How to Become a Veterinary Technician in Nebraska

To become a vet tech in Nebraska, you need to fulfill some criteria.

Read this guide below in order to get more info regarding what training you need in this state.

Veterinary Technician Job Description and Duties in Nebraska

In Nebraska, you will need to complete quite a few assignments on any given day, and not all are related to animals.

Your work will always be supervised by a veterinarian.

Some of the day to day job duties include:

• Administering medications
• Taking x-rays,
• Processing tissue samples,
• Assisting in surgery and emergency care
• Performing lab tests
• Teeth cleaning,
• Electrocardiography,
• Bandaging,
• Wound cleaning,
• Maintaining detailed and accurate records
  • Of meds, supplies, patients

Education and Training Required for Veterinary Technicians in Nebraska

In Nebraska, you can get hired without a license, but you need to have some animal experience.

If you don’t have the experience, you need to get trained and then apply for certification.

To get this vet tech certification, you need to attend a Veterinary Technology Associate’s Degree of Applied Science program.

The program usually lasts for 2 to 3 years.

The school also has to be accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association.

If you want, you can apply for a degree in Animal Science with vet tech specialization.

The lab hours you need to complete are available through an internship or an externship.

The following schools offer more info about the programs in Nebraska

To enroll in a vet tech training program, you have to:

• Age over 18
• A high school diploma or GED
  • Grades over B
• Accepting to enroll in these classes before the academic year: biology, English composition, math, basic computer science, psychology, humanities, and public speaking
  • You must obtain grades of at least C.
• Obtain at least 1 letter of recommendation from a veterinarian
• Health insurance
• Buying a medical malpractice policy
• 360 hours of previous practical experience

You can apply for a scholarship to pay for the school tuition.

Classes will include topics like:

• Introduction to veterinary technology
• Anatomy and physiology
• Emergency care and first aid
• Pathology
• Anesthesiology
• Radiology
• Immunology
• Pharmacology
• Parasitology
• Toxicology
• Nutrition

You will also need to finish 20 practice hours in an approved animal facility.

The last semester of the vet tech program is a preceptorship.

Becoming a Licensed Veterinary Technician in Nebraska

Vet technicians in Nebraska are licensed by the Nebraska State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners.

To receive the vet tech license in Nebraska, you are required to send in:

• An application form
• Official transcripts from the school
• Some fees
  • $300 for the exam
  • $100 for the license

You need to get an ATT (Authorization to Test) prior to taking the exam.

The VTNE exam features 170 questions and has a 3-hour time frame.

You need a score of at least 70% to pass.

Then, your new license will be sent to you within a few weeks.

In Nebraska, you have to renew your vet tech license on an annual basis.

To renew it, you need to get 5 hours of extra education.

The NebraskaVeterinary Technician Association (AVTA) is a good resource for vet techs in Nebraska.

You can also get job placement options with the help of this resource.

Employment and Salaries for Veterinary Technicians in Nebraska

After you get the license, you may wish to know what is the salary you will earn.

Vet techs can work in many facilities, like:

• Private clinical practices
• Zoos
• Veterinary teaching hospitals
• Rescue centers
• Wildlife or exotic animal rehabilitation centers
• Humane societies,
• Research facilities,
• Pharmaceutical companies

As the jobs in the field keep on increasing in Nebraska, you will find a job right away.

You will have better chances of getting a higher salary if you already have some experience.

This is also the case if you live in a bigger area compared to a rural region.

Additional Information for Veterinary Technicians in Nebraska

You can get industry updates and more help if you check out the next resources:

• Nebraska Veterinary Medical Association
• National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA)
• Veterinary Career Network
• Vet Tech Life, an online journal for veterinary technicians
• Vetcetera