- VEG
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
The Credentialing Support Program supports any VEGgie who wants to earn an A.S. in veterinary technology/nursing and become a veterinary nurse. Two VEGgies who went through this program—Madeline Harrington, a veterinary nurse and shift lead at VEG San Ramon, and Gina Malizio, a nursing trainer at VEG Lincoln Park—share how the program has impacted their ER careers.
How did you learn about the Credentialing Support Program?
MADELINE: When I first interviewed with my managers at VEG, we talked a lot about the various benefits they offer and Credentialing Support was just one of many. I was already a Penn Foster student at the time, but I was struggling to get through it, so it was appealing to me to see a program in place that helps employees complete their degree.
GINA: I was already a student in the Penn Foster program when I came to VEG. I was made aware of opportunities for financial assistance when I was interviewed, and then once I was hired, I was told again by my supervisor. It was a relief to know a program like this was available!
Why did you participate? What were you hoping to get out of the program?
MADELINE: When I became a VEGgie, I'd been enrolled in Penn Foster for years, and it felt overwhelming and never-ending to wade through the program on my own. It was difficult to see the true value of it before VEG. I took part in the credentialing support program, partly because I was already a Penn Foster student and also because VEG made me feel like I had a community to help me through it, and clear, achievable goals that could come to fruition once I was licensed.
GINA: Although when I joined VEG I’d been in the industry for over 17 years, I felt it was incumbent upon me to finish school because if we want standards and growth in this field it has to come from all of us in the clinics. We have to be part of the solution instead of the problem. I also needed the certification to be able to travel to other clinics to work, because I was hired on the travel team.
What kind of support did you receive from your team/manager to further your learning?
MADELINE: My team is the reason I was able to complete my second externship and feel proficient in my skills. There was already such a strong culture of learning and growth present in our hospital, so none of the skills were foreign to me and nothing felt off limits. My team helped create the necessary opportunities for me, even orchestrating a routine feline neuter so I could complete that specific required task. The number of hospital resources that went into making these learning opportunities available was significant and not lost on me. My coworkers contributed their time, identified opportunities, offered their own knowledge, trusted me with their pets, and gave me endless emotional support when I felt overwhelmed by the weight of work, school, and personal life combined.
GINA: Becky Vaughan, my supervisor, was not only there to help with my externship skills but also became a very important person in my professional career. It's not often you meet a mentor/friend at the same moment. She was there to help sign off my skills, and now is someone I lean on in my current role as a nursing trainer, which is vastly different from working as a veterinary nurse.
What was your favorite aspect of the program?
MADELINE: Having access to a community of VEGgies experiencing the same things as me was invaluable. Prior to VEG, I often felt very isolated in my schoolwork—the lack of community and networking made it really hard to progress. Seeing others succeed and having access to their advice and experience made my goals seem so much more realistic.
GINA: I really enjoyed the large animal fast track in Idaho, and I didn't think I would. The folks who ran the non-profit farm that hosted us were lovely people who truly cared for animals and the profession. It's a full time job to have a farm, so it was amazing alone that they take time out of their weekends to host a bunch of students. I was also able to parlay it into a ski vacation—I mean, while you're there, right?
Share something unexpected about your experience.
MADELINE: I was surprised how much this program deepened my connections with my coworkers. Being vulnerable about what we don't know and where we are in the learning process creates space for others to share where they are as well. My learning helped others learn too!
GINA: When I was at the large animal fast track, I took a break to eat an apple. The owners of the farm told me to throw the core out in the field so the animals can eat it. I tried launching it like Uncle Rico over the mountains—after all we were in the town where Napoleon Dynamite was filmed—and I ended up hitting one of the not so nice turkeys in the backside (not on purpose). He actually made a sound and gave me a look. I think he was out for me the rest of the weekend after that.
How has this program helped you to grow in your career at VEG?
MADELINE: Almost all of my professional goals required a license. Before becoming an RVT, I recognized that there was a ceiling for me without it. Now, I feel like an entire new space has opened for me to grow into and explore. The nursing opportunities VEG is creating in the veterinary industry seem to be constantly expanding, and because of their support with credentialing, so many more of those opportunities are possibilities for me.
GINA: Now I can help guide many of the other techs in the program on their skills. Since I remember a lot of the requirements for the skills and have my own write ups, I can help them navigate the fine print and obtain the information they need for the skills sign off.
Is there something you are doing now that you weren’t able to do before completing this program?
MADELINE: In California, credentials are very important. As a VA, I was limited in what drugs I could administer and what procedures I could perform. Our hospital reinforces the value of credentialing by limiting some skills to RVTs only. Now that I've gotten my license, I'm working on growing my anesthesia experience and getting more comfortable in the OR. I'm looking forward to learning more about orthopedic cases requiring splints, treating feline urethral obstructions, and complex anesthetic cases—to name a few things!
GINA: I now work on the travel team and can travel to work anywhere, which is not something I originally thought I needed, but I’m happy to have!
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