Rawesome Vets · Internal Staff Protocol

Patient Check-In — Consultations

Nursing Team
Reception

Version 1.0 · May 2026 · For internal staff use

This SOP is for consultation check-ins only. Surgical patients have a separate admission process — see the Surgical Admission SOP.

1. Greet the Client

  1. Greet the client at the door as they enter reception.
  2. Confirm their name and the patient's name. Find them in OpenVPMS on the Workflow page — their appointment should already be visible.
  3. Have a quick conversation about why they're in today. Ask open questions: "How has [patient name] been?" or "What's been going on?" — this gives the vet useful context before they walk in.

2. Weigh the Patient

Every patient must be weighed at every visit — even if they were in yesterday. Weight is clinical data and must be current.

Patient typeScales to useLocation
Dogs (medium to large)Floor scalesReception
Cats and small dogsBaby scalesIn the consult room

Record the weight in OpenVPMS when you check them in (see step 3 below).

3. Check In on OpenVPMS

  1. Go to the Workflow page in OpenVPMS.
  2. Find the patient's appointment and click Check In.
  3. Enter the patient's weight when prompted.
Always use the Check In button on the Workflow page. This is the only correct method. It opens a new visit, notes, and invoice for this visit — keeping the system accurate and recording how long the client has been on-site. Do not skip this step or check in any other way.

4. Verify Patient & Client Details

While the client is with you, take the opportunity to check and update all records. Missing fields slow down the vet and affect our records.

Patient details — check all of the following:

  • Microchip number — present and correct
  • Date of birth / age
  • Sex (and desexed status)
  • Colour
  • Breed

If any field is missing or incorrect — fill it in now. Ask the client if needed.

Client details — check all of the following:

  • Mobile number
  • Email address
  • Home address

If anything is missing — ask the client and update it in OpenVPMS before they go in.

5. Check the Consult Room

  1. Before taking the client through, check that the consult room is clean:
    • No hair on the table or floor
    • Table wiped and clear
    • No odour
  2. If the room has visible hair — sweep before showing the client in. Do not skip this step.
  3. On the laptop in the consult room, open the client's file in OpenVPMS so the vet can begin immediately.

6. Show the Client In

  1. Show the client into the consult room. Let them know the vet will be in shortly.
  2. Notify the vet that the client is in the room and ready.

Handling a Full Waiting Room

If there is no vacant consult room when a client arrives:

SituationWhat to do
Small dog or cat, calm and containedClient may wait at reception with the pet
Large dog, or unsettled / reactive animalAsk the client to wait in their car or in the outdoor area outside the practice
Any animal that may cause stress to others in the waiting areaOutdoor area or car — do not leave a reactive animal near other patients

Let the client know as soon as a room becomes free.

Done looks like this
  • Client greeted at the door and reason for visit established
  • Patient weighed on the correct scales — weight recorded in OpenVPMS
  • Checked in via the Workflow Check In button — new visit and invoice open
  • Patient details verified — microchip, age, sex, colour, breed all present and correct
  • Client contact details verified — mobile, email, address complete
  • Consult room clean before client enters — no hair, no odour, table clear
  • Client file open on the laptop in the consult room
  • Vet notified the client is ready

Sign Off

Confirm you have read and understood this SOP.

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