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VETERINARY SUPPORT STAFF

    
VSPN COURSE: VSPN CE Course STAF146-1012: Employee Evaluations and Performance Planning

INSTRUCTOR(S): Heather Howell, LVT, RVT, MBA
COURSE OPEN: October 1-25, 2012
REAL TIME SESSIONS (RTS): Mondays, October 8 and 15, 2012; 9:30pm-11:00pm ET (USA)
Course RTS Times in Your Area: World Clock Converter

Practice Sessions: In order to prepare you for a successful experience in your CE course, we request you attend a Practice Session prior to the first Real Time Session. Please arrive promptly at the start time; each Practice Session is up to 1 hour in length. For more information, please visit the CE Practice Area.

*The instructor for this course will be using audio which will require you to have a headset or speakers to listen. If you have any concerns regarding your computer's audio capabilities, please be sure to attend one of the Practice Sessions.

Level and Prerequisites: This advanced course is geared toward veterinarians, practice managers, and supervisors to best incorporate practice ethics and atmosphere to utilize evaluations and performance planning for advancement of practice goals and staff development.

VSPN CE Course: Open to VSPN and VIN members. This course has been submitted for RACE approval for veterinary technicians and veterinarians and for approval by VHMA for CVPM credits.

Course Description:
This course will explore traditional employee evaluations as well as performance planning. We will discuss formal communication with employees, including the merits and downfalls of traditional employee evaluations. The concepts of performance planning, employee empowerment, goal setting, and dealing with substandard performance will be explored. This course covers those essential skills needed to develop a program within your practice for providing employees feedback regarding their performance and helping them to set goals for achievement.

This course consists of two (2) ninety (90) minute Real Time Sessions, supplemental library materials, interactive message board discussions, a mandatory end-of-course test, and may include online multiple choice quizzes (after each Real Time Session). Successful completion (scoring 80% or better) on the end-of-course test is required to earn a certificate of completion for the course.
*A portion of this course will be an audio presentation, please be prepared to listen.

Upon completion of this course, the participant should be able to Course Materials: Course materials will be available in the course library prior to each Real Time Session.

Required Textbook(s): There is no required textbook for this course.
Recommended Textbook(s): About the Instructor: Heather Howell is a credentialed veterinary technician in CA and NV. She received her BS in Animal Science at UC Davis and her MBA at the University of Nevada, Reno. Since 1988, she has worked in all capacities of the veterinary hospital including hospital administrator, practice management consultant, and instructor.

Course Outline:
Week 1: (Real Time Session October 8): Traditional Employee Evaluations
Content: We will begin by exploring traditional employee evaluations. We will discuss how job descriptions, job criteria, and performance standards relate to employee evaluations. We will discuss rating systems and employee evaluation forms. The "do's and don'ts" of meeting with employees to review their evaluation and the importance of real time feedback and formal employee communication will be covered. Use of evaluations to make decisions regarding termination, wage increases, promotions, and layoffs as well as the various forms of evaluations - peer reviews, 360 degree reviews, and supervisor evaluations are incorporated in this session.

Week 2: (Real Time Session October 15): Performance Planning and Goal Setting
Content: The second section will focus on performance planning and goal setting. We will discuss mentoring employees to grow and achieve by focusing on employee strengths, accomplishments, training needs, and improvement. From a management standpoint, we will determine how to introduce and discuss performance planning in the hospital. Finally, we will address how to handle sub-standard performance, how to empower employees, and how to conduct performance planning discussions.

CE CREDITS: 3

Tuition: $60 ($54 early bird special if enrolled September 17, 2012).
*Students currently enrolled in and taking at least 2 classes or 5 units at an AVMA accredited or CAAHT approved Veterinary Technician Program may be eligible to receive a 50% discount off the regular rate for this course (upon verification of student status).
NOTE: To ensure participants are ready and prepared for classes, enrollment will close when the maximum number of participants is reached or at 5pm ET the day of the first Real Time Session unless otherwise noted. If the first Real Time Session is on a weekend, course enrollment will close on the Friday before the first Real Time Session.

*For more information on how online CE works, see the Participant Resource Center.

  1. Enrollment qualifications: VIN CE courses are open to VIN member and non-member veterinarians. Veterinarians enrolling in a VSPN CE course must be a VIN member. Veterinary support staff must be a VSPN member to enroll in a VSPN CE or a VIN CE course open to VSPN member enrollment.
  2. Each enrollee must be able to receive emails from @vspn.org and @vin.com addresses. Email is our major form of communication with participants; personal emails are highly recommended rather than clinic/hospital email addresses.
  3. Each person is individually responsible for his/her own registration. To ensure that all information received is secure and correct, please do not enroll for a course on behalf of another individual.
  4. For further assistance call 1-800-700-INFO (4636) or email (VIN CE) CEonVIN@vin.com or (VSPN CE) VSPNCE@vspn.org. Please include the course title, your full name, and contact information in your correspondence.
*Note: "This course is submitted for approval for (( CREDITS )) continuing education credits in jurisdictions which recognize AAVSB RACE approval; however participants should be aware that some boards have limitations on the number of hours accepted in certain categories and/or restrictions on certain methods of delivery of continuing education." Call VSPN/VIN CE at 1-800-700-4636 for further information. (Attendees are encouraged to check with their licensing jurisdiction(s) for information regarding recognition by their board).

Course withdrawal and refund policy: A complete refund of the paid course price will be issued when your withdrawal request is received prior to the listed start date of the course. If you wish to withdraw after the start date please contact the VIN/VSPN office 1-800-700-INFO (4636) to discuss eligibility for a pro-rated refund.
* Note: To ensure rapid handling of your request for withdrawal, we recommend that you call the VIN/VSPN office at 1-800-700-INFO (4636).

*For more information on VSPN's upcoming CE courses, check the VSPN Course Catalog.

Nanette R. Walker Smith, MEd, RVT, CVT, LVT
VSPN Content Director & CE Coordinator

VSPN CE Services: VSPNCE@vspn.org
1-800-846-0028 or 1-530-756-4881 or direct line to VIN/VSPN from the United Kingdom: 01452226154
Barb Burri (Barb@vspn.org); ext. 764 (New Hampshire)
Charlotte Waack (Charlotte@vspn.org); ext 193 (Illinois)
Chris Upchurch (Chris@vspn.org); ext 197 (Florida)
Darci Palmer (Darci@vspn.org); ext 179 (Alabama)
Debbie Bess (DBess@vspn.org); ext 178 (Nevada)
Jennifer Withrow (Jennifer@vspn.org); ext 159 (Virginia)
Nanette Walker Smith (Nanette@vspn.org); ext 187 (Colorado)

800.700.4636  |  CEonVIN@vin.com  |  530.756.4881  |  Fax: 530.756.6035
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