Veterinary Technician II

SUMMARY

Assists in the operation and maintenance of Fayette County Veterinary Clinic. Works with multiple veterinarians and works cooperatively with other technicians to accomplish technical skills, diagnostic testing, surgical prep, patient care, customer service, administrative tasks, appointments, equipment maintenance and cleaning. There may be other requirements based on daily clinic needs as deemed appropriate and necessary.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Customer Service

•    Communicates with clients in a respectful, empathetic and professional manner.

•    Addresses concerns in a solution seeking manner.

•    Delivers patients and belongings clean and organized.

•    Clearly communicates medications, medication administration, and procedures.

Patient Care / Diagnostics / Surgical Prep

•    Performs all surgical prep including pulling up drugs, drawing blood, running bloodwork, anesthetizing patients, surgical scrub, waking up patients.

•    Cross checks surgical procedures to be performed.

•    Assists Veterinarians with instrumental needs during surgery and with surgery as requested by the veterinarian.

•    Takes responsibility for complimentary services and cross checks wellness needs for surgical patients.

•    Preps patients for discharge (patients are clean and organized, medication prepared).

•    Creates and completes invoices, completes all shelter and PUPs vouchers correctly.

•    Takes responsibility for treatments and sanitation for hospitalized patients and communicates with the appropriate Doctor on updates for those patients.

•    Takes responsibility for appropriate hygiene needs and feeding and watering for hospitalized patients.

•    Monitors appropriate hygiene needs and feeding and watering for hospitalized patients.

•    Maintains a clean surgery and treatment area.

•    Cleans and prepares surgical packs for autoclaving.

•    Performs appointment call backs.

•    Discharges patients according to protocol.

•    Takes responsibility for afternoon treatments, hygiene and feeding.

•    Performs wound care, bandage changes, suture removal.

•    Communicates with veterinary staff and co-workers regarding all situations where assistance is needed, or there is uncertainty of tasks to be performed.

Appointments

•    Assists Veterinary Staff with the entire appointment process.

•    Remains present and available for the veterinarian at all times throughout the appointment process unless instructed otherwise.

•    Restrains patients during exams and all procedures performed by the veterinarian.

•    Focuses on conversational cues to proactively prepare diagnostic and/or treatment needs during appointment.

•    Maintains clean exam room and equipment before and after each appointment.

•    Submits Cornerstone requests and draws blood for diagnostic tests in collaboration with co-workers.

•    Submits x-ray requests and takes x-rays in collaboration with co-workers.

•    Runs fecals.

•    Stains slides.

•    Prepares outside lab requests and sample prep.

•    Begins invoice for appointments.

•    Prepares prescriptions.

•    TNT, EAG, HWT, Rabies vaccinations, Cytopoint and Ichon injections in collaboration with co-workers.

•    Places catheters and performs venipuncture in collaboration with co-workers.

Cleaning and Equipment Maintenance

•    Works collaboratively with co-workers on maintaining surgery/treatment areas, pharmacy, exam rooms, kennels and runs.

•    Assigned equipment maintenance will be provided for:

•    Blood and U/A Machines

•    IV Fluids

•    Autoclave

•    Fecal Machine

•    Stains

•    Dental Equipment

•    Anesthesia Equipment

•    Clippers

•    Sharps

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education, Training and Experience Guidelines

•    High School diploma or equivalent. Experience, training and/or education that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Knowledge

•    Animal behavior and appropriate restraint of animals.

•    Principles and techniques for properly handling animals.

•    Medications and their appropriate administration routes.

•    Calculates and recognizes appropriate medication dosages and frequencies based on weight.

•    Disease management and safety protocols.

•    Technical procedures (i.e. surgical prep and scrub, TNT, EAG, IV fluid maintenance, venipuncture, IV catheter placement, wound care, suture removal).

•    Anesthesia monitoring, operation and troubleshooting.

•    Surgical instruments.

•    Gains appropriate knowledge for IDEXX NEO software use.

•    Sterile techniques including appropriate application of sterile gloves.

Skills

•    Mixes cleaning solutions according to stated directions.

•    Quickly recognizes and analyzes unusual behavior in animals.

•    Appropriate knowledge of all laboratory equipment operations.

•    Provides excellent customer service.

•    Understands and follows oral and written instructions.

•    Analyzes data.

•    Works in a team environment, establishing and maintaining effective working relationships.

•    Communicates effectively, both orally and in writing.

Abilities

•    Works four 10-hour days during the week plus a rotating weekend schedule. One half day during the week will be allowed the week before a weekend shift as deemed appropriate.

•    Arrives to work on time and remains flexible to fill in when needed including during the lunch hour and weekends.

•    Stays until the work is completed each day and checks in with coworkers before leaving to be sure all assignments are completed.

•    Works on multiple projects and assignments simultaneously.

•    Works independently in the absence of supervision.

•    Exercises initiative, ingenuity, and good judgment in decision-making and in solving problems, including problems of a sensitive or political nature.

•    Remains flexible in adapting to changes in priorities, assignments, and other interruptions which may impact pre-established timelines and courses of action for completing projects and assignments.

•    Leads by positive example by promoting positive, collaborative, and professional working relations among staff.

•    Handles animals which are sick or injured; frightened or dangerous animals who may display unpredictable behavior.

•    Manages the mental and emotional stress that may accompany the euthanasia of animals and empathetically assists co-workers, volunteers and customers, as needed.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT

Standing, sitting, walking, lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, reaching, handling, fine dexterity, crouching, bending, vision, hearing, talking, use of foot controls.

Physical risk from wild or fractious animals, occasional threats from angry customers; exposure to cleaning chemicals; risk of contracting zoonotic disease (including rabies).

Must be able to lift 50 lbs. and handle the physical rigors of cleaning and handling aggressive and large animals.