6.7 Leadership and Managing Relationships
Delaine Quaresma and Katie Steneroden
Successful practice management relies a great deal on leadership. This is the same when adding and managing O/A services in your practice. Whether you are an associate, director, or practice owner, attention to and application of various leadership styles and techniques is necessary for veterinary medicine. Veterinarians are leaders of their teams, animal health and wellness, and much more. This section will highlight leadership areas to help build and manage O/A services in your practice.
This book can provide a foundation to practice and implement into your veterinary services. Now, you must consider how to share what you have learned with your staff and your clients.
Relationships with Veterinary Technicians and Extension
Veterinary technicians on O/A farms
Veterinary Technicians have many roles, both inside and outside of the clinic. Vet techs often travel to farms and ranches with veterinarians in mixed and large animal rural practices. They provide valuable skills and support to veterinarians and clients. Skillful vet techs offer a second set of eyes for the veterinarian. The vet tech’s role includes giving drugs and vaccines, collecting samples, assisting in field surgery, and explaining procedures, including disease prevention actions such as cleaning and disinfection. The skill set vet techs bring to O/A farms and ranches is no different. On O/A farms, vet techs can bring new skills and knowledge to assist veterinarians and help producers manage and care for their organic and alternative livestock. Additional information and resources for working with veterinary technicians can be found at:
- AgHires—Veterinary Technician
- Becoming a veterinary technician
- Veterinary Technicians and the Large Animal Ranching Sector
Extension services on O/A farms
Agricultural Extension, a part of the state’s Land-Grant University, is a method for non-formal education and practical application of science on farms. Extension agents and specialists help producers assess their needs and have resources and programs that farms can use to fit them. Extension provides resources to increase production in addition to safety classes, youth development, nutrition education, and mental health resources. These resources are important, provide for farmers’ welfare and personal development, and help build future generations of farmers. O/A farming is a prospect for growth for extension programs (Alotaibi et al., 2021). O/A knowledgeable extension agents can help connect valuable practices and applicable research with farmers and ranchers needing assistance and increase the benefit to those they serve. Additional information and resources for working with extension services can be found in the Resources section at the end of this chapter.
