Veterinary Technician II - SA Orthopedics

Job Title

Veterinary Technician II - SA Orthopedics

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 Veterinary Technician II assists faculty, staff and students with veterinary patient care, including but not limited to: administering treatments to animals admitted to the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital under supervision of the professional staff, providing clinical assistance to the professional staff, instructing veterinary students in proper clinical techniques supporting patient care, and maintaining a sanitary and functionally well-organized service within the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. Provides clinical support to veterinarians in the delivery of anesthesia to healthy canine, and the occasional feline, patients for elective orthopedic procedures within the Small Animal Orthopedics service one week per month.

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.

Required Education and Experience:

• Associate degree in veterinary technology, biomedical science, animal science or related area or equivalent combination of relevant education and experience.

• Two years of technical experience in a veterinary hospital or referral clinic environment

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Strong oral and written communication skills.

• Basic computer skills. Working knowledge of equipment used in a veterinary teaching hospital. Thorough knowledge of equipment used in area of specialization.

• Ability to multitask and work cooperatively with others.

• Demonstrates knowledge of medical math.

• Basic knowledge of canine and feline anatomy and physiology.

• Able to appropriately handle and restrain feline and canine patients with methods that are both fear free and/or feline friendly.

• Ability to communicate professionally, effectively, and positively with all individuals in a veterinary medical teaching hospital setting.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Certification as a Licensed Veterinary Technician

Responsibilities:

• Orthopedic responsibilities: Performs aseptic surgical patient preparation.
  
  Serves as scrub nurse during Orthopedic surgical procedures such as arthroscopies, TPLOs and fracture repairs. Serves as scrub nurse for total joint replacement surgeries. Assists in the scheduling of surgical procedures, providing communication to all areas of the hospital.
  
  Ensures that necessary equipment is available for the day of a procedure. Assists the anesthesia service as needed with surgical and diagnostic cases pertaining to the Orthopedic service. Assists clinicians, residents, and students with proper bandaging techniques.
  
  Assists clinicians, residents, and students with specialty bandages. Assists with obtaining radiographs and medical records. Assists clinicians, residents and students with proper sedation protocols and techniques.
  
  Assists clinicians, students and residents with orthopedic examinations. Assist with appointment scheduling as needed. Communicates with clients and referring veterinarians as needed.
  
  Uploads arthroscopy photos into electronic medical record. Assists client services with opening orthopedic appointment schedule. Maintains and manages surgery logs and client follow up calls.

• Teaching and Clinical research: Participates in the instruction of technical skills in labs and seminars as needed.
  
  Participates in clinical and basic research programs as needed within the terms of employment (<10%). Assists in clinical research efforts to include record keeping and data management. Assists in instruction and training of other staff, including junior veterinary technicians, veterinary assistants and student technicians.

• Clinical responsibilities: Instructs, guides, and supervises students in proper clinical techniques to support patient care.
  
  Monitors patients to detect any change in their clinical status and keep patients clean. Provides physical restraint for the safe handling of patients. Performs or assists with the collection and submission of patients' blood, urine, and tissues.
  
  Assists and instructs in the performance of diagnostic procedures and examinations. Administers patient treatment following a clinician's orders without direct supervision. Places and maintains IV catheters.
  
  Assists with administration of sedation, patient monitoring and transport. Gathers and prepares all necessary supplies for procedures. Assists in all surgery services as needed, providing technical support due to staff outages or caseload. Provides assistance to other services as caseload permits.

• Anesthesia responsibilities: Performs and assists with all aspects of patient care to maintain proper anesthetic levels and analgesia for patients undergoing elective orthopedic procedures.
  
  Performs and assists with simple intravenous catheterization techniques, and the administration of pre-medicants, induction agents, inhalant anesthetics, and appropriate analgesics. Monitors and records patients' physiological data and medications administered during the perioperative and postoperative period. Monitors and assists in patient anesthetic recoveries.
  
  Performs and instructs regional blocks, especially epidural, without immediate supervision. Recognizes and treats hypotension, hypothermia, and other physiological abnormalities on anesthetized patients with faculty support. Recognizes cardiac arrhythmias and seeks guidance from faculty support. Recognizes and treats perioperative and postoperative pain with faculty support/guidance.

• Maintain equipment and service area: Maintains a sanitary and well-organized service within the Veterinary Medical teaching hospital.
  
  Restock supplies and medical inventory as needed. Cleans and repackages items for sterilization specific to the service. Maintains equipment within the service area.

• Required training, compliance, and administrative procedures: Follows hospital policy and procedures.
  
  Remain current with Rabies prophylaxis and titer checks. Completes Radiation safety training, Infection Control, Aseptic Technique and maintains certification or licensure where appropriate. Ensures all hospital fees are correctly captured and entered into the hospital electronic medical records system.
  
  Assists hospital in maintaining accreditations and certification: AHAA, AVMA, AALAC, IACUC, Feline Friendly, etc. Performs duties as assigned as an essential employee of the VMTH.

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.