A West Virginia licensed veterinarian delegates a routine canine
ovariohysterectomy to a credentialed veterinary technician who has completed
an approved training program. Under the Board's rules on delegated tasks,
which factor is MOST determinative of whether this delegation is lawful?
A. Whether the technician has completed a board-approved continuing
education module in surgery within the past 12 months
B. Whether the veterinarian is physically present in the facility and the
procedure is one the technician is trained and competent to perform under
direct supervision
C. Whether the owner has signed a written waiver acknowledging that the
technician will perform the procedure
D. Whether the facility holds a current USDA accreditation to perform
surgical sterilization
Correct Answer: B - Whether the veterinarian is physically
present in the facility and the procedure is one the technician is
trained and competent to perform under direct supervision
RATIONALE
West Virginia law permits delegation of certain tasks to credentialed
technicians only when the veterinarian provides the required level of
supervision and the task falls within the technician's training and
competence. A signed owner waiver does not cure an unlawful
delegation, and USDA accreditation is irrelevant to state
scope-of-practice rules. CE completion is not the controlling statutory
factor.
Question 2
Under West Virginia's Veterinary Practice Act, which of the following
constitutes the unlawful practice of veterinary medicine by an unlicensed
person?
A. A veterinary student performing a physical examination under the
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, direct supervision of a licensed veterinarian as part of an approved
educational program
B. A livestock owner administering a vaccine to their own animals
C. A groomer expressing a dog's anal glands at the owner's request
without veterinary supervision
D. A certified veterinary technician administering a rabies vaccine under
indirect supervision
Correct Answer: C - A groomer expressing a dog's anal glands at
the owner's request without veterinary supervision
RATIONALE
Expressing anal glands is a diagnostic/therapeutic procedure that
constitutes the practice of veterinary medicine and may not be
performed by an unlicensed groomer absent supervision or delegation.
Students in approved programs, owners treating their own animals,
and technicians under proper supervision are exempted or authorized
under the Act.
Question 3
A veterinarian licensed in West Virginia wishes to provide telemedicine
services to a client whose animal is located in another state. Which statement
BEST reflects the Board's position on multistate telemedicine?
A. The veterinarian may practice telemedicine into any state without
additional licensure because the patient is not physically in West Virginia
B. The veterinarian must hold a valid license in the state where the patient
is located or qualify under an applicable interstate compact or telehealth
exception
C. Telemedicine is prohibited entirely unless the veterinarian has
physically examined the animal within the preceding 30 days
D. The veterinarian may practice telemedicine only if the client signs an
informed consent and the consultation is recorded
Correct Answer: B - The veterinarian must hold a valid license in
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, the state where the patient is located or qualify under an
applicable interstate compact or telehealth exception
RATIONALE
Jurisdiction for veterinary telemedicine generally follows the location
of the patient, so the veterinarian must be licensed in that state or fall
under a recognized interstate agreement. A West Virginia license alone
does not authorize practice in another state. Consent and recording
requirements do not substitute for licensure.
Question 4
During a Board inspection, a veterinarian is found to have incomplete medical
records for several surgical patients. Under West Virginia legislative rules,
which element is LEAST likely to be required in the patient's medical record?
A. The date and time of each service or treatment
B. The name of the attending veterinarian and the diagnosis or presenting
complaint
C. The client's driver's license number and social security number
D. The medications administered, including dosage and route
Correct Answer: C - The client's driver's license number and
social security number
RATIONALE
Medical records must document clinical care, including dates,
attending veterinarian, diagnosis, and medications. Collecting a
client's driver's license or social security number is not a standard
recordkeeping requirement and may raise privacy concerns. The other
elements are core components of a legally sufficient medical record.
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