Veterinary Assistant

RFEMC Veterinary Assistant Job Description

As a Veterinary Assistant your duties will include but are not limited to; assisting the veterinarians in the Practice of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, in-patient and out-patient care, technician examinations, laboratory duties, treatments, surgery duties, dentistry, medical record notation and maintenance, housekeeping duties throughout the facility, administrative duties, inventory, OSHA awareness and compliance, extraordinary customer service and maintaining a practical knowledge of the hospitals procedures, services and policies. The expected manner of every team member is to maintain a professional demeanor at all times, use appropriate medical terminology and support practice ownership, management and fellow team members at all times. 

Essential Job Function Basics- 

• Bending, stooping, crouching, kneeling, standing/walking on concrete floor up to 12 hours a day, typing, writing, balancing, twisting, squatting and rotating throughout the day. 
• Moving horses from room to room. Restraining animals intermittently
• Ability to maintain an alertness level to keep safe from possible danger, resilience after disappointment or constructive feedback, compassion, to follow the ethical guidelines of your profession and this hospital, powers of keen observation for patient care, excellent reading/comprehension/legible writing skills, ability to negotiate with difficult people and problem solve and the ability to make rational and effective decisions. 
• Keep team mentality in mind at all times, be prepared and willing to offer assistance and ask for assistance when needed, keep a positive professional outlook, completely abstain from gossip/negative observation regarding clients/team members or other professionals or other behavior that can whittle away at the healthy foundation of a team. 
• Attend staff meetings, participate in hospital functions like open house, community efforts

 and special events. Be prepared to present topics at the staff meetings. 

Environmental Working Conditions-

• Noise exposure from animals and machinery.
• Danger of being bitten, kicked, pushed, scratched.
• Exposure to various risks including but not limited to; gas anesthesia, chemotherapy drugs, radiation, drugs and chemicals under OSHA, rabies and euthanasia drugs as well as compassion fatigue.

Technical Veterinary Duties-

• Admit patients for in-patient or out-patient procedures, perform technician exams according to hospital procedure, fill prescriptions written and authorized by a DVM, taking vital signs and preparing vaccines.
• Perform all patient treatments ordered by the attending DVM (medicating, TPR, close observation and charting, monitor intensive care patients, take x-rays, use IV pumps, monitors, dental machines, intra-oral radiology and anesthesia machines.

Medical Records-

• Be well versed in hospital software, medical record charting, surgical monitoring charts, dental charts, hospitalized patient charts and keep very thorough, legible and professional notes in each. 
• Be able to record TPR’s, medical history, patient status, procedures, treatments, findings, lab results, surgical notes, pre-surgical findings, anesthetic risk, all medications given or dispensed and complete discharge/homecare/report card instructions. 
• Thoroughly record conversations with clients including all recommendations, declined recommendations or treatments. 

Housekeeping-

• Keep treatment/surgery/exam rooms clean and sanitary. Keep lab equipment well maintained, be sure stalls are cleaned on all surfaces, counters, refrigerators, bathrooms, floors and general environment are kept up to hospital standards. The surgery suite is to be kept extremely sanitary and closed-walls are washed down regularly, all surfaces disinfected and supplies and crash cart kept stocked with updated non-expired supplies. 
• Be prepared to perform stall duties including walking, feeding, medicating, scrubbing, mopping, laundry, grooming and occasionally bathing. 

Administrative Duties-

• Filings, pulling charts, invoicing, faxing, copying, creating various reports from the software, answer phone calls, make appointments, prepare medical records for all types of appointments and stock retail inventory in the lobby. 
• Learn to exceed our client’s expectations, answer questions, return phone calls, offer tours and provide grief counsel. 

Inventory- 

• Maintain/monitor and reconcile controlled drugs. List needed inventory items on want list before the last one is taken, unpack orders using hospital packing slip procedure, stock shelves, monitor for expiration dates and redundant items.

OSHA and MSMS’s-

• Be trained in the “Right to Know” OSHA requirements and follow all health/safety/environmental emergency procedures. 
• Know the location of all MSDSs, accident and injury log, self-aid kit and emergency phone numbers. 
• Keep all secondary containers properly labeled. 

Miscellaneous Duties-

• Learn the veterinary software thoroughly and basic document preparation. 
• Prepare referral forms, x-rays for email, x-ray badge maintenance, police the building and grounds automatically as you walk through, notify management of any damage or necessary repairs, be always observant of client satisfactions needs, report any client concerns to management immediately. 

