Virginia Administrative Code › Title 18 - PROFESSIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING › Agency 150 - BOARD OF VETERINARY MEDICINE › Chapter 20 - REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE PRACTICE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE › Part I - General Provisions › Section 18VAC150-20-10 - Definitions

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
The following words and terms when used in this chapter
					 shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates
					 otherwise:
"AAVSB" means the American Association of Veterinary State
					 Boards.
"Automatic emergency lighting" is lighting that is powered
					 by battery, generator, or alternate power source other than electrical power,
					 is activated automatically by electrical power failure, and provides sufficient
					 light to complete surgery or to stabilize the animal until surgery can be
					 continued or the animal moved to another establishment.
"AVMA" means the American Veterinary Medical
					 Association.
"Board" means the Virginia Board of Veterinary
					 Medicine.
"Companion animal" means any dog, cat, horse, nonhuman
					 primate, guinea pig, hamster, rabbit not raised for human food or fiber, exotic
					 or native animal, reptile, exotic or native bird, or any feral animal or animal
					 under the care, custody or ownership of a person or any animal that is bought,
					 sold, traded, or bartered by any person. Agricultural animals, game species, or
					 any animals regulated under federal law as research animals shall not be
					 considered companion animals for the purposes of this chapter.
"CVMA" means the Canadian Veterinary Medical
					 Association.
"DEA" means the U.S. Drug Enforcement
					 Administration.
"ICVA" means the International Council for Veterinary
					 Assessment.
"Immediate supervision" means that the licensed
					 veterinarian is immediately available to the licensed veterinary technician or
					 assistant, either electronically or in person, and provides a specific order
					 based on observation and diagnosis of the patient within the last 36
					 hours.
"Owner" means any person who (i) has a right of property in
					 an animal; (ii) keeps or harbors an animal; (iii) has an animal in his care; or
					 (iv) acts as a custodian of an animal.
"PAVE" means the Program for the Assessment of Veterinary
					 Education Equivalence for veterinary technicians of the American Association of
					 Veterinary State Boards.
"Preceptee" or "extern" means a student who is enrolled and
					 in good standing in an AVMA accredited college of veterinary medicine or AVMA
					 accredited veterinary technology program and who is receiving practical
					 experience under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian or licensed
					 veterinary technician.
"Preceptorship" or "externship" means a formal arrangement
					 between an AVMA accredited college of veterinary medicine or an AVMA accredited
					 veterinary technology program and a veterinarian who is licensed by the board
					 and responsible for the practice of the preceptee. A preceptorship or
					 externship shall be overseen by faculty of the college or program.
"Private animal shelter" means a facility that is used to
					 house or contain animals and that is owned or operated by an incorporated,
					 nonprofit, and nongovernmental entity, including a humane society, animal
					 welfare organization, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals, or any
					 other organization operating for the purpose of finding permanent adoptive
					 homes for animals.
"Professional judgment" includes any decision or conduct in
					 the practice of veterinary medicine, as defined by § 54.1-3800 of the Code
					 of Virginia.
"Public animal shelter" means a facility operated by the
					 Commonwealth, or any locality, for the purpose of impounding or sheltering
					 seized, stray, homeless, abandoned, unwanted, or surrendered animals, or a
					 facility operated for the same purpose under a contract with any
					 locality.
"Specialist" means a veterinarian who has been awarded and
					 has maintained the status of diplomate of a specialty organization recognized
					 by the American Board of Veterinary Specialties of the American Veterinary
					 Medical Association, or any other organization approved by the board.
"Surgery" means treatment through revision, destruction,
					 incision or other structural alteration of animal tissue. Surgery does not
					 include dental extractions of single-rooted teeth or skin closures performed by
					 a licensed veterinary technician upon a diagnosis and pursuant to direct orders
					 from a veterinarian.
"Veterinarian-in-charge" means a veterinarian who holds an
					 active license in Virginia and who is responsible for maintaining a veterinary
					 establishment within the standards set by this chapter, for complying with
					 federal and state laws and regulations, and for notifying the board of the
					 establishment's closure.
"Veterinary establishment" or "establishment" means any
					 stationary or ambulatory practice, veterinary hospital, animal hospital, or
					 premises wherein or out of which veterinary medicine is being conducted.
"Veterinary technician" means a person licensed by the
					 board as required by § 54.1-3805 of the Code of
					 Virginia.
Statutory Authority: § 54.1-2400 of the Code of
						Virginia.