Registered Veterinary Technician

Registered Veterinary Technician Positions

At Arcata Animal Hospital, our mission is to provide genuine care, comfort and high-quality veterinary medicine for our patients and clients. We are here for them. We recognize that this mission can only be realized through a team of professionals who are dedicated to upholding our values and creating a culture that permeates every position on our team. This job description has been created to inform you of your important role in realizing our Mission and outline the general expectations and environment of Arcata Animal Hospital.

You’ll report to the Technical Supervisor, Practice Manager, and Doctors.

Required for this position:

• Current and valid RVT license, maintained and not allowed to lapse.
• Keep CE requirements for licensure current.
• Complete any assigned CE training and apply learned principles in the workplace.
• Ability to follow directions with and without supervision.
• Ability to lift objects or pets of at least 30 lbs.
• Ability to control large, anxious, or angry pets.
• Ability to recognize certain behaviors in animals.
• Ability to learn and understand medical terminology and procedures.
• Ability to admit when a task is unclear and ask questions.
• Ability to show leadership towards other techs, assistants, kennel staff, and volunteers.
• Ability to adapt to the needs and styles of other technicians and doctors.
• Ability to work with computers and other office equipment.
• Ability to spell, alphabetize, and perform basic mathematics.
• Ability to provide exceptional client service.

Scheduling Requirements:

• Availability for all shifts in the position (opening & closing).
• Availability for at least every other Saturday.
• Participation in the rotation of RVTs for emergency shifts (generally about 1 shift every 2 months, may vary with the number of doctors employed by the hospital).

Methods used to interact with coworkers and clients (value totals 100%):

• Face-to-Face Discussions: 85%
• Telephone Conversations: 5%
• Email or Other Electronic Communications: 5%

Physical activities (value totals 100%):

• Sitting, in chair or on floor: 10%
• Standing, while performing duties: >80%
• Lifting, up to 40 pounds (18 kg) without assistance: 20%
• Reaching, vertical or horizontal: 5%

Tools and technology used during the normal course of work:

• Phone
• Computer with keyboard
• EzyVet software, expected to become proficient in the use of this PMS.
• Microsoft Word

Exposure to the following elements in a typical work day:

• Noise : (value does NOT need to total 100%)
  • Low noise: 30%
  • Moderate noise: 65%
  • High noise: 5%
• Unpleasant or potentially hazardous materials: (value does NOT need to total 100%)
  • Blood, vomit, feces, urine: >1%
  • Anesthetic gases: <1% Cleaning materials: >1%
  • Medical sharps: >1%
  • Zoonotic disease: <3%

Leadership Responsibilities

As an RVT, you are expected to serve as an example to other team members as to how to conduct oneself in a professional, positive manner in the workplace. You are expected to be a leader in upholding the Team Member Promise in applying the principles of Trust, Honest, Respect, Integrity and Commitment toward clients, patients, and co-workers. You are expected to encourage an atmosphere where gossip and negativity are avoided. As a leader, you are expected to steer venting behaviors into problem solving opportunities where problems are addressed in an open and proactive manner (with supervisors as needed) and conflicts are managed with open and frank discussions mediated by direct supervisors if indicated. We strive for a culture of problem solving, not problem sharing.

As an RVT, you are expected to direct the Team Members working as your Assistants in such a manner as to optimize efficiency and encourage optimal use and development of their skills. You are expected to participate in your performance appraisal, and, as requested, in those of others; to participate in all staff and training meetings; organize and present training seminars for other support staff. You are expected to embrace change and continuous quality improvement in all aspects involved with running the hospital and providing optimum client and patient care.

