Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 3, March 22, 2024
A. Licensed veterinarians shall comply with the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Code of Professional Ethics.
B. Recordkeeping. Licensed veterinarians shall comply with the following standards for medical record keeping and retention.
(1) Veterinarians performing any act requiring a license pursuant to the provisions of the Veterinary Practice Act shall prepare, or cause to be prepared, a written record concerning the animal(s).
(2) The medical record shall contain the following information:
(a) Name, address and telephone number of animal's owner;
(b) Name and identification of animal, to include the age, sex, species and breed of animal;
(c) The animal's medical history to include:
(i) Treatment dates;
(ii) Diagnosis or condition at the beginning of animal care;
(iii) Medication and treatment, including amount, route and frequency of administration;
(iv) Progress and disposition of the case; and
(v) Surgery, radiology, laboratory information.
(3) Records for groups of economic animals may be maintained on a per client basis.
(4) Rabies vaccination records shall comply with all Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) requirements, including, but not limited to record content, record retention, public health record retrieval request responses, location of records and ownership of records. Compliance with all DHEC requirements is the professional responsibility of the veterinarian performing the vaccination and signing the rabies certificate.
(5) An electronic record satisfies all requirements that a record be in writing.
C. Record Storage.
(1) Records shall be maintained for a minimum of three (3) years after the last entry, or as otherwise provided by law.
(2) A radiograph is the property of the facility where the original radiograph was exposed.
(3) The original or a copy must be released upon the request of another veterinarian who has the written authorization of the owner of the animal.
(4) Radiograph(s) shall be returned within thirty (30) days to the originating facility.
D. Supervision of Unlicensed Veterinary Aides.
The licensed veterinarian is responsible for determining whether tasks delegated to unlicensed veterinary aides are within the aides' training, expertise, and skills. The licensed veterinarian shall verify and document qualifications of unlicensed veterinary aides in accordance with S.C. Code Section 40-69-270(C). The delegating veterinarian remains responsible for the care of the patient.
(1) Supervision.
Any unlicensed veterinary aide must at all times be under the appropriate degree of supervision of a South Carolina licensed veterinarian whenever providing patient care in this state.
(2) Emergency Animal Patient Care.
An unlicensed veterinary aide working under the indirect supervision of a licensed veterinarian may provide acute care for emergency medical conditions. In the event of a CPA, an unlicensed veterinary aide may follow standing medical orders that have been established by a veterinarian until the patient is stabilized or a veterinarian can provide supervision.
(3) An unlicensed veterinary aide shall not:
(a) Make any diagnosis or prognosis,
(b) Prescribe any treatments, drugs, or medications,
(c) Perform surgery,
(d) Identify as a licensed veterinarian, licensed veterinary technician, veterinary technician, veterinary technologist, vet tech, technician, or veterinary nurse. A veterinary aide must clearly identify himself or herself as such in order to ensure that he or she is not mistaken by the public as a licensed veterinarian or licensed veterinary technician.
