Role
Location
Description
Veterinary Assistant
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 Functions:
- Determine animal requirements by conducting examinations and interviews, reviewing care plans and records, completing laboratory tests and studies, and diagnostic imaging.
- Care for patients by taking vital signs, collecting samples, administering medications, drugs, and vaccines, and bandaging and wrapping wounds.
- Support patient examinations and operations by assembling required supplies and instruments, securing and bringing patients to examination rooms, and restraining patients; aids as directed by the veterinarian.
- Provide excellent pet care by applying full knowledge of anatomy, physiology, disease processes, pharmacology, specialized equipment usage, and specialized drug administration.
- Obtain and verify medications.
- Ensure that patients have food and water, clean patients' rooms, cages, and equipment; observe patients for clinical signs of disease.
- As directed, fill prescriptions and administer medications, including proper documentation, logging, and security of controlled drugs.
- Maintain a safe, secure, healthy, and humane environment by sterilizing and wrapping instruments, sanitizing and disinfecting holding and operating areas, storing sterile supplies, verifying shelf life, following standards and procedures, and in compliance with applicable legal regulations.
- Maintain medical records by documenting patients’ conditions, reactions, and changes; update the database in an accurate and timely manner.
- Communicate with the pet owner about the status of the patient, as directed by the veterinarian.
- Maintain equipment by following operating instructions, troubleshooting breakdowns, maintaining equipment supplies, performing preventive maintenance, and calling for repairs.
- Release pets to their owners as directed; ensure that every animal released is clean and properly groomed before their release.
- Understand and carry out oral and written directions.
- Perform other duties as assigned by Manager or practice
Qualifications:
- High school diploma or equivalent
- One or more years' experience in a veterinary environment successfully performing all of the duties of this position
- Vet Tech (VTNE) Certification preferred
- Experience with surgical monitoring, radiology, dental prophylaxis, and client education preferred
- May consider an equivalent combination of education, certification, training, and/or experience
Position 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 and holidays
- 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 involving lifting or carrying moderately heavy animals (up to 50 pounds)
Additional Information: The list of essential functions, as outlined in this job description, is intended to be representative of the tasks performed within this classification. The omission of any job function does not preclude management from assigning duties not listed herein if such functions are a logical assignment to 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
PetVet respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information. Please see our privacy notice for additional information about our data practices.