Veterinary Assistant

Greenbrier-Springfield Animal Hospital is looking to add a new friendly member to our team! We are an established veterinary hospital (conveniently located close to Nashville) that respects work-life balance. We currently have two full-time doctors that are supported by LVMTs, Veterinary Assistants, Receptionists, and Kennel Assistants.

Wage Range: $15.00-17.00 per hour

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 Position Functions:

• Provide compassionate care to all patients

• Greet patients and their owners as they arrive and shows 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 soothes 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

• Bathe and care for patients who stay overnight; ensure that every animal released is clean and properly groomed prior to their release

• Adhere to hospital's safety and wellness regulations

• Understand and carry out oral and written directions

• Maintain accurate medical records

• Shows 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 Manager; may have other assigned duties if working in a specialty area (i.e., dentistry, surgery, emergency, radiology, cardiology, neurology, internal medicine, etc.)

Additional Position Functions:

Assignment to the specialty medical areas listed below may require 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

• Understand 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

• Assist veterinarians with a variety of emergency procedures and critical care situations.

• Clean wounds and apply casts or bandages.

• Give injections and take blood samples.

• May have to be on call in the intensive care unit.

Integrative

• Maintain logs of pet diagnoses, treatments, and follow-up results so veterinarians can track responses to integrative care.

Internal Medicine

• Research general wellness and preventative medicine for patients.

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

• Assist veterinarians with pet assessment, diagnostics, treatments, and procedures.

• Provide empathy, comfort, and unparalleled nursing care to all pets and serves as a strong pet advocate during the pet's hospitalization.

• Provide the owner with extensive communication and education on various oncology disease processes.

Ophthalmology

• Assist veterinarians with ocular exams.

• Assists with diagnostic testing (Schirmer Tear Testing, Tonometry, Ocular Ultrasounds, Electroretinogram testing, etc.)

Radiology

• Assist veterinarians with providing high-quality diagnostic imaging services to in-patient, out-patient, surgical, and emergency pets.

Surgery

• Provide extensive surgical assistance by preparing pets, 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 GED.

• One or more years' experience in veterinary environment successfully performing all of the duties of this position

• Experience with surgical monitoring, radiology, dental prophylaxis, and client education preferred

• May consider an equivalent combination of education, certification, training, and/or experience.

Position Knowledge and Skill 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

• 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 lifting or carrying moderately heavy animals (up to 50 pounds)

Additional Information:

The list of essential functions and additional functions, as outlined in this job description, is intended to be representative of the tasks performed within this position. The omission of any job function does not preclude management from assigning duties not listed herein if such functions are a required assignment for the position.

PetVet Care Centers, Inc. is one of the nation's leading operators of veterinary hospitals for companion animals. The company operates over 450 hospitals across multiple states and employs over 11,000 people including over 800 veterinarians. Since its inception, PetVet has been structured around a model that is focused on developing a partnership between the hospitals and the company and providing the highest quality medicine and service.

PetVet is an equal opportunity employer. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, age, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, religion, citizenship, national origin/ancestry, physical/mental disabilities, military status or any other basis prohibited by law. EOE, M/F/D/V

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