Employment Type : Full-Time
(Registered) Veterinary Technician Job Description The veterinary technician is the veterinarian’s primary medical support and plays a vital role within the practice. Technicians must value the quality of care we provide at Paws & Claws Veterinary Hospital. The technician aids the veterinarian in achieving greater efficiency in overall patient care. Technicians should enjoy working with people and animals. A technician’s focus is ever-changing according to the priority of the moment. This often requires significant multi-tasking and a creative thinking ability. Applicant must be licensed with the state of California in good standing and must complete all professional requirements to maintain their license. Technicians provide training, supervision, and leadership for other members of the Paws & Claws Veterinary Hospital team. Learning & Leadership · Technicians must be able to perform, teach and supervise all the duties of a Patient Care · Perform cystogenesis and be familiar with the management of urinary catheters, (Foley). Laboratory Procedures Anesthesia and Surgical Assistance* Management and Regulatory Tasks · Knowledgeable regarding related federal and state animal health laws and regulations including OSHA and DEA. Ensure that the hospital and its employees are compliant with all regulations. Inform the veterinary hospital administrator of any regulatory issues. Education Qualifications Essential Qualifications This job description is subject to addition, subtraction, or revision by Paws & Claws Veterinary Hospital at any time. Job Types: Full-time, Part-time Pay: $22.00 - $34.00 per hour Benefits: Schedule: Education: Experience: Work Location: Company's website: Company's Facebook page: Benefit Conditions: Work Remotely: COVID-19 Precaution(s):
Technicians will apply their professional technical skills in anesthesia, surgery, dentistry, laboratory testing, patient nursing care and client education. The technician must be a detail- oriented person who can make good decisions, respond quickly and calmly to crises, and always maintain high standards of patient care.
Technicians need to communicate clearly with the veterinarians, other practice personnel as well as with clients to ensure that patients receive the care that they need.
Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to set a good example, promote a positive work environment and provide direction and motivation to co-workers are important aspects of the position.
Technician/Veterinarian Assistant as described in the Technician/Veterinarian Assistant Job Description.
· Assist in training and supervision of technician student interns, new technicians and veterinary assistants.
· Provide staff leadership for tasks in a professional and personable way.
· Promote a positive attitude and demonstrate a commitment to the vision/mission of the practice.
· Make suggestions to management for how to improve practice protocols.
· Review the appointment schedule and plan for procedures.
· Obtain and record/review patient histories.
· Communicate with and educate pet owners.
· Assess patient status, review patient plan, perform hospitalized patient’s treatments according to the veterinarian’s orders and document such activity.
· Monitor patients for vomit, blood, urine and feces in the cage, and clean patients and cages as needed. Note incidents in the medical record/ SmartFlow software.
· Monitor changes in patients’ conditions. Alert the veterinarian to significant changes.
· Know common disease states and alert the veterinarian when symptoms change or when concerns arise with hospitalized patients.
· Use technical skills to assist the veterinarian with out-patient care- Anticipate what the veterinarian will need for appointments and do everything you can to set up and assist the doctor.
· Manage emergency patient care and alert the veterinarian as soon as possible.
· Be able to recognize signs and degrees of pain and discomfort. Understand the medications and methods used to control pain.
· Perform emergency procedures including shock assessment and initiation of treatment, control of hemorrhage, establishing an airway by intubation and providing ventilation with oxygen, performing external cardiac massage, applying temporary bandages or splints, and clipping and cleaning wounds.
· Recognize patients with potentially contagious diseases and follow isolation procedures. Be familiar with zoonotic diseases.
· Safely and humanely restrain patients.
· Perform common outpatient procedures (i.e., nail trims, ear cleanings, anal gland expression, etc.).
· Assist with humane euthanasia as requested.
· Properly calculate medication volumes and rates of administration.
· Administer injectable, topical, and oral medications to patient.
· Perform venipuncture and place IV catheters and administer IV fluids using an IV pump according to the veterinarian’s orders.
· Be proficient in the placement and administration nasal intubation for oxygen administration.
· Properly implant microchips and test their functionality.
· Be skilled in applying a variety of bandages.
· Perform routine dental scaling, polishing and fluoride. Recognize and bring to the veterinarian’s attention any abnormalities. Perform dental charting and document the procedure in the medical record.
· Update client/patient records including reminders and progress exams. Document all relevant conversations with clients (i.e., patient status updates, lab work results, etc.)
· Have the proper knowledge to operate an incubator and nebulize patients.
· Collect specimens and perform routine laboratory procedures and tests in hematology, biochemistry, chemistry, microbiology, urinalysis, and serology to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of animal health problems.
· Be able to type match blood samples. Obtain and administer whole blood or plasma transfusions.
Monitor for transfusion reactions.
· Perform radiographs, including dental, and evaluate for proper positioning and exposure. Be proficient in conducting contrast imaging studies. Adhere to radiographic safety standards.
