Veterinary Technician Assistant

Veterinary Technician Assistant:

A Veterinary Technician Assistant helps the technicians, doctors, and receptionists in all duties of the hospital.  The responsibilities vary with current needs of the hospital staff, the season of the year, and the individual Abilities demonstrated by the employee.

Major Duties

Kennel:  Care of hospitalized animals including cage cleaning, exercising, feeding, observation for signs of illness, parasites and disease control, and keeping animals clean.

Hospital Physical Plant:  General cleaning of public and employee areas, building and yard maintenance to maintain clean, odor-free, and attractive environment.  Housekeeping and laundry duties for all areas.

Animal:  Ability to restrain for procedures performed by the technicians or doctors, knowledge of common diseases, their symptoms and means of transmission, administration of oral medications, assessment of change in animal status.

Public Relations:  Professional, cheerful, and helpful attitude when contacting pet owners, knowledge of preventative health care recommendations to answer questions and assist in marketing veterinary services from which their pet would benefit.

Reception:  Knowledge of cashiering out-patients, boarding and hospitalized patients from admission to discharge, knowledge of patient folders, vaccine schedules, other front desk procedures in order to assist receptionists.

Laboratory:  Performance of simple in-house lab rotators tests, completion of forms for out house laboratory, filing of laboratory reports and clean up of laboratory area.

Assisting:  Animal restraint, nail trimming, ear cleaning, client education, prescription filling and computer transaction entry during office hours or treatment times.

Inventory:  Unpacking, labeling and stocking of hospital supplies, ordering, purchasing and stocking of cleaning and office supplies, kennel supplies, budget control and efficiency management.

Other Duties:

• Dispense medication which the doctor has prescribed.
• Take drug inventory and keep supplies for cleaning, animal food, paper towels, etc. current.
• Prep patients for surgery.
• Assist in surgery.
• Assist with the operation of the anesthesia machine and other applicable equipment.
• Prepare surgery packs and cutting surgery drapes.
• Clean and autoclave syringes, needles and other surgical instruments.
• Assist in radiology.
• Being responsible for the cleanliness of the entire hospital.
• Keep the wards and kennels clean and disinfected, very high priority.
• Thoroughly clean autoclave every month.
• Assist with the dog walking, cage cleaning and general hospital cleaning.
• Check on every animal in hospital and report to doctor.
• Ensure supplies are always available in exam rooms and treatment room.
• See that necessary literature is always available for you or doctor to give to client.
• Check on in-patients throughout the day and report any abnormalities to doctor.
• Keep the treatment area clean and free of dirty items used during treatment.

Controls Over Work

The practitioners provide continuing or individual assignments indicating generally what is to be done, limitations, quality and quantity expected, deadlines and priority of assignments.  The practitioners provide additional, specific instruction for new, difficult or unusual assignments in animal health care, including suggested work methods or advise on source materials available.  The Veterinary Technician Assistant uses initiative in carrying out recurring assignments independently without specific instructions, but refers deviations, problems, and unfamiliar situations not covered by instructions to the practitioner for decision or help.  The practitioners assure that finished work and methods used are technically accurate and in compliance with instructions or established procedures.  Review of the work increases with more difficult assignments, if the veterinary technician assistant has not previously performed similar assignments.    Administrative supervision may be provided by the Technician Team Leader, practice manager or by Dr. Jason.

Skills and Knowledge:

• Knowledge of the procedures used for receiving, treating, and scheduling patients, for ordering medical supplies, and requesting laboratory tests.
• Knowledge of the use, care, and storage of veterinary instruments, materials, and equipment.
• Knowledge of sterilization techniques to sterilize various instruments and materials.
• Knowledge of the instruments, materials, and standardized procedures used in the full variety of treatments to make preparations and provide “table side”assistance.