Introduction
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.
The Veterinary Technician Assistant is responsible for beginning the procedures for examination. Starting the medical SOAP with a weight, temperature, reason for visit, preventatives, current medications, and pertinent medical history in relation to their visit. The assistants also provide any necessary restraint, keeping in mind low stress handling techniques, for the pet during the examination and treatment. If injections are needed, either the Doctor or the Veterinary Technician will administer those.
Major Duties
Kennel: Care of boarding and hospitalized animals, including cage cleaning, exercising, feeding, observation for signs of illness, parasites and disease control, laundry, bathing and dipping procedures, and keeping animals clean.
Hospital Physical Plant: General cleaning of public and employee areas, building, and yard maintenance to maintain a clean, odor-free, and attractive environment. Housekeeping and laundry duties for all areas.
Animal: Ability to restrain for procedures performed by 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. This will be very limited but would be a helpful tool if/when we are short handed.
Laboratory: Performance of simple in-house laboratory tests, completion of forms for our out of house laboratory, filing of laboratory reports and clean up of laboratory area.
Assisting: Animal restraint, nail trimming, ear cleaning, client education, prescription filling for basic meds (LVTS typically fill prescriptions) and computer transaction entry during office hours or treatment times.
Inventory: Unpacking, labeling and stocking of hospital supplies, stocking of cleaning and office supplies, kennel supplies budget control and efficiency management.
Other Duties
Take drug inventory and keep supplies for cleaning, animal food, paper towels, etc. current.
Assist in preparing patients for surgery.
Assist in surgery.
Prepare surgery packs and cutting surgery drapes.
Clean and autoclave syringes, needles and other surgical instruments.
Assist in radiology.
Assist kennel help and being responsible for the cleanliness of the entire hospital.
Keep the wards and kennels clean and disinfected, very high priority.
Pay close attention to the maintenance list and learn how to properly clean/maintain all of the medical equipment in the office.
Assist with dog walking, cage cleaning, and general hospital cleaning.
Assist in checking on every animal according to their hospitalization sheets and report to doctor.
Clean exam rooms after each visit and prepare for the next client and patient.
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.
Assist the Veterinary Technician, who is responsible for surgical treatments and discharges- restraint while removing I.V. Catherizations. Walking post surgical patients once approved, etc.
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 instructions for new, difficult or unusual assignments in animal health care, including suggested work methods or advice 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 ensure that the 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 and/or the Practice Manager.
Physical Effort
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the primary functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to bend, stand, stoop, walk, sit, talk, and listen; may be required to walk or stand for long periods of time; will use hands to manipulate, handle, or feel; will reach with hands and arms. The employee is often required to lift and carry animals or materials weighing fifty pounds or more; handle dogs weighing up to 150 lbs.
Work Environment
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is exposed to hazards associated with aggressive patients; hazards associated with infected animals and controlled substances; exposure to unpleasant odors and noises; exposure to bites, scratches and animal wastes; possible exposure to contagious diseases.
Skills and Knowledge
Knowledge of the procedures used for receiving, treating, and scheduling patients, 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 “tableside” assistance.
Knowledge of animal handling techniques.