· Clean and maintain ultrasound and laboratory equipment.
· Know how to use common diagnostic equipment (i.e., ECG, BP, sPO2, IOP, i-Stat, Alpha Trak, refractometer, centrifuge, etc.)
· Perform and document in-house lab tests, including blood smears, PCV/TP, urinalysis with sediments, fecal tests, skin/ear cytology, including ELISA snap tests.
· Understand aseptic principles and always apply them to surgical patients, instruments, equipment, and rooms.
· Knowledge of various anesthetic agents and their use in different patients.
· Operate, interpret, and maintain vital signs equipment and other general surgical equipment (vital signs monitor, surgical table, electrosurgical units, suction, etc.)
· Operate and maintain anesthetic machines with closed- and open-circuit anesthetic systems.
Maintain oxygen supply and assure use of scavenger system.
· Knowledge of commonly used analgesics and resuscitative medications. Properly calculate emergency medication volumes.
· Knowledge of fluid therapies for intraoperative use (i.e., Normosol, hetastarch, hypertonic saline, plasma, whole blood) and properly calculate volumes and rates.
· Administer injectable and gas anesthesia under the direction of veterinarian according to standard practice protocols.
· Knowledge that non-registered technicians may not induce general anesthesia or sedation.
· Properly maintain a patient airway using endotracheal intubation.
· Monitor and maintain anesthetized patients by observation/manual parameters and by use of vital signs equipment.
· Perform standard surgical field preparation and patient positioning.
· Knowledge and maintenance of standard surgical instruments.
· Knowledge of a variety of surgical procedures and ability to anticipate what supplies and equipment are needed for surgical set-up.
· Assist the veterinarian in surgery as directed.
· Resuscitate and care for neonatal patients.
· Monitor and assure safety of patients during post-operative recovery and perform extubation.
· Operate and maintain autoclave.
· Professionally clean, prepare and sterilize surgical equipment.
· Maintain accurate surgery log.
· Perform post-operative client update calls upon patient recovery.
· Maintain controlled substance log. Keep controlled drugs secured to meet Drug Enforcement Agency and California state law specifications.
· Perform laboratory, treatment and surgical inventory maintenance as requested.
· Receive deliveries. Check contents of the deliveries against invoices and immediately note package shortages or damaged shipments, as necessary.
· When applicable, ensure that the appropriate MSDS information is present in the MSDS Binder for every product received onto the premises.
· Ensure that working areas are always stocked with medical supplies.
· Maintain radiology log to comply with AAHA standards and/or California state laws.
· Maintain cleanliness and organization in the treatment area, surgery suite, imaging, cages and runs.
· Complete closing checklist for laboratory, treatment, imaging, and surgery daily.
· Ability to work independently on assigned tasks as well as to accept direction on given assignments.
· Critical thinking - Understanding logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Other duties as assigned.
· Minimal high school degree or equivalence required.
· Ability to read and write legibly in English and to communicate clearly both in person and over the telephone.
· Secondary language skills desired.
· Registered technicians must be graduates of an AVMA accredited training school or program.
· Communicate with and educate pet owners.
· Applicant must be licensed with the state of California in good standing and must complete all professional requirements to maintain their license.
· Non-registered technicians must have accumulated enough on-the-job training and experience to be able to perform the duties described below.
· Non-registered technicians are responsible for knowing which duties they are legally prohibited from performing (i.e., inducing general anesthesia, performing dental extractions, etc.)
· Basic computer literacy, including typing, required. Experience with general office equipment and software such as Microsoft Windows, Word, and Excel desired.
· Cornerstone Software knowledge preferred.
· Must have competency in the skills required for a registered/licensed veterinary technician.
· Must genuinely enjoy working with animals even when they are stressed, ill or in pain. Calmly and safely restrain pets who may struggle, scratch, or try to bite.
· General animal husbandry and/or specific veterinary experience is required.
· Employees must be able to respond calmly and quickly to frequent auditory signals, warnings, or communication from other staff, animals, or medical equipment. Employees should be able to work unaffected in an environment where dogs are barking loudly or constantly.
· Strong communication and client service skills. Considerable tact and diplomacy are required. Ability to work with clients and patients in a professional, friendly, hospitable manner.
· Must be able to make independent, common sense decisions and solve complex problems.
· Perform multiple tasks simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.
· Perform physical duties include repetitive standing, walking, bending, twisting, and lifting as much as 50lbs. Must be able to grasp, hold and manipulate objects.
· Must be able to observe abnormal behaviors and physical problems in patients.
· Technicians must be able to operate and maintain equipment pertinent to carrying out their duties, including but not limited to laboratory equipment, anesthesia, and dental and radiographic equipment.
· Learn how to use the practice management software (CornerStone) to enter services, medications, procedures, and updates into patient record.