Career Opportunities

Position Overview: The veterinary assistant provides support to the veterinarians and technicians in their daily tasks by cleaning and maintaining equipment, feeding, exercising and grooming patients, preparing and sanitizing surgery suites, restraining and handling patients, and clerical and administrative work. They deliver quality care for all patients and provide exceptional service.

Essential Functions:

Knowledge of animal health and welfare, animal isolation, sample collection and medical treatment. 

Must have the ability to handle, restrain, load and unload animals.

Must be able to lift, carry, push or pull up to 50 lbs.

Requires ability to effectively communicate clearly to technicians, doctors, and clients.

Must be able to handle the stress of multi-tasking.A Roomer/Room Assistant must be able to handle multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment.

Must understand there is a need for flexibility/versatility while working with each doctor.

Knowledge of animal temperament and how to handle each pet accordingly

Responsibilities/Duties:

Monitor the queue.

Check the pet in for an appointment. This is print a check-in sheet and prescription form with two patient labels (one for fee sheet)

Check on the patient's vaccinations. If any are overdue or missing, consult with the client to update the file.

Write the location of the owner on the check-in sheet, parking spot or place in lobby

Highlight the type of appointment and any extras on the fee sheet.

Write the patient on the whiteboard under the appropriate doctor with the location of the owner.

Take the chart to speak with the owner and ask the 3 basic questions, reason for visit, current patient medication, verify owner information.

Bring the pet inside, obtain weight, write it on the check-in sheet, update weight, update contact information, and pull appropriate forms in Cornerstone.

Prepare vaccines, input microchip number in Cornerstone, complete nail trim (if needed).

Place the patient's chart inside the hopper outside of the doctor’s exam room. Always place new charts behind existing charts. If the exam is completed, give the chart to the doctor. 

Restrain for exam if time permits; place pet in a holding cage in exam room if necessary.

Communicate clearly with the primary technician.If the chart is completed by the doctor and given back to you, place the chart in the hopper in the reception area if directed to. 

If your doctor completed the prescription form, immediately give it to pharmacy.

If the pet needs treatment, take it to your primary technician, along with the chart. Return the pet to the owner when/if necessary.

Return focus to the queue.

If the next appointment is already in a holding cage and there are more pets checking in for appointments, prepare by printing the check-in sheets, highlighting, writing client location, and placing the prepped chart in the rack towards the front. 

Communicate directly to the queue monitor to update the status of your pets of the queue.

When the queue is caught up, assist with tech appointments or drop off.

Assist with kennel cleaning duties, and check in with technician captains for additional tasks.

Exam rooms must be thoroughly cleaned between every appointment (table, handles, surfaces and exam room cages).

Knowledge of animal CPR procedures

Basic understanding of animal medications and what they do

Prep patients for surgical procedures when asked to do so by a primary technician

Anesthesia monitoring during sedation procedures

Recovers animals from surgery and is able to relay status of health including: ensuring pets are at a normal temperature, gums are pink, and the patient is having a smooth recovery. 

• Provide compassionate care to all patients
• Greet patients and their owners as they arrive and show them to an examining room, taking the patient's weight and other vital signs upon arrival
• Triage patients, perform physical exams, treatments, and administer medication as directed by the licensed veterinary technicians (LVT's).
• Calm and soothe anxious patients
• Assist doctors and technicians with the administration of medications or with patient restraint
• Perform laboratory tests and take radiographs
• Operate and maintain hospital equipment, including EKG, fluid pump, syringe pump, scales, anesthetic monitors, and machines, etc.
• Fill prescriptions, calculate and administer medications, maintain proper documentation, logging, and security of controlled drugs.
• Feed patients as prescribed by the attending doctor or as the client has requested; record appetites; recognize and report any unusual conditions or abnormal behaviors
• Communicate in a positive manner with clients and ensure that they feel comfortable leaving their pet(s)
• Educate clients about insurance, wellness, and medicinal plans
• Maintain the cleanliness of the hospital each day; clean equipment, kennels, and facilities using chemicals and supplies; ensure the safe use of chemicals; complete laundry
• Bath and care for patients who stay overnight; ensure that every animal released is clean and properly groomed prior to their release
• Adhere to the hospital's safety and wellness regulations
• Understand and carry out oral and written directions
• Maintain accurate medical records
• Show up for work regularly; full-time presence at work is essential for every shift
• Promote hospital products and services and support the organization
• Respond respectfully with urgency to directions given by Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) or Licensed Veterinary Technicians (LVT).
• Perform any other duties as assigned by the Manager; may have other assigned duties if working in a specialty area (i.e., dentistry, surgery, emergency, radiology, cardiology, neurology, internal medicine, etc.)

