Veterinary Technician Assistant - Small Animal Hospital Operating Room

Job Title

Veterinary Technician Assistant - Small Animal Hospital Operating Room

Agency

Texas A&M University

Department

Vet Med-Teaching Hospital

Proposed Minimum Salary

Commensurate

Job Location

College Station, Texas

Job Type

Staff

Job Description

Our Commitment

Texas A&M University is committed to enriching the learning and working environment by promoting a culture that respects all perspectives, talents & lived experiences. Embracing varying opinions and perspectives strengthens our core values which are: Respect, Excellence, Leadership, Loyalty, Integrity, and Selfless Service.

Who we are

The Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) is an institution that represents 100 years of growth from a small school of veterinary medicine in 1916 to its present role as a major veterinary educational, medical, and research center. Today, we are one of the largest schools of veterinary medicine in the United States, training nearly 600 Doctor of Veterinary Medicine students each year.

We support collaboration and teamwork that turns today's discoveries into proactive solutions for animals, humans, and the environment. Together, we strive to support the goals of the faculty, staff and students in teaching, research and outreach programs. To learn more, please visit our website https://vetmed.tamu.edu/

What we want

The Sterile Processing Veterinary Technician Assistant, under supervision of a Veterinary Technician I or higher, assists in the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (VMTH) performing a variety of basic functions of limited complexity.

What you need to know

Compensation will be commensurate to selected hire's experience.

Other Requirements or Other Factors:

Persons in this position are considered essential when the University declares an emergency, campus closure, class cancellations, etc., and are therefore required to report to work and remain on duty unless/until relieved by the direct supervisor. May require working alternate shifts, holidays, weekends, or on-call duty. Provides quality customer service to internal and external customers/clients.

Qualifications Required Education:

• High School Diploma or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Required Experience:

• Two years of related experience in sterile processing, veterinary or related medical setting.

Preferred Experience:

• Experience in a medical or veterinary setting.

Preferred Licenses and Certifications:

• Certified Veterinary Assistant (CVA), Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST), Certified Medical Assistant.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Working knowledge of spreadsheet and word processing software programs. Interpersonal and communication skills.

• Ability to multi-task and work cooperatively with others.

• Ability to be flexible and tolerant to frequent task changes. Is adaptable to changing schedules, or assignments, and takes the initiative to complete duties and independently assigned responsibilities.

• Works well with a group. Manual dexterity with the ability to handle fragile instruments.

• Meticulous with strong attention to detail.

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of Veterinary/Medical terminology.

• Experience decontaminating, inspecting, assembling, packing, wrapping, and sterilizing surgical instruments.

• Experience with various sterilization methods.

Responsibilities:

• Disinfection and Cleaning: Processes instruments as they arrive to the decontamination area.
  
  Performs all meticulous duties necessary for instrument disinfection, decontamination, packing, wrapping, and sterilization. Monitor and operate various sterilization equipment. Quarantines instruments and runs biological quality control of instruments and releases items only after results of biological are returned.

• Inventory and Supply Management: Procures and stocks supplies from storage room and pharmacy/warehouse.
  
  Pulls necessary sterile supplies, sterile instruments, and equipment appropriate for the assigned and posted procedure. Submits a daily order for supplies in the operating room. Drops off items to Large Animal Central Sterile Processing each day, picks up orders each day, and delivers the order to SA OR.
  
  Create, update, and maintain a quick reference of common need to order items for pharmacy and outside orders. Maintains a stocked, cleaned, and organized instrument decontamination room. Unloads the dumbwaiter throughout the day.
  
  Stocks items in their proper locations. Restocks any unused items.

• Maintain safe, clean, sanitary work environment: Provides best practice for infectious disease control and sanitation activities to ensure a consistently clean and organized working environment.
  
  Helps provide oversight for faculty, staff, and students in the service area specific safety procedures. Uses proper PPE and follows safety guidelines when handling soiled/infectious items. Follows VMTH infection control policies.
  
  Performs daily, weekly, and periodic cleaning of the entire surgery suite including the operating room suites, sub-sterile hallway, central sterile and decontamination rooms, storage areas, OR locker rooms, break room, and all instrument handling areas. Cleans and disinfects equipment. Performs basic equipment maintenance and cleaning.

