§ 90-187.6. Veterinary technicians and veterinary employees.
§ 90‑187.6. Veterinary technicians and veterinary employees.
(a) "Veterinary technicians," "veterinary studentinterns," and "veterinary student preceptees," before performingany services otherwise prohibited to persons not licensed or registered under thisArticle, shall be approved by and registered with the Board. The Board shall beresponsible for all matters pertaining to the qualifications, registration,discipline, and revocation of registration of these persons, under this Articleand rules issued by the Board.
(b) The services of a technician, intern, preceptee, or otherveterinary employee shall be limited to services under the direction andsupervision of a veterinarian. This employee shall receive no fee orcompensation of any kind for services other than any salary or compensationpaid to the employee by the veterinarian or veterinary facility by which theemployee is employed. The employee may participate in the operation of a branchoffice, clinic, or allied establishment only to the extent allowable under andas defined by this Article or by rules issued by the Board.
(c) An employee under the supervision of a veterinarian mayperform such duties as are required in the physical care of animals and incarrying out medical orders as prescribed by the veterinarian, requiring anunderstanding of animal science but not requiring the professional services asset forth in G.S. 90‑181(6)a. In addition, a veterinary technician mayassist veterinarians in diagnosis, laboratory analysis, anesthesia, and surgicalprocedures. Neither the employee nor the veterinary technician may perform anyact producing an irreversible change in the animal. An employee, other than aveterinary technician, intern, or preceptee, may, under the direct supervisionof a veterinarian, perform duties including collection of specimen; testing forintestinal parasites; collecting blood; testing for heartworms and conductingother laboratory tests; taking radiographs; and cleaning and polishing teeth,provided that the employee has had sufficient on‑the‑job trainingby a veterinarian to perform these specified duties in a competent manner. Itshall be the responsibility of the veterinarian supervising the employee toascertain that the employee performs these specified duties assigned to theemployee in a competent manner. These specified duties shall be performed underthe direct supervision of the veterinarian in charge of administering care tothe patient.
(d) Veterinary student interns, in addition to all of theservices permitted to veterinary technicians, may, under the direct personalsupervision of a veterinarian, perform surgery and administer therapeutic orprophylactic drugs.
(e) Veterinary student preceptees, in addition to all of theservices permitted to veterinary technicians and veterinary student interns,may, upon the direction of the employing veterinarian, make ambulatory callsand hospital and clinic diagnoses, prescriptions and treatments.
(f) Any person registered as a veterinary technician,veterinary student intern, or veterinary student preceptee, who shall practiceveterinary medicine except as provided herein, shall be guilty of a Class 1misdemeanor, and shall also be subject to revocation of registration. Anynonregistered veterinary employee employed under subsection (c) who practicesveterinary medicine except as provided under that subsection shall be guilty ofa Class 1 misdemeanor.
(g) Any veterinarian directing or permitting a veterinarytechnician, intern, preceptee or other employee to perform a task or procedurenot specifically allowed under this Article and the rules of the Board shall beguilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. (1973, c. 1106, s. 1; 1981, c. 767, ss. 8‑11; 1993, c. 500, s.14; c. 539, ss. 634, 635; 1995, c. 509, s. 42.)