Additional Functions: Assignment to the areas below may include the following additional job functions:

Cardiology:

• Assists in collecting and submitting laboratory samples
• Ability to learn to identify common and acquired cardiac disorders and arrhythmias
• Sets up and calibrates transducers/physiographs to measure intracardiac and intravascular pressures
• Understands the basic physiology and engineering of pacemakers

Dentistry:

• Assists with dental cleanings, polishing, and intraoral radiographs
• Assists with dental procedures and oral surgery

Dermatology:

• Assists with performing ear cleanings and minor flushes
• Obtains skin scrapes and tape samples
• Prepares skin and ear cytology
• May induce and monitor anesthesia under direction and supervision
• May place intravenous catheters
• May prepare and administer medications, intravenously, orally, and topically

Emergency:

• Assists veterinarians with a variety of emergency procedures and critical care situations
• Cleans wounds and applies casts or bandages
• Give injections and takes blood samples
• May have to be on call in the intensive care unit

Internal Medicine:

• Researches general wellness and preventative medicine for animals

Neurology:

• Assists with various technical procedures including intravenous catheter placement, venipuncture, IV injections, wound management, drug administration assistance, bandage care, vital sign monitoring, intubation, surgery support, and various routine diagnostic Electromyography (EMG) testing

Oncology:

• Assists veterinarians with patient assessment, diagnostics, treatments, and procedures
• Provides empathy, comfort, and unparalleled nursing care to all patients and serves as a strong patient advocate during the patient's hospitalization
• Provides client communication and education on various oncology disease processes

Ophthalmology:

• Assists veterinarians with ocular exams
• Assists with diagnostic testing (Schirmer Tear Testing, Tonometry, Ocular Ultrasounds, Electroretinogram testing, etc.)

Radiology:

• Assists veterinarians with providing high-quality diagnostic imaging services to inpatient, outpatient, surgical, and emergency patients

Surgery:

• Provides extensive surgical assistance by preparing patients, scrubbing, shaving, acting as a surgical nurse, and operating specific surgical equipment and supplies

Competencies:

• Care and Compassion – displays a desire to build rapport, provide personal assistance, and emotional support
• Animal Restraint and Safety – uses sound judgment when handling patients and always takes appropriate precautionary steps when needed
• Communication – uses effective and appropriate methods of interacting with others
• Team Orientation – works cooperatively with the team to address tasks and accomplish goals
• Dependability – demonstrates responsibility in completing all job tasks
• Cleanliness Standards – consistently follows sanitization and sterilization policies and procedures
• Energy and Productivity – completes tasks quickly and thoroughly without prompting
• Time Management – manages time and prioritizes work tasks effectively
• Technical Skills and Learning – keeps up-to-date with new technical skills and knowledge in the field
• Care and Use of Equipment – takes appropriate steps to perform operation checks and maintenance of equipment

Qualifications:

• High school diploma or equivalent
• One or more years' experience in a veterinary environment successfully performing all of the duties of this position
• Vet Tech (VTNE) Certification preferred
• Experience with surgical monitoring, radiology, dental prophylaxis, and client education preferred
• May consider an equivalent combination of education, certification, training, and/or experience

Position Requirements:

• Maintains current knowledge in the field of expertise and actively seeks opportunities for continuing education and skill improvement.
• Ability to restrain animals, fill prescriptions, and monitor sedation procedures
• Ability to work with or around sick animals, potentially hazardous materials, cleaning chemicals, gas anesthetics, zoonotic diseases, and unpleasant odors
• Requires knowledge of hospital procedures, policies, and services; client and patient treatment protocols; hospital computer systems; and the standard procedures, records, and terminology used in a veterinary hospital.
• Must be flexible with scheduling and able to work some weekends and holidays
• Depending on the functional area of assignment, tasks may involve extended periods of time at a keyboard or workstation and/or extended periods of time standing and/or walking.
• This is a strenuous job that requires a lot of lifting, cleaning, and constant motion. May involve some climbing, balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, or crawling
• Some tasks involve the periodic performance of moderately physically demanding work, usually involving lifting or carrying moderately heavy animals (up to 50 pounds)

Additional Information: The list of essential functions, as outlined in this job description, is intended to be representative of the tasks performed within this classification. The omission of any job function does not preclude management from assigning duties not listed herein if such functions are a logical assignment to the position.

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