Vet tech skills valuable
Even though her patients are animals, Michelle Ewan needs good people skills. A registered veterinary technician at Oak View Animal Clinic, Ewan is a vital part of the patient care as well as customer education at the clinic.
A native of Diamond, Mo., Ewan graduated from Diamond High School then went to Missouri Southern State University for pre-veterinary classes. While in college, she worked at a veterinary practice in Joplin and decided to become a technician instead of a veterinarian. She transferred to Maple Woods Community College veterinary tech program and graduated from there in May of 2000. While in Kansas City, she worked at two different veterinary practices, including an emergency clinic.
“I liked the part that I can build a good relationship with our clients and I can handle a lot of their questions, the care of the animals and be a good mediator between the two,” Ewan said, explaining that she sees her role as building a good relationship with the customers, encouraging them to trust her so she can educate them on the care of their animals. “They don’t always have to see a veterinarian.”
“She is professionally trained,” Dr. Karen Sherman, owner of the clinic, said. “She can administer anesthesia, do X-rays … she can do everything except surgery, diagnose or prescribe. It frees me time to do those things.”
“I’ve had other licensed techs, but no one as trained as Michelle,” Sherman said, adding that Ewan continues her education beyond what is required by state law. “She’s almost to the level of what a nurse practitioner would be for humans. Michelle is an excellently trained technician I rely on extremely heavily to do my daily duties.”
Sherman explained that there are different levels of training for people working in veterinary clinics including assistants and technicians. She said technicians are licensed to do blood draws and IVs. She said she has had pain control seminars to better educate her staff on identifying and treating pain in animals.
“It’s harder to tell if a cat is in pain. There haven’t been any pain medications labeled for use in cats,” Ewan said.
“My favorite thing to do here is client education,” Ewan said, “and to get information from the owners to help educate them for how to care for their pets.
“As the patient gets older, there are different things we can do to increase quality of life,” she said.
Required by the state to take five hours of continuing education, Ewan usually participates in more than is required.
“Veterinary medicine changes here with each client that we see,” Ewan said. There are clients who come in at the last minute and others who are extremely observant and come in at the first
sign of a problem.
Ewan admitted it is difficult when euthanasia is required, but that is a time when the relationship with both the animal and its owner is helpful. “When we’ve cared for the patient since it was a puppy or kit- ten … up until the time to make that decision, we can give comfort and support.”
“You have to be very self-motivated, hard working and have really good people skills,” Ewan said. “It’s not like in a doctor’s office where people tell you what’s wrong. We have to interpret along with what the owners tell us.
“A lot of people think we just play with animals all day, that it’s a cushy job, but it’s really not.”
Her love of animals helps her connect with the own- ers of her clients. She grew up on 40 acres in Diamond, Mo., and has always had pets.
“We always had dumped animals. I’ve always loved horses and I always knew that I wanted some type of career in veterinary medicine,” Ewan said. “I’ve shown American quarter horses my whole life and always had dogs and cattle.”
Right after college graduation, Ewan worked at a veterinary practice in Anderson, Mo. Engaged to be married, she is planning a December 2014 wedding. She has one son, Derrick and his wife, Shae, who have a child on the way, a dog named Dallas (a Corgi), a long-haired cat named Bow and a quarter horse named Cisco.