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:

• 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.

Position Overview: Supports and adds value to an efficient organization dedicated to quality care and exceptional service. Performs a variety of clerical and customer service work in providing support to Advanced Care Animal Clinic. 

Essential Functions:

• Offers owners and potential owners a warm and friendly greeting in person or on the phone; answers their questions.
• Provide top-notch customer service.
• Maintain a professional appearance (clothes and attitude).
• Identify and work compassionately with clients in various emotional states.
• Responds to inquiries about the range of services the practice provides and the species it treats; refers to the appropriate department/staff member as needed.
• Coordinates the flow of pets and owners in the lobby; placates owners distressed by long waits, scheduling glitches, and other problems.
• Recognizes the symptoms of pets and owners in crisis; handles basic medical emergencies appropriately.
• Assists owners when picking up medications or special dietary products; answers questions.
• Inputs data to practice management software to check pets in; makes simple postings to accounts; compiles data for various reports.
• Types and edits a variety of correspondence, reports, memoranda, and other material ensuring accuracy.
• Receives and distributes incoming mail; processes and stamps outgoing mail.
• Performs cashiering duties; processes refunds, returns, and credits as needed.
• Organizes and processes all payment plans.
• Processes billing statements and collections.
• Coordinates and schedules appointments; calls owners scheduled for the next day to remind them of their appointments, appointment times, and any special instructions, such as the need for fasting, withholding or administering medications.
• May assist with retail sales.
• May weigh pets when they come in for exams, procedures, etc.
• Responds to client emails.
• Processes faxes.
• Shows up for work regularly; full-time presence at work is essential for every shift.
• Obtain previous records from other facilities and adds to patient chart.
• Calls clients whose pets are overdue for vaccines, grooming, medication refills, etc.
• Able to learn basic veterinary medicine terminology.
• Become familiar with retail products, medications, vaccinations, routine testing, and heartworm and flea preventatives and be able to confidently discuss with clients.
• Have a strong sense of excellent customer service and be able to provide that to clients even during high-stress situations.
• Be able to multi-task efficiently.

Receptionist Job Description:

• Able to identify conditions over the phone that can potentially be emergencies and scheduling those appointments appropriately.
• May take medication refill requests and messages for doctors.
• Able to use Windows-based computer systems, word processing, email, web search, and other skills needed to effectively use software.
• Able to reconcile the drawer and complete end-of-day duties at the close of the day.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Competencies:

• Customer Service: Displays a desire to provide outstanding services and exceed customer expectations.
• Communication: Uses effective and appropriate methods of interacting with others.
• Energy and Productivity: Completes tasks quickly and thoroughly without prompting.
• Flexibility and Multi-tasking: Adapts easily to changing demands and manages multiple priorities effectively.
• Administrative Ability: Uses appropriate administrative and clerical procedures and systems for managing office work.
• Dependability: Demonstrates responsibility in completing all job tasks.
• Team orientation: Works cooperatively with the team to address tasks and accomplish goals.
• Organization and Attention to Detail: Monitors and reviews information thoroughly and maintains an organized system for all documents.
• Time Management: Manages time and prioritizes work tasks effectively.

Qualifications:

• High school diploma or GED.
• May consider an equivalent combination of education, certification, training, and/or experience.
• Knowledge of clerical procedures such as alphabetizing files and records.
• Ability to provide great customer service in a courteous, prompt, and efficient manner.
• Ability to perform cashier duties accurately.
• Ability to multitask and pay close attention to details.
• Must be flexible with scheduling and able to work some weekends and holidays.
• Depending on 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.
• 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).

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.