Job Description & Responsibilities
JOB TITLE: Veterinary Assistant
Job Relationships: Reports to: Lead Veterinary Technician
Works closely with attending veterinarian(s).
Job Summary: Responsible for assisting veterinarians/veterinary technicians in the daily care of all surgical patients and following general cleaning protocols.
Responsibilities:
Patient Care:
- Restrain patients during initial exams, anesthesia induction, and intubation.
- Preparation of patient for surgery in a sterile manner.
- Carry patients from prep table, to surgery, to the beach, and to their cage in an appropriate and safe manner.
- Monitor patients during every phase including; induction, prep, surgery and recovery periods.
- Provide food, water, and medication to patients as instructed.
- Record medical information on daily logs as needed.
- Administer fluids or drugs as instructed.
General Cleaning Protocols:
- Scrub instruments and prepare packs for autoclaving.
- Stock and clean prep area and surgery suite.
- Disinfect carriers, traps, equipment, and holding cages.
- Vacuum, sweep, and mop floors daily.
- Wash, dry, and fold pack and kennel laundry.
- Maintain a clean and safe work environment at all times.
Required Interpersonal skills:
- Unconditional Regard: Ability to keep interactions with clients, partners, supporters, and staff professional and positive at all times. Able to defer judgment of others; creating a safe, empowering, and successful relationship.
- Positive Attitude: Ability to communicate clearly and work as a team in a positive manner, even when stressed.
- Time Management: Ability to work well in a fast paced environment, maintain stamina, and prioritize multiple tasks appropriately.
- Confidentiality: Able to keep all information regarding our patients, clients, organizational partners, and supporters confidential.
- Mission-oriented: Support and advocate for our mission, understanding the urgency in which we need to act and knowing it’s vital to our success.
Required Professional Skills:
- Ability to interpret animal’s body language and react accordingly.
- Ability to restrain dogs, cats and other small animals.
- Familiar with and understanding of feral/fractious cat behavior.
- Able to learn how to administer SQ, IM, IT and IV drugs
Client Interactions:
- Must be able to learn basic veterinary medical and surgical concepts such as: vaccine protocols, anesthetic risk factors, and surgery recovery process.
- Collect patient’s history.
- Able to explain basic care to owners and repeat medical information relayed by a veterinarian.
Patient Interactions:
- Should always demonstrate good judgment when interacting with patients.
- Will be expected to implement the use of safety equipment when needed to ensure the safety of all people and the patient.
- Must be able to adjust your body and tone of voice to establish a positive rapport with the patient.
- Should always consider the stress level of the patient and accommodate to lessen it.
- Respect every surgical patient and the value of their life.
- Must be able to detect a slight change in the patient and adjust your restraint accordingly.
- Able to participate/perform CPR in an emergency situation.
Physical Requirements:
- Must be able to work standing for 8 or more hours.
- Must be able to lift 50 pounds repeatedly without assistance.
- Must be able to lift more than 50 pounds repeatedly with assistance.
- Must be agile: able to kneel, bend, climb a ladder, and maneuver in tight spaces.
- Must have the stamina to work quickly for 8 or more hours.
- Must be able to work in temperature extremes.
Emotional/Mental Requirements:
- Must be able to work efficiently and effectively in a quick paced, high stress environment.
- Must be able to respond quickly and remain calm in an emergency situation.
- Must be able to assess a situation, recognize the need for assistance and ask for help.
- Must be understanding of a patient’s behavior during recovery.
- Must be accepting of a patient’s death either due to surgical complications or euthanasia.