**This is by no means a complete list. Some tasks may be assigned to a specific staff member to complete. Some tasks may be added or moved. Procedures and policies may change. **

RFEMC Veterinary Assistant Job Description

As a Veterinary Assistant your duties will include but are not limited to; assisting the veterinarians in the Practice of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, in-patient and out-patient care, technician examinations, laboratory duties, treatments, surgery duties, dentistry, medical record notation and maintenance, housekeeping duties throughout the facility, administrative duties, inventory, OSHA awareness and compliance, extraordinary customer service and maintaining a practical knowledge of the hospitals procedures, services and policies. The expected manner of every team member is to maintain a professional demeanor at all times, use appropriate medical terminology and support practice ownership, management and fellow team members at all times. 

Essential Job Function Basics- 

• Bending, stooping, crouching, kneeling, standing/walking on concrete floor up to 12 hours a day, typing, writing, balancing, twisting, squatting and rotating throughout the day. 
• Moving horses from room to room. Restraining animals intermittently
• Ability to maintain an alertness level to keep safe from possible danger, resilience after disappointment or constructive feedback, compassion, to follow the ethical guidelines of your profession and this hospital, powers of keen observation for patient care, excellent reading/comprehension/legible writing skills, ability to negotiate with difficult people and problem solve and the ability to make rational and effective decisions. 
• Keep team mentality in mind at all times, be prepared and willing to offer assistance and ask for assistance when needed, keep a positive professional outlook, completely abstain from gossip/negative observation regarding clients/team members or other professionals or other behavior that can whittle away at the healthy foundation of a team. 
• Attend staff meetings, participate in hospital functions like open house, community efforts

 and special events. Be prepared to present topics at the staff meetings. 

Environmental Working Conditions-

• Noise exposure from animals and machinery.
• Danger of being bitten, kicked, pushed, scratched.
• Exposure to various risks including but not limited to; gas anesthesia, chemotherapy drugs, radiation, drugs and chemicals under OSHA, rabies and euthanasia drugs as well as compassion fatigue.

Technical Veterinary Duties-

• Admit patients for in-patient or out-patient procedures, perform technician exams according to hospital procedure, fill prescriptions written and authorized by a DVM, taking vital signs and preparing vaccines.
• Perform all patient treatments ordered by the attending DVM (medicating, TPR, close observation and charting, monitor intensive care patients, take x-rays, use IV pumps, monitors, dental machines, intra-oral radiology and anesthesia machines.

Medical Records-

• Be well versed in hospital software, medical record charting, surgical monitoring charts, dental charts, hospitalized patient charts and keep very thorough, legible and professional notes in each. 
• Be able to record TPR’s, medical history, patient status, procedures, treatments, findings, lab results, surgical notes, pre-surgical findings, anesthetic risk, all medications given or dispensed and complete discharge/homecare/report card instructions. 
• Thoroughly record conversations with clients including all recommendations, declined recommendations or treatments. 

Housekeeping-

• Keep treatment/surgery/exam rooms clean and sanitary. Keep lab equipment well maintained, be sure stalls are cleaned on all surfaces, counters, refrigerators, bathrooms, floors and general environment are kept up to hospital standards. The surgery suite is to be kept extremely sanitary and closed-walls are washed down regularly, all surfaces disinfected and supplies and crash cart kept stocked with updated non-expired supplies. 
• Be prepared to perform stall duties including walking, feeding, medicating, scrubbing, mopping, laundry, grooming and occasionally bathing. 

Administrative Duties-

• Filings, pulling charts, invoicing, faxing, copying, creating various reports from the software, answer phone calls, make appointments, prepare medical records for all types of appointments and stock retail inventory in the lobby. 
• Learn to exceed our client’s expectations, answer questions, return phone calls, offer tours and provide grief counsel. 

Inventory- 

• Maintain/monitor and reconcile controlled drugs. List needed inventory items on want list before the last one is taken, unpack orders using hospital packing slip procedure, stock shelves, monitor for expiration dates and redundant items.

OSHA and MSMS’s-

• Be trained in the “Right to Know” OSHA requirements and follow all health/safety/environmental emergency procedures. 
• Know the location of all MSDSs, accident and injury log, self-aid kit and emergency phone numbers. 
• Keep all secondary containers properly labeled. 

Miscellaneous Duties-

• Learn the veterinary software thoroughly and basic document preparation. 
• Prepare referral forms, x-rays for email, x-ray badge maintenance, police the building and grounds automatically as you walk through, notify management of any damage or necessary repairs, be always observant of client satisfactions needs, report any client concerns to management immediately. 

**This is by no means a complete list. Some tasks may be assigned to a specific staff member to complete. Some tasks may be added or moved. Procedures and policies may change. **