RVT Month – 2024

 
Celebrate RVT Month with the ABVTA!

Every October, the Alberta Veterinary Technologist Association (ABVTA) proudly celebrates the integral work that Registered Veterinary Technologists (RVTs) do each and every day. RVTs are essential professionals in the veterinary profession, contributing not only to the health and safety of animals but also to the well-being of all Albertans through their knowledge of animal and public health, biosecurity, and infectious disease control. RVTs play a key role in ensuring the safety and supply of the food chain, as well as the health of our beloved pets and livestock, from the furry and feathered to the scaled.

Why We Celebrate RVT Month

Since 1993, the third week of October was marked as National Veterinary Technician Week (NVTW) across North America. As the profession matured in Canada, and the RVT credential was embraced nationwide, it became clear that a single week wasn’t enough to recognize the vital contributions of RVTs. To give these professionals the acknowledgment they truly deserve, RVT Month was extended to the entire month of October here in Canada.

RVTs bring extensive expertise to various specialties, including anesthesia, dentistry, lab animal research, equine and exotic medicine, nutrition, radiology, and more. Despite their critical role, the veterinary profession faces a workforce shortage of RVTs, with retention challenges due in part to a lack of acknowledgment and appreciation in their workplaces. RVT Month is not just a time to celebrate these professionals but also a reminder of the importance of ongoing recognition and support throughout their careers.

How You Can Participate

Members:

  1. Leave a Thank You Note on our Kudoboard: Show your appreciation by leaving a message for your fellow RVTs (or an entire RVT team) on our Kudoboard. We will be sharing these messages publicly through our social media channels. Click here to view/sign our board.
  2. Join Our Events: Participate in a variety of events planned throughout October. Check out our calendar of events to find an activity near you or online! Click here to download.
  3. Get Involved in Contests: Make sure you join in the fun by participating in our contests through our Facebook Group, where you can connect with peers and celebrate together.
  4. Visit Iconic Alberta Landmarks: Explore several iconic landmarks across Alberta that will be celebrating RVTs during October. It’s a great way to see the wider recognition of RVTs in our communities and have a chance at winning a great RVT Month prize! Check out our events calendar, or scroll down to see what’s happening in your area!,
  5. Read Messages from Municipalities: Discover how municipalities across Alberta are recognizing RVT Month with proclamations and letters of recognition.
    • City of Red Deer
      • Mayor Ken Johnston recognizes and celebrates the vital contributions of RVTs and their commitment to advancing veterinary care and ensuring the health and safety of animals. Click here to view the official Proclamation.
    • Town of Beaverlodge
      • Mayor Gary Rycroft recognizes the importance of honoring and celebrating the contributions that RVT make to the town of Beaverlodge and across the province of Alberta. Click here to view the official Proclamation.
    • City of Calgary
      • Mayor Jyoti Gondek honours the invaluable contributions of RVTs in advancing veterinary medicine for the city of Calgary. Click here to view the official Proclamation.

Practices:

The following ideas are great examples to celebrate during RVT Month, however, it’s critical that this recognition, support and engagement are carried on throughout the year and not only during RVT Month. Consistent appreciation contributes to the long-term success of RVTs, your team, and your practice.

  1. Promote and Recognize RVTs: Managers, consider recognizing your RVTs by showcasing them, their talents and contributions on social media, create a thank-you board, or invite clients and colleagues to write and share notes of appreciation. Highlighting their hard work and dedication publicly can make a significant impact. Talk about the essential role that RVTs provide to the veterinary profession with clients and the public. Educating others about the importance of RVTs helps raise awareness and appreciation for their contributions.
  2. Leave a Thank You Note on our Kudoboard: Show your appreciation by leaving a message for your RVTs (or an entire RVT team) on our Kudoboard. We will be sharing these messages publicly through our social media channels. Click here to view/sign our RVT Month Kudoboard.
  3. Support Their Professional Growth: Engage with your RVTs to understand their aspirations and how you can best support their growth as veterinary professionals. Ensure they are provided opportunities for professional development and support for their goals.
  4. Ensure RVTs Are Engaged in All Aspects of Veterinary Medicine: RVTs have a wide range of skills and can be delegated all aspects of veterinary medicine, with the exception of diagnosis, prescribing, and performing surgery. Ensuring that RVTs are fully engaged in their roles not only supports the success of your team and practice but also contributes to their professional growth and career longevity. For more information, review the ABVMA’s Professional Standard for the Delegation of Veterinary Medicine by clicking here.
  5. Decorate Your Practice/Workplace: Create a festive atmosphere to celebrate your RVTs. Decorating your clinic or workplace is a fun way to show your appreciation and make RVTs feel special during RVT Month.
  6. Plan a Fun Event with Your Team: Organize a fun event, either inside or outside of your practice. This is a great opportunity to get to know each other on a more personal level, build bonds, and create a strong, cohesive team.

2024 RVT Month Activities

Daily Facebook Challenge

Join us on Alberta RVTs, our ABVTA Facebook group, to participate in daily challenges. Each day we will offer a different challenge for members to participate in. Each member will be able to participate once daily and will have until 11:00 AM Friday morning to contribute to all of the challenges during that week. All entries from the week will then be entered into the weekly draw for an ABVTA gift bag!