• General and Peri-Operative Duties: Adheres to the principles and practices of aseptic and sterile technique according to the guidelines of AAHA, AORN and AAMI guidelines.
  
  Maintains compliance for AAHA/AVMA/IACUC surveys. Learns and is responsible for MSDS guidelines of chemicals used within the service and uses proper chemicals for cleaning instruments. Directs instrument/supply requests and unresolved issues to the designated resource, team leader or supervisor.
  
  Tests, locates, connects, operates, and troubleshoots equipment. Follows protocols and policies to request supplies and handle broken equipment. Assist surgeon/surgery student with specimen handling and submission.
  
  Assists with patient transfer as needed before and after surgery. Submits correct charges for procedures and any items checked out to other services or research accounts and documents the charge in the Tracking Log. Assists with precepting new team members and cross-trainers.
  
  Maintains training binder and case log. Scan documents, order forms, sterilization cards, and nurse's notes. Maintain organization of the folders and scanned documents.
  
  Assists faculty, residents, interns, students, and other veterinary technicians in peri-operative patient care. Reads available texts about surgical procedures if not familiar prior to patient arrival to the O.R. Verifies the correct patient and procedure to be performed in accordance with the checklist.
  
  Pulls necessary sterile supplies, sterile instruments, and equipment appropriate for the procedure. Sets up the operating room prior to patient arrival. Reads the patient medical record, prior to patient arrival to the OR, and relates any pertinent information to the team leader and plans their care according to the information.
  
  Performs all the duties necessary to competently circulate surgical procedures for all services of the small animal hospital such as orthopedics, cardiology, neurology, zoo, etc. Assists anesthesia as needed during surgery. In conjunction with the surgical team, assists with performing proper patient positioning, head support, eye protection, and limb restraint specific to the surgery while maintaining body alignment and safe patient handling.
  
  Maintains and submits surgical records. Prepares and maintains the sterile field and performs surgical skin prep all while adhering to principles of aseptic technique. Utilizes departmental checklist to document sharps, instruments and sponge counts pre, intra and post op.
  
  Performs proper disposal of sharps and bio- hazardous waste for any case. Checks tech folder and e-mail for any corrections of the nursing record or charges and changes as needed. Assists with precepting new team members and cross-trainers. Report to supervisor/team leader for assignments.

• Required training, compliance and administrative procedures: Maintains and remains current with all required trainings by Texas A&M and VMTH.
  
  Follows all Texas A&M and VMTH policies and procedures. Maintains certification or licensure where appropriate. Enters all time and leave requests to direct supervisor in a timely manner.
  
  Communicates via various media throughout shift or while on-call according to protocol (ex: text, Microsoft Teams, group me, e- mail, etc). Assists in revising and preparing policies. Independently maintains assigned responsibilities including designated inventory. Maintains service inventory pull sheets, pack lists, and surgeon's preferences according to departmental guidelines.
  
  Assists in maintaining compliance for AAHA/AVMA/IACUC/AALAC/USDA surveys. Arrives in a timely manner to work each day in order to be properly dressed in surgical attire at the start of the shift. Weekday shifts assigned by supervisor; which can be one of the following: 11a-8p, 10a-7p, 9a-6p, 8a-5p or 7a-4p.
  
  Assists with veterinary student teaching labs as assigned. Assists in clinical research cases including necessary record keeping. Assists in resident arthroscopy, total hip, laparoscopy, thoracoscopy and spinal labs.
  
  Participates in CE classes and local seminars as scheduling permits. Performs other duties as assigned. May require working alternate shifts, holidays, weekends or "on call" duty. Willing to work a flexible schedule and understanding of the need to work occasional overtime when necessary.

Instructions to Applicants: Applications received by Texas A&M University must either have all job application data entered or a resume attached.

Failure to provide all job application data or a complete resume could result in an invalid submission and a rejected application. We encourage all applicants to upload a resume or use a LinkedIn profile to pre-populate the online application.

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution's verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution's procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Veterans/Disability Employer.