Iowa Admin. Code r. 811-8.7

Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 10, November 13, 2024

Rule 811-8.7 - Supervision of veterinary auxiliary personnel

(1)Emergencies. Under conditions of an emergency, veterinarian auxiliary personnel may render without supervision such lifesaving aid and treatment under previously established protocols or real time oral instruction via telephone or other means of immediate communication with a veterinarian. Even under conditions of emergency, a veterinary assistant or veterinary technician student may not render additional lifesaving aid and treatment as follows: the administration of emergency pharmaceuticals. Emergency aid and treatment, if rendered to an animal not in the presence of a licensed veterinarian, may only be continued under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian, which in the case of emergency may include telephone or other means of immediate communication with a veterinarian en route to the site, until the veterinarian arrives in a timely manner.

(2)Veterinary assistants. The following delegated tasks may be performed by a veterinary assistant under the indicated level of supervision if the supervising veterinarian has delegated the task.

a. Tasks that require direct supervision:

(1) Take patient's medical history.

(2) Take patient temperature, pulse, and respiratory rate (TPR).

(3) Oscillometric measurement of blood pressure.

(4) Record client/patient complaint(s).

(5) Administer subcutaneous (SQ) and intramuscular (IM) injections.

(6) Administer SQ fluid.

(7) Maintain intravenous (IV) fluids.

(8) Implant growth-promoting implants.

(9) Manage a nasogastric (NG) tube, not including insertion or placement.

(10) Administer and monitor light/moderate sedation.

(11) Apply government-required identification.

(12) Administer internal and external parasite treatments.

(13) Vaccinate livestock.

(14) Vaccinate companion animals (excluding canine rabies, pursuant to Iowa Code section 351.33).

(15) Radiograph and ultrasound imaging and positioning.

(16) Ocular tonometry, fluorescein stain, and Schirmer Tear Testing to monitor animal eye health.

(17) Remove sutures, staples, or drains.

(18) Venipuncture for the purposes of IV injections and blood withdrawal for sampling.

(19) IV catheter placement.

(20) Draining and lancing abscesses.

(21) Laser therapy treatments.

(22) Take ear swabs and skin impression (needleless) cytology samples.

(23) Conduct livestock necropsy for sample collection purposes.

(24) Administer medication(s) prescribed by a veterinarian other than medications administered while boarding the animal.

(25) Rectal palpation for pregnancy testing of a bovine.

b. Tasks that require immediate supervision:

(1) Monitor heavy sedation.

(2) Surgical assistance (including but not limited to passing instruments, tissue retraction, assisting in hemostasis-utilizing sponges and clamps).

(3) Measure blood pressure via doppler.

(4) Nonsurgical castration.

(5) Nonsurgical dehorning.

(6) Place an endotracheal tube (ET) tube.

(7) Administer, maintain, and monitor general anesthesia and recovery from general anesthesia.

(8) Administer an enema.

(9) Animal dynamic rehabilitation therapies.

(10) Dental prophylaxis (teeth cleaning).

c. Tasks that veterinary assistants are not permitted to perform:

(1) Reading ear and skin cytology.

(2) Equine floating teeth services.

(3) Gingival resection.

(4) Prohibitions contained in Iowa Code sections 351.33 and 169.32(2).

(5) Expression of urinary bladder.

(3)Veterinary technician student. A veterinary technician student may perform tasks as allowed in subrule 8.7(4) for registered veterinary technicians except that the tasks must be performed under the indicated level of supervision if the supervising veterinarian has delegated the task.

a. Tasks that require direct supervision include all tasks requiring indirect supervision if they were performed by a registered veterinary technician.

b. Tasks that require immediate supervision include all tasks requiring immediate or direct supervision if they were performed by a registered veterinary technician.

c. Tasks that are not allowed include all tasks that are not allowed to be performed by a registered veterinary technician.

(4)Registered veterinary technician. The following delegated tasks may be performed by a registered veterinary technician under the indicated level of supervision if the supervising veterinarian has delegated the task. Unless a different level of supervision is otherwise provided for in subrule 8.7(4), registered veterinary technicians may perform those tasks listed in subrule 8.7(2) for veterinary assistants under the same level of supervision applicable to veterinary assistants.

a. Tasks that require indirect supervision:

(1) Administration, preparation, and application of treatments, including but not limited to drugs, medications, controlled substances, biological and immunological agents in livestock and previously established biologic and immunologic protocols in companion animals, unless prohibited by government regulation.

