NVA

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title: Treatment Technician                                                        Job Status:  Full-time or Part-time

Schedule:  up to 40 hours/week                                                         Supervisor: Hospital Manager

Job Purpose:  The purpose of the Treatment Technician is to provide high quality medical support and nursing care to companion animal patients, both in-patient and out-patient.  This position functions cooperatively within the overall hospital team with a focus on patient care and diagnostic services and procedures.

Duties & Responsibilities:

Technical Duties:

• Assist veterinarians in the practice of veterinary medicine and surgery
• Proficient IV catheter placement
• Proficient and accurate drug calculations and administration
• Quality nursing and husbandry care of patients
• Strong working knowledge of veterinary procedures and pharmacology
• Perform in-hospital lab testing and prepare specimens for outside labs
• Perform and/or participate in all other diagnostics such as radiology, ultrasound, ECG, BP and glucose monitoring
• Assist veterinarians in outpatient exams by taking histories, vital signs and weights as well as providing client education
• Provide nursing care for in-hospital patients including all DVM requested treatments, diagnostics and medications
• Accurately and completely record all treatments
• Able to conduct pre-admission exams and discharge hospitalized patients
• Perform client callbacks as necessary
• Maintain legally defensible medical records in cooperation with veterinarians

Laboratory

• Responsible for in-hospital lab testing such as intestinal parasite screens, pre-anesthetic testing, senior screens, complete blood count, urinalysis, heartworm, tick-borne diseases, Feline Leukemia, FIV, cytology, etc.
• Collect and prepare samples for both in-house and outside laboratories
• Report diagnostic testing results to veterinarians
• Maintain quality controls and record keeping on in-house lab equipment
• Complete proper sample preparation and paperwork for outside diagnostic laboratory tests

Diagnostic Imaging

• Participates in all aspects of diagnostic radiology and ultrasonography including set up, imaging and medical record entry
• Able to efficiently and effectively position patients for best image outcome
• Able to review images and determine quality; repeat images as necessary for best image outcome
• Able to converse with veterinarians and peers related to diagnostic imaging

Treatment

• Perform treatments noted on treatment board and in medical records (hospitalized patients, surgeries, dentistry patients, boarding medications)
• Assist veterinarians with daily treatments
• Monitor intensive care patients
• Provide nursing and husbandry care
• Facilitate patient radiographs
• Record x-rays in log and medical records; attach digital images to the patient record
• Use and maintain IV pumps

Surgery

• Set up the surgical area

• Keep surgical materials stocked
• Prepare gown and surgical packs

·         Check oxygen lines and waste gas scavenger system; turn off scavenger system after surgical procedures are completed

• Prepare instruments; knowledge of surgical instruments required for specific surgeries
• Prepare patient for surgery including pre-op medications, induction/intubation and surgery prep
• Monitor anesthesia utilizing equipment such as pulse oximeter and electrocardiogram
• Maintain anesthesia machine
• Assist veterinarian performing surgery
• Monitor patients through anesthesia recovery
• Insure the cleaning of the surgery suite and surgical instruments after each procedure following hospital sterilization protocols
• Keep accurate anesthesia/surgical medical records
• Ensure hospital patients go home well groomed and in an appropriate medical state; remove catheters

Medical Records

• Update medical records with progress notes
• Communicate with doctors and technicians through notations in medical records
• Record information for hospitalized patients including:
• Daily status each time a technician touches a patient, with initials, time, procedures and observations
• Boarding information
• Hospitalized procedures such as surgeries, radiographs and dentistry
• Pre-surgical exam findings, anesthesia risk
• Time anesthesia begins, ends and how many minutes
• Suture material, suture pattern; incision location and size; veterinarian’s surgical notes
• Laboratory test results
• Dental charts
• Injections, medications, fluid therapy, pain management

• Note homecare instructions given to and reviewed with client
• Create estimates/treatment plans
• Collect signatures on consent forms and estimates/treatment plans

Housekeeping Duties:

