Should I run?
Hi guys. I just moved to a new state and started my new job as a tech on Monday. Today was my third day and I've been feeling uneasy about this job since my first. I've been in vet med for about three years, strictly as an assistant doing rooms and helping techs hold -- I even made that very clear to the practice manager that I have no surgery experience, no dental experience, and that Im still learning.
My first day of work was pretty chill, but I didnt get trained on anything. I shadowed maybe one room and spent a majority of the time looking around the clinic, getting used to things, etc. My first red flag from that day was when I realized NO ONE was taking a lunch, a break, nothing. The Dr's get an hour lunch, but the techs are expected to still work, do tech appts, recover sx patients, etc.
My second day of work was a bit more chaotic. There were only two surgeries, but a HUGE red flag arised. The Dr had a neuter and 2 mass removals. Neither sx did she scrub in, or even wash her hands in the slighest bit, nor wear sterile gloves. And the mass removals weren't small, either. They were fairly large. The sx suite has blood stains on floor too 😅 then towards the end of my shift, I get information overload on the ins and outs of anesthesia medications and surgery in general and am told I need to know this by next week (monday), because there will only be 3 techs including myself and I will be on my own. Even at my last clinic, LVTs would come in with experience and would be trained for a bit.
Today, my third day, was a bit.. different. I was able to shadow a surgery, where yet again, no scrubbing in and no sterile gloves. The towel was left on the table from the prior two surgeries for this patient to use. I was thrown into taking rooms, where I dont know the flow of this clinic or their software yet, so I was like a fish out of water. I virtually got no bathroom break, no lunch, nothing.
Tomorrow is my last day for the week before Im expected to know everything about anesthesia and surgery on Monday. Should I run? Would you run? The other techs are very nice, but idk. I would personally never take my pets here for care, Id seek a different vet clinic entirely for them even if it meant I paid full price and had to take the day off for their appointment.
It also just rubs me the wrong way that Im not certified/registered and I'm getting called a "tech". Idk. Im leaning more towards leaving and texting the PM that this job isnt what I expected.