Veterinary Assistant

Holding true to our core values since the early 1960s, we are proud to have served Cleveland and other surrounding Ohio communities with compassionate, quality veterinary care for more than 50 years. We are made up of a diverse and compassionate team who love our patients and appreciate the joy and friendship they bring to our homes and communities. We are an enthusiastic, friendly group of people who focus on providing high-quality medical care to our patients, as well as education to pet owners in our community. Our team undergoes exceptional training and development to assure we are providing the same care that we would give to our own pets.

With a comprehensive list of advanced pet care services, you will find a full range of veterinary care accommodations at our AAHA accredited facility. From wellness exams, emergency care, veterinary surgery, pet rehabilitation, and pain management, our superior methods, technologies, and equipment, prepare us to treat dogs, cats, and some pocket pets.

Job Requirements: The Veterinary Assistant supports and assists the veterinarians and veterinary technicians, ensuring the safety of patients, clients and other team members, and the continuity of quality veterinary care. Providing professional, efficient, and exceptional service at all times, the Veterinary Assistant ensures that clients and patients are comfortable in the hospital. They assist in patient restraint, test set-up, nursing care and triage/discharge of patients. They help the technicians to achieve greater efficiency by relieving them of some of the routine work within state practice acts and as outlined in the NAVTA guidelines for veterinary assistant skills and duties.

Reports To: Head Assistant

Responsibilities Include:

• Hold or restrain animals during veterinary procedures; remaining calm and compassionate with animal, not reacting to fear and/or pain; keeping the patient, themselves, and other doctors or team members safe
• Maintain a neat and organized work station
• Providing care of hospitalized patients with exceptional patient care, focusing on details, and using critical thinking
• Safely and competently operate equipment pertinent to carrying out duties including, but not limited to, laboratory equipment, intra-office technologies, and x-ray machine.
• Assist with appointments and workups to maintain a timely flow of appointments.
• Assist clients in and out of the exam room by holding doors, helping with carriers or carrying items/patients when needed.
• Clean, freshen, and maintain kennels, animal holding areas, examination or operating rooms, and labs throughout the day to control the spread of disease.
• Assist clients with unruly or unrestrained patients; make sure that all dogs are leashed and cats are in carriers; isolate aggressive patients or ask owners to leave them in their vehicle (weather permitting); request assistance from other team members as needed, do not let owners help with restraint.
• Review services, medications, pet foods, and supplies; look for opportunities to educate clients regarding our products and services during discharging the patients.
• Assist outgoing clients by providing all necessary instructions and dispensing prescription items per the veterinarian's instructions.
• Client communication including but not limited to; answering medication/treatment plan questions, relaying messages from the veterinarian or licsensed technician, reviewing go home care instructions, obtaining accurate patient history, and more.
• Be knowledgeable of and complete daily activities including:
  • Drawing up and administering subcutaneous vaccines and medications.
  • Triaging cases to expedite visits by obtaining a brief, but thorough history and vitals
  • Aide technicians and doctors with surgical procedures by setting up and maintaining sterile surgical areas, and assisting in the procedures.
  • Monitor animals recovering from surgery and notify veterinarians of any unusual changes or symptoms.
  • Performing nail trims, expressing anal glands, and cleaning ears on patients
  • Contribute to team health and engagement by being supportive, assisting with new hire training and attending and contributing to team meetings.

Comprehensive Benefit Package:

• Competitive pay scale from $16 - $22/hr
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Short term disability coverage
• Life insurance
• 401(k) with employer matching
• Generous employee discounts
• Employer paid EAP
• PTO
• Access to a dedicated financial wellness team and more

ATTITUDE: shows initiative, integrity, cooperativeness, flexibility, tolerance for stress

CAPABILITIES: Must be able to multi-task, have good communication skills, organizational ability, problem solving skills, client service skills and intellectual ability.

• Language Ability: 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 of organization.
• Math Ability: Ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio and percent.
• 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 concrete variables in standardized situations.

PHYSICAL CONSIDERATIONS:

• The noise level in the work environment is moderately high.
• Requires sufficient ambulatory skills in order to perform duties while at hospital.
• Ability to stand, walk, stoop, kneel, crouch, and climb as well as manipulate (lift, carry, move) up to 50 pounds.
• Requires good hand-eye coordination, arm-hand-finger dexterity with the ability to grasp, and visual acuity to use a keyboard and operate equipment.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
• Associate is routinely exposed to a variety of pets that may bite or scratch, and on occasion, exposed to anesthesia, radiation, biological hazards and medication/controlled substances.

Preferred Experience, Education and/or Training: High school diploma or equivalent required. A minimum of 1 year experience in the veterinary field or attendance in a Register Veterinary Nurse program is highly preferred.