communication skills, as well as showing respect for physical space and privacy issues.

Communication methods and standards
  • Email: The primary mode for program and instructor communication will be via students’ PCC email address. See PCC’s Communication Policy.
  • D2L Brightspace: Communications specific to each course will be delivered via announcements and postings in D2L Brightspace learning platform.
  • Office hours: Full-time instructors are available for selected in-person and virtual office hours each week. Appointments are made through the individual instructor.
  • Chain of communication:
    • Course syllabus and D2L Brightspace: Refer to the course syllabus and D2L Brightspace for questions and concerns related to course requirements.
    • Course instructor: Refer questions and concerns directly to the assigned faculty instructor. Students who have difficulties with individual faculty should first aim to resolve the issues directly with that faculty. For clinical experiences, reach out to the assigned clinical instructor and clinical coordinator, if applicable.
    • If the preceding steps have been followed without questions or concerns being adequately addressed, the student may next contact the faculty department chair (FDC).
    • Individual questions, concerns, and comments about the program overall can be discussed with the program dean, as escalated by FDC.
    • There are opportunities for students to provide feedback about courses throughout the year through course evaluations. Some programs invite student representation on committees.
Use of electronic devices

Use of cellular phones or other electronic devices that may interfere with learning activities are prohibited during classroom, laboratory, and clinical laboratory practice activities and examinations, unless features such as amplification, magnification, or transcription tools are used as learning aids. Students should limit use of such devices to breaks and turn them off (or silence them) upon return. Use of cell phones for recording or taking images in the clinical setting is prohibited as it can be a HIPAA violation (see the HIPAA section). Permission from fellow students, faculty, and staff is required prior to any pictures taken on campus.

Social media

Students are expected to adhere to the following guidelines in order to maintain the professional and ethical standards of the program and the clinical affiliates:

  • Do not post anything that would violate FERPA (student privacy) and HIPAA (see the HIPAA section) (patient privacy) regulations. Activities that occur during clinical rotations or that involve patients are not to be shared.
  • Photos which contain any animal not owned by the student or activities surrounding the use of these animals in classes or labs shall not be posted to social media accounts unless as related to adoption, or when given express permission by the owner of the animal.
  • Be mindful of the language used when discussing the affiliate, program, fellow students, faculty, or staff, and avoid any comments that could be perceived as derogatory or harmful. Instead, address concerns by following the Grievance process.
  • Do not ask to connect with instructors on social networks in order to maintain an appropriate professional relationship. Upon graduation, instructors and students may connect if all parties agree.
  • Use good judgment before posting personal pictures. Be aware that information you post online may be available to anyone, and could be misconstrued.
  • See related college policies and guidelines:

Nothing in this social media section is intended to restrict any expressive activity that is legally protected.

Program-specific guidelines

Information within the VT program is most commonly relayed via email but may also be relayed via the Bulletin Boards in the Animal Care Room, student mail boxes, or D2L.

Students are expected to check their PCC email accounts frequently. When a VT program faculty, staff member, or an animal care team leader sends an email which asks for a response, the expectation is that students will reply within 48 hours. If a student sends an email to a VT program faculty or staff member they can expect a reply within 48 hours unless otherwise notified.

As would be practiced in a professional setting, all email should be prompt, direct and utilize clear communication.

Social media

Please see the PCC Veterinary Technology Social Media Guidelines.

Employment while in program

Employment, and the number of hours of employment, while matriculating through the Veterinary Technology program is dependent upon the student’s ability. Part-time employment of more than 20 hours a week is highly discouraged, especially during the first two terms of the first year. Part-time employment will not count toward required hours in clinicals, even if students are employed by clinical affiliation sites. Employment will not interfere with scheduled classes, labs, or clinical experiences.

Clubs and activities

Veterinary technology students are encouraged to participate in various activities and events as much as possible in order to encourage professionalism through interaction with program peers, veterinary peers, and the community.

The following are ways in which students can become more involved with the VT program and the Veterinary community:

  • Veterinary Technology Club: The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) states that students should be encouraged to form a student organization and that this organization should be an affiliate of the National Association of Veterinary Technicians of America (NAVTA) and other appropriate veterinary technology associations. The club participates in community service, fundraising, involvement in college activities, promotion of Veterinary Technology as a career, and more.
  • Dog training
  • Laboratory clean-up for all laboratory classes
  • Student employment
  • Outreach events

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Fieldwork