Challenge Categories:

  • Photo Challenge – Monday and Wednesday mornings.
  • Guess the Picture Challenge – Tuesday mornings.
  • Fill in the Blank Challenge – Thursday mornings.

To join our members only group, click here.

Thank You Notes

Show your appreciation for your friends and colleagues by signing our Kudoboard. Share stories, upload a picture or simply leave a message of gratitude! These messages will be shared throughout our socials and newsletters. To view/sign the RVT Month Kudoboard click here.

Light Up Alberta Contest!

Join the ABVTA Facebook Group and snap a picture celebrating RVT Month to enter for a chance to win a RVT Month prize!

To qualify, take a picture celebrating RVT Month in your own way! Activities such as visiting an Alberta landmark lit-up in green and blue for RVT Month, wearing blue and green with your team, having a wellness dance break with blue and green glow sticks, or putting up ABVTA’s RVT Month Poster, are just some of the many creative ways to show your support for RVT Month!

How to Enter:

Join the ABVTA Facebook Group and post a picture celebrating RVT month to enter for a chance to win a Mutchkinville RVT Month Bundle!

Additional Bonus Entries:

  1. Tag a fellow RVT in our upcoming contest post on Facebook or Instagram
  2. Share your photo on your Facebook and tag @ABVTA.official
  3. Share your photo on your Instagram Story and tag @ABVTA.official

Every photo tagged or posted will be considered 1 entry.

To participate and join the Facebook Group, click here.

—
Alberta Landmarks

Goodlife Fitness Wellness Month

ABVTA has partnered with GoodLife Fitness to offer all members complimentary access to several on-demand wellness seminars and fitness classes throughout October. Membership to GoodLife Fitness is not required to participate. More information on how to access seminars and classes can be found in the Member Portal beginning in October. GoodLife Fitness will also be giving away prizes all month long during the seminars and classes!

Goodlife Fitness Support Package Handouts:

On-demand sessions available throughout the month will include:

Webinars:

  • Maintaining Your Healthy Brain
  • Optimizing Sleep for Energy and Success
  • Meal Planning for Busy People

Fitness Classes:

  • Flex and Flow
  • Meditation and Yoga
  • Low Impact Dance

Members can access all sessions beginning October 1, 2024! Visit the ABVTA Member Portal for more information.

ABVTA Webinar: Upping Your Tech Game: Becoming a Rock Star Tech – October 2

Join guest speaker, Yvonne Brandenburg, CVT, RVT, VTS (Internal Medicine), as she discusses how to further your career beyond being a credentialed technologist. Topics such as how to earn a specialty designation, working for non-clinical companies, pursuing a management position, and even entrepreneurship will be covered in this session.

This presentation is open to and complimentary for all members. Click here to register.

Togetherall and ABVTA Webinar: Supporting RVTs Through A Peer-To-Peer Community – October 10

October 10 is World Mental Health Day, a day to raise awareness of mental health issues and mobilize efforts in support of mental health.

This presentation will discuss some of the unique stressors impacting the veterinary profession and how a peer-to-peer community like Togetherall can help. Togetherall is a mental health resource that is available for free to all ABVTA members, including students, and their families. You can access the Togetherall platform by clicking here.

This presentation is open to and complimentary for all members. Click here to register.

2024 RVT Month Promotions & Discounts

Mark’s

Our friends at Mark’s are providing a special offer for RVT Month, just for ABVTA members! From October 17-23, ABVTA members will receive 25% off their purchase – all you need to do is show your discount card. The same offer card that says 10% off in the member portal can be used for 25% off!

This offer is open to not only members, but friends and family as well!

To download your discount card, and learn more about your member benefits, head over to your member portal or click here (login required).

Vessi

We are so excited to share that we have partnered with Vessi again for RVT Month! From 90’s-inspired sneakers to Overcast Jackets and Chelsea Boots, Vessi wants to help recognize and celebrate RVTs by offering 20% off their entire store with a ONE-TIME discount code! To take advantage of this offer, grab the checkout code located in the Member Benefits area of the ABVTA Member Portal, or click here (login required).

Offer expires December 31st, 2024 and cannot be combined with any other sales or sale items or discount codes. Click here and start saving today!

Pocket Full of Threads

To show their appreciation for Alberta’s RVTs, our friends at Pocketfull of Threads is offering a 20% discount on scrub caps for the month of October! Pocketfull of Threads has a wide variety of designs for scrub caps and will take design requests through their website. To use this offer, head on over to the Member Benefits area of the ABVTA Member Portal to get the discount code, or click here (login required).

Visit the Pocketfull of Threads website by clicking here.

2024 RVT Month Full Calendar of Events

RVT Month Calendar of Events

Stay up to date with what’s happening throughout the month of October with our Events Calendar. We are excited to share everything RVT Month including, landmark light-ups across Alberta, daily Facebook challenges, promotions, online events and chances to win weekly prizes!

Download your Events Calendar here!