General Description of Position:
The veterinary assistant assists the Doctor with office visits and exams, takes care of the everyday needs of pets in the hospital ward and boarding facility, if applicable, and helps maintains the hospital facility, keeping it neat and clean.
JOB REQUIREMENTS, SKILLS, AND PHYSICAL DEMANDS
An employee in this position must have a sense of caring for animals, be able to lift approximately 50 pounds, walk dogs of up to 130 pounds, work on feet all day, and read and understand English.
GENERAL PATIENT CARE:
Providing compassionate care for patients, restraining patients for veterinarians and technicians, and transporting pets to various hospital areas.
PATIENT LIAISON:
Includes documenting all client conversations, patient procedures, patient observations, and any other notes in
medical records; calling clients to update patient condition, communicating drop off and pick up times, assisting the veterinarian with client phone calls and questions, and maintaining/ creating client information packets.
DIAGNOSTIC SERVICES:
Includes assisting in the taking of x-rays, monitoring and collecting urine and fecal samples as needed.
HOSPITALIZED PATIENT CARE:
Includes, monitoring, recording, and reporting physical signs of hospitalized/boarded pets, cleaning cages, runs, boarding area and/or hospital facilities, including exam rooms, treatment room, employee lounge, bathrooms and doctor’s office, provide clean bedding, water and litter pans for pets, feeding hospitalized/boarded pets as needed, exercising hospitalized/boarded dogs as needed, bathing pets and preparing pets for dismissal, retrieving pets that are being discharged, re-stocking ward with food from food room, washing and sanitizing pet dishes.
GENERAL MAINTENANCE:
Includes maintaining reception area in a neat and sanitary condition, bringing retail food to reception area, re-stocking reception area shelves, laundry (as needed).
HOUSEKEEPING:
Maintain a clean and tidy reception desk and lobby, free from animal hair and bodily waste, ensure coffee station is clean and stocked, assist Hospital Attendants in cleaning the exam rooms when needed.
OTHER POSSIBLE DUTIES:
which include completing available continuing education, and other duties assigned to you.
PATIENT HANDLING:
Includes assisting Doctors and other Technicians in handling patients for procedures, exams, x-ray, sample collection, using safety equipment (such as muzzles when needed), keeping patients warm and dry, monitoring patients for need to go out for elimination (communicating with Hospital Attendants).
QUALIFICATIONS:
• To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.
The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/ or ability required.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• Communicate effectively with clients.
• Work within a team framework and interact as the situation dictates.
• Communicate and understand verbal and written directions.
• Take direction well.
LANGUAGE SKILLS:
• Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees.
MATHEMATICAL SKILLS:
• Ability to calculate figures and amounts, such as discount percentages, inventory markup, area, circumference, volume, drug dosages in ml or mg, conversion of pounds to kilograms, kilograms to pounds, and kilograms to meters squared. Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra.
REASONING ABILITY:
• Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several variables in standardized situations.
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
• The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while
performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be exposed to toxic or caustic chemicals and risk of radiation. Use of practice provided Personal Protective Equipment is essential if needed for any duty. While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be regularly exposed to the possibility of an animal bite or scratch from an animal. Proper restraining techniques are to be followed at all times.
• The noise level in the environment is moderate.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential function.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, use hands to finger, restrain, handle, or feel, reach with hands and arms, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl, talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to sit. The employee is regularly required to lift up to 50 pounds. The vision requirements include: close vision, distant vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
DISCLAIMER: This job description is not meant to be an all-inclusive listing of duties expected of this position. This job description, the duties and expectations may change at any time.