• Maintain cleanliness of surgery suite, treatment area and exams rooms for all surfaces, including lights, tables, cabinets, walls and floors
• Maintain equipment cleanliness and longevity by vacuuming pet hair from keyboards, wheels and equipment
• Vacuum computer keyboards in treatment area, lab/pharmacy and exam rooms
• Clean glass windows and doors in surgery suite, treatment area and exam rooms
• Sweep and mop floors in surgery suite, exam rooms and treatment area
• Keep food and drinks out of areas where patients are treated such as treatment area and surgery suite
• Discard syringes in proper containers
• Empty trash
• Clean water and food bowls for hospitalized pets
• Clean cages and bedding for hospitalized pets
• Organize radiology gowns, gloves and badges, making sure they are neatly hung or stored
• Scrub and polish sinks
• Wipe down walls and baseboards in the surgery suite, treatment area and exam rooms
• Clean cages
• Do laundry

Administrative Duties:

Inventory

• Log controlled drugs
• Assist with inventory physical count
• Know how to use the inventory module in our veterinary practice-management software
• Restock shelves and drawers in exam rooms and treatment area

Safety

·         Follow OSHA requirements

·         Follow practice’s health and safety protocols

• Utilize Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)

Administrative

• Be proficient in using our veterinary practice-management software
• Assist receptionists as necessary
• Attend staff and department meetings

Teamwork:  defined as “Cooperative effort by the members of a group to achieve a common goal and/or outcome.”

1. Participates in a positive manner in all group sizes.
2. Refrains from participating in gossip.
3. Supports team members by assisting other areas, is receptive to feedback and suggestions.
4. Engages in active problem-solving vs. problem-identifying.
5. Makes suggestions related to client/patient service improvements and hospital efficiency.

Equipment:

1. Standard veterinary medical equipment associated with exam room use.
2. AVImark computer software and system
3. Laboratory equipment and tests
4. Veterinary diagnostic equipment

Pharmacy Area:

1. Participate in the daily functions of the pharmacy area following all hospital protocols and standards of care.
2. Upon request fill or refill prescriptions for patients accurately and according to hospital protocols including medical record entry, log entry and charge entry.
3. Communicate with clients as necessary related to pharmacy requests.  Assist other hospital team members with questions and/or prescription requests.
4. Provide clients with educational materials and drug handouts on a regular basis.
5. Participate in the organization, stocking and inventory control of the pharmacy products and supplies.
6. Participate in maintaining the overall pharmacy area in clean,
7. Develop protocols and processes which create results in efficiency and fiscal responsibility.
8. Work at pace which is in keeping with the workload demand.
9. Adhere to all local, state and federal regulations relative to in-house pharmacy services.

Exam Rooms:

1. Participate in the daily functions of the exam rooms following all hospital protocols and standards of care.
2. Insure that clients/patients are greeted and escorted into the exam in a timely manner
3. Coordinate exam room activity with other hospital areas to result in workflow efficiencies.
4. Develop and maintain standards of practice that exceed client and patient expectations.  Areas to include client communications, patient history gathering, vital assessments of patients, anticipating the doctor’s needs and facilitating those needs.
5. Utilize the computer system and electronic medical records to document all patient exams, treatments and procedures; all client communications.
6. Provide client education related to all aspects of wellness and preventative care, vaccinations, nutrition, diagnostics and medications/products as directed by the veterinarians.

Knowledge/Skills:

1. Experience equivalent to job duties and responsibilities
2. Excellent veterinary nursing and technical skills
3. Excellent communication skills – written and verbal
4. Strong computer skills
5. Strong ability to multi-task, delegate and oversee daily work flow
6. Strong working knowledge of veterinary medicine – primary and emergency care

Physical:

1.  Able to properly restrain dog and cat patients for veterinary care and procedures
2. Able to stand, sit, bend, restrain, squat for extended periods of time
3. Able to teach, train, coach and mentor in a positive, professional manner
4. Able to lift 50 lbs in a safe manner
5. Able to type, write and verbally converse
6. Able to work the posted schedule