CERTIFIED VETERINARY TECHNICIAN

As a Certified Veterinary Technician your duties will include but are not limited to; assisting the veterinarians in the Practice of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, in-patient and out-patient care, technician examinations, laboratory duties, treatments, drug dosages and dispensing, surgery duties, dentistry, medical record notation and maintenance, housekeeping duties throughout the facility, administrative duties, inventory, OSHA awareness and compliance, extraordinary customer service and maintaining a practical knowledge of the hospitals procedures, services and policies. The expected manner of every team member is maintain a professional demeanor at all times, use appropriate medical terminology and support practice ownership, management and fellow team members at all times.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTION BASICS –

·       Bending, stooping, crouching, kneeling, standing/walking on tile floor up to 10 hours a day, typing, writing, balancing, twisting, squatting and rotating throughout the day.

·       Moving animals from cage to cage, floor to floor, room to room. Restraining animals up to 200 pounds intermittently, lift animals up to 50 pounds and lift animals over 50 pounds with help.

·       Ability to maintain an alertness level to keep safe from possible danger, resilience after disappointment or constructive feedback, compassion, to follow the ethical guidelines of your profession and this hospital, powers of keen observation for patient care, excellent reading/comprehension/legible writing skills, ability to negotiate with difficult people and problem solve and the ability to make rational and effective decisions.

·       Keep team mentality in mind at all times, be prepared and willing to offer assistance and ask for assistance when needed, keep a positive professional outlook, completely abstain from gossip/negative observation regarding clients/team members or other professionals or other behavior that can whittle away at the healthy foundation of a team.

·       Attend staff meetings, participate in hospital functions like open house, community efforts and special events. Be prepared to present topics at the occasional staff meetings.

ENVIRONMENTAL WORKING CONDITIONS –

·       Noise exposure from barking dogs and machinery.

·       Danger of being bitten or scratched.

·       Exposure to various risks including but not limited to; toxoplasmosis, gas anesthesia, chemotherapy drugs, radiation, drugs and chemicals under OSHA, rabies and euthanasia drugs as well as compassion fatigue.

TECHNICAL VETERINARY DUTIES –

·       Admit patients for in-patient or out-patient procedures perform technician exams according to hospital procedure, fill prescriptions written and authorized by a DVM, taking vital signs and preparing vaccines.

·       Able to collect all lab samples (urine via free catch or cystocentesis, phlebotomy, feces, skin scrapings, etc), prepare samples to send out or perform in-house tests, and maintain the laboratory log and equipment.

·       Perform all patient treatments ordered by the attending DVM (medicating, TPR, close observation and charting, monitor intensive care patients, take and develop x-rays, use IV pumps, monitors, dental machines, intra-oral radiology and anesthesia machines.

·       Induce anesthesia and intubate, monitor anesthesia, asses anesthetic risk and communicate clearly to DVM, prepare patient for surgery using hospital procedure, assist surgeon, calculate drug dosages related to surgery/treatment/anesthesia/critical care/emergency and keep thorough surgery logs/sheets/anesthesia sheets.

·       Maintain all surgical equipment, surgery packs, surgical inventory, cold trays and the surgery prep room and surgery suite.

·       Clean, scale and polish teeth with dental machine and hand instruments, hospitalization procedures, injections and fluid therapy.

MEDICAL RECORDS –

·       Be well versed in hospital software, medical record charting, surgical monitoring charts, dental charts, hospitalized patient charts and keep very thorough, legible and professional notes in each.

·       Be able to record TPR’s, medical history, patient status, procedures, treatments, findings, lab results, surgical notes, pre surgical findings, anesthetic risk, all medications given or dispensed and complete discharge/homecare/report card instructions.

·       Thoroughly record conversations with clients including all recommendations, declined recommendations or treatments.

HOUSEKEEPING –

·       Keep treatment/surgery/exam rooms clean and sanitary. Keep lab equipment well maintained, be sure cages are cleaned on all surfaces, counters, refrigerators, bathrooms, floors and general environment are kept up to hospital standards. The surgery suite is to be kept extremely sanitary and closed – walls are washed down regularly, all surfaces disinfected and supplies and crash cart kept stocked with updated non expired supplies.

·       Be prepared to perform routine kennel duties including walking, feeding, medicating, scrubbing, mopping, laundry and bathing.

ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES -

 Filing, pulling charts, invoicing, faxing, copying, creating various reports from the software, answer phone calls, make appointments, prepare medical records for all types of appointments and stock retail inventory in the lobby.

·       Learn to exceed our client’s expectations, answer questions, return phone calls, offer tours and provide grief counsel.

INVENTORY –

·       Maintain/monitor and reconcile controlled drugs. List needed inventory items on want list before the last one is taken, unpack orders using hospital packing slip procedures, stock shelves, monitor for expiration dates and redundant items.

OSHA AND SDSs –

·       Be trained in the “Right to Know” OSHA requirements and follow all health/ safety/environmental emergency procedures.

·       Know the location of all SDSs, accident and injury log, self aid kit and emergency phone numbers.

·       Keep all secondary containers properly labeled.

MISCELLANEOUS DUTIES –

·       Learn the veterinary software thoroughly and basic document preparation.

·       Prepare referral forms, x-rays for shipment, x-ray badge maintenance, police the building and grounds automatically as you walk through, notify management of any damage or necessary repairs, be always observant of client satisfaction needs, report any client concerns to management immediately.

PROFESSIONAL GROWTH –

·       Maintain your license and membership in professional society.

·       Attend continuing education for technicians AND general job skills, leadership skills and improvement.

·       Network with other technicians and read the professional journals to stay abreast of updates and changes to our industry.