(2) Intravenous catheterizations and maintenance of intra-arterial catheterizations.

(3) Collection, preparation, and recording of cellular or microbiological samples impressions or other nonsurgical methods (including skin scrapings), except when in conflict with government regulations.

(4) Collection of urine by bladder expression, catheterization (unobstructed) and insertion of an indwelling urinary catheter.

(5) Monitoring, including but not limited to electrocardiogram (ECG), blood pressure, carbon dioxide (CO2) and blood oxygen saturation.

(6) Radiography and ultrasonography imaging.

(7) Clinical laboratory test procedures.

(8) Laser therapy.

(9) Staple removal.

(10) Application of splints and slings for the temporary immobilization of fractures.

(11) Euthanasia of livestock as defined in Iowa Code section 717.1(4), excluding equine species.

(12) Measuring blood pressure.

(13) Rectal palpation for pregnancy testing of a bovine.

b. Tasks that require direct supervision:

(1) General anesthesia and sedation, maintenance and recovery.

(2) Administer general anesthesia.

(3) Nonemergency endotracheal intubation.

(4) Regional anesthesia, including paravertebral blocks and local blocks.

(5) Dental procedures, limited to polishing and the removal of calculus, soft deposits, plaque, and stains.

(6) Blood or blood component collection, preparation, and administration for transfusion or blood banking purposes.

(7) Placement of tubes, including but not limited to gastric, nasogastric, and nasoesophageal.

(8) Ear flushing with pressure or suction.

(9) Application of casts, splints, and slings for the immobilization of fractures.

(10) Fluid aspiration from a body cavity or organ (i.e., cystocentesis, thoracocentesis, abdominocentesis).

(11) Stapling, suturing, and gluing of an existing surgical skin incision.

(12) Placement of intraosseous and nasal catheters.

(13) Performing enemas.

(14) Performing fluorescein stain ocular tonometry or the Schirmer tear test.

(15) Imaging, including but not limited to diagnostic radiography, diagnostic ultrasonography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and fluoroscopy and the administration of radio-opaque agents or materials.

(16) Collection of blood, except when in conflict with government regulations.

(17) Administration of new/initial biological and immunological treatment protocols on companion animals.

(18) Animal dynamic rehabilitation therapies.

c. Tasks that require immediate supervision:

(1) Placing an epidural.

(2) Assisting with surgical procedures.

(3) Placing abdominal, thoracic, or percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tubes.

(4) Extractions of the incisors that do not require sectioning of the tooth or sectioning of the bone.

(5) Euthanizing any animal, including the equine species, that is not livestock as defined in Iowa Code section 717.1(4).

(6) Shockwave therapy for pain treatment.

(5)Veterinary student.

a. Unless otherwise prohibited by law, a veterinary student may perform surgery or diagnosis under direct or immediate supervision and may perform any other task delegated by the supervising veterinarian under indirect supervision.

b. A veterinary student may not prescribe any drug, medicine or biologic; administer rabies vaccine to dogs as described in Iowa Code section 351.35; sign a certificate of veterinary inspection as described in Iowa Code section 163.12; perform any task requiring USDA accreditation; or perform any task otherwise prohibited by law.

(6)Foreign graduate.

a. Unless otherwise prohibited by law, a graduate of a foreign college of veterinary medicine or a person who has received an Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates (ECFVG) or PAVE certificate, either of whom is not a licensed veterinarian, may perform surgery or diagnosis under direct or immediate supervision and may perform any other task delegated by the supervising veterinarian under indirect supervision.

b. A graduate of a foreign college of veterinary medicine or a person who has received an ECFVG or PAVE certificate, either of whom is not a licensed veterinarian, may not prescribe any drug, medicine or biologic; administer rabies vaccine to dogs as described in Iowa Code section 351.35; sign a certificate of veterinary inspection as described in Iowa Code section 163.12; perform any task requiring USDA accreditation; or perform any task otherwise prohibited by law.

Iowa Admin. Code r. 811-8.7

Adopted by IAB May 15, 2024/Volume XLVI, Number 24, effective 7/1/2024