Career Opportunities

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:

• Provide compassionate care to all patients
• Greet patients and their owners as they arrive and show 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 soothe 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
• Bath and care for patients who stay overnight; ensure that every animal released is clean and properly groomed prior to their release
• Adhere to the hospital's safety and wellness regulations
• Understand and carry out oral and written directions
• Maintain accurate medical records
• Show 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 the Manager; may have other assigned duties if working in a specialty area (i.e., dentistry, surgery, emergency, radiology, cardiology, neurology, internal medicine, etc.)

Additional Functions: Assignment to the areas below may include 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
• Understands 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:

• Assists veterinarians with a variety of emergency procedures and critical care situations
• Cleans wounds and applies casts or bandages
• Give injections and takes blood samples
• May have to be on call in the intensive care unit

Internal Medicine:

• Researches general wellness and preventative medicine for animals

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:

• Assists veterinarians with patient assessment, diagnostics, treatments, and procedures
• Provides empathy, comfort, and unparalleled nursing care to all patients and serves as a strong patient advocate during the patient's hospitalization
• Provides client communication and education on various oncology disease processes

Ophthalmology:

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

Radiology:

• Assists veterinarians with providing high-quality diagnostic imaging services to inpatient, outpatient, surgical, and emergency patients

Surgery:

• Provides extensive surgical assistance by preparing patients, 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 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.

Position Overview: The Hospital Manager works daily to develop an efficient and effective hospital support team by fostering an environment of trust, teamwork, and accountability. The Hospital Manager partners with the Veterinarian to provide an efficient and profitable operation by driving revenue and managing costs while creating a hospital culture based on high-quality patient care and excellent customer service.

Essential Position Functions:

• Supervises the staff within all hospital support departments; achieves and maintains all labor goals.
• Hires and trains office and technical clinic support staff; responsible for new hire paperwork.
• Orients and trains new clinic staff to the hospital and duties.
• Reviews work performance of direct reports, constructively delivers feedback, resolves personnel issues, and discussions with the Regional Manager weekly.
• Conducts timely performance appraisals.
• Documents and reports accidents; files appropriate reports.
• Writes policies/procedures relating to all technical aspects of the hospital and presents for approval.
• Manages schedules for technical and administrative staff coordinates the DVM.
• Monitors Workforce Management for missed punches and management of overtime hours daily.
• Administers the daily operations.
• Works with the PetVet Care Centers support team to ensure compliance with all administrative responsibilities.
• Monitors budgets, purchases equipment and supplies, and oversees the maintenance of the facility.
• Responsible for submitting contract veterinarian invoices, submitting all local vendor invoices, ensuring invoice accuracy, and obtaining w9’s from local vendors.
• Assists in resolving issues with pet owners where appropriate.
• Reviews revenue, labor, and employee issues with the PetVet leadership on a weekly conference call; achieve goals set in each area.
• Responsible for all local accounting functions; ensure daily financial information is accurate.
• Oversees the management of the inventory and ensures proper documentation and systems are in place.
• May establish and oversee billing practices; reviews and maintains the accuracy of billing and oversees charge capturing.
• May be responsible for contracts or negotiations with insurance providers.
• Maintain compliance of current licensure and the display of the same. Maintaining updated licenses for DVMs.
• Performs other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the Manager.

Competencies:

• Analytical skills; strong ability to analyze information quickly and efficiently as it relates to the hospital’s finances.
• Strategic planning; the ability for financial forecasting, marketing plans, and long-term plans for the growth of the practice.
• Leadership; ability to effectively manage and direct hospital staff towards a common goal.
• Decision-making skills; possess the ability to make good decisions, solve problems, and decide on essential matters.
• Communications; demonstrate the ability to communicate, orally, and in writing, effectively to convey necessary information to hospital staff.
• Resourcefulness and adaptability; the ability to take the initiative and get things done as well as the ability to adapt to changes or new information.
• Compliance; ability to understand and manage important compliance regulations and requirements of the hospital.
• Planning and prioritizing; must be able to organize work efficiently, set priorities, and establish plans and timetables for achieving goals.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in business, health science or related field strongly preferred.
• At a minimum, five years of direct office management experience, including at least two years of supervisory experience is required.
• Certified Veterinary Practice Manager (CVPM) or Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) is preferred.
• May consider an equivalent combination of education, certification, training, and/or experience.

Position Knowledge and Skill Requirements:

• Ability to provide customer service in a courteous, prompt, and efficient manner.
• Computer proficiency in using Microsoft Office products (Word, Outlook, and Excel) and applicable organization-specific software.
• Establish and maintain productive and cooperative working relationships.
• Active time management and organizational skills to complete work promptly.
• Excellent communications skills both orally and in writing.
• Must be flexible with scheduling and able to work some weekends and holidays.
• Ability to work with or around sick animals, potentially hazardous materials, cleaning chemicals, gas anesthetics, zoonotic diseases, and unpleasant odors.
• Depending on the functional area of assignment, tasks may involve extended periods at a keyboard or workstation and/or extended periods standing and/or walking.
• May include 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).
• Other duties and responsibilities as assigned by management.

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.