Animal Care and Treatment Responsibilities

Restraint; blood draws; setting IV catheters (in multiple areas); vaccine preparation; TPRs; setting up x-ray and taking difficult films; troubleshooting and correcting poor x-ray films; subcutaneous, intravenous, and intramuscular injections; fecal, fungal, urinalysis, cytology, culture and histopathology preparation; reading fecal, cytology, bacterial, fungal, urine and blood smear samples; in- house lab tests (including heartworm tests, in house chemistry panels & CBCs); outside lab preparation; culture preparation; toe nail trims; ear cleanings; anal gland expressions; ECG strips; placing urinary catheters; minor suturing (including extractions, urinary catheters) and suture removals; applying minor bandages; troubleshoot and maintain anesthesia machines; critical care monitoring; maintaining emergency kit; bladder expression for urine samples; skin scrapes (with doctor direction); corneal staining, intraocular pressure and Schirmer tear tests; anesthesia induction (with doctor direction); intubation and extubation; enemas; minor bathing; mathematics (including % solutions, mEq in solution, manual drip rates); sterilization of surgical equipment; maintenance of autoclave; changing O2 tanks; surgical patient monitoring during minor (dentals, spays, neuters) and major (pyometras, exploratory, GDV) procedures; assistance of doctor during major surgical procedures (including scrubbing and gowning in); cleaning, polishing and charting teeth during dental prophylaxis; extracting minor teeth (with doctor approval); maintaining inventory; maintaining surgery, controlled drug and x-ray logs; maintaining supply order board; documenting patient treatments and noted in the electronic medical record and on treatment sheets according to established hospital protocols; monitor all hospitalized patients diligently and perform indicated treatments on time; knowledge of fluids and rates; knowledge of drugs, dosages and their usages; always maintaining a high standard of patient care; and assisting the other technicians and doctors in any way asked to do so. Be willing and available to stay late or through breaks, when needed, to assist with emergency or critical care patients. Maintain strict confidentiality regarding clients and patients for whom the practice provides veterinary services. Follow established facility closing procedures to ensure the security of patients, staff, data, revenue, inventory and the building.

Client Service Responsibilities

Assisting CSRs in answering phones; taking and passing messages on to appropriate staff member; minor (puppy/kitten, heartworm talks) and major (subQ fluid demonstration, reasons for not filling prescriptions, blood testing) client education; invoicing and checking out clients; prepping client and exam rooms for doctor; obtaining appropriate patient history; filing and maintaining charts; appropriate record keeping; knowledge of computer system; filling prescriptions; prepping medical records manually and electronically; preparing rabies; health and other certificates for clients; checking in surgeries, drop offs, and procedure patients; discussing Treatment Plans with clients; accurately prepare invoices for patients undergoing day procedures, updating invoices each day for hospitalized patients, keeping hospital timers on schedule, discharging surgery and procedure patients; calling clients with normal bloodwork results; assisting in client-present euthanasias; assisting clients with multiple pets or large purchases; providing information for over-the-counter, prescription food, and nutritional products; demonstrating how to give medications or perform treatments; maintaining compassion, sympathy and professionalism during high-stress situations.

Hospital Cleanliness Responsibilities

Although most of the general cleaning duties are carried out by veterinary assistants, RVTs are expected to complete these duties when needed or if there is down time due to lack of patient volume; vacuuming; mopping; changing garbage; dusting; stocking exam rooms; following daily, weekly and monthly task lists; cleaning surgical instruments; cleaning surgery table and trays; cleaning and maintaining all sinks; maintaining lab equipment (including CBC machine, blood machine and microscope); maintaining litter boxes; laundry; kennel cleaning; proper dilutions for cleaning solutions; maintaining cleaning supplies; cleaning windows and doors; replenishing supplies (including paper towels, garbage bags, air fresheners); cleaning kitchen/break area; knowledge of patient isolation protocols; and overall maintenance (both inside and outside the hospital) of the sights, smells and sounds of the hospital.

Emergency Situations

During an emergency situation, the RVT’s job is to help the patient with chest compressions, mechanical breathing, and administer medications alongside other technicians should the doctor give the orders. The ability to place an IV catheter unaided and perform the emergency duties of a veterinary assistant (should one be unavailable) are also required. This requires a strong knowledge of how to perform CPR, knowing the signs of impending cardiac and respiratory arrest, and the different routes to give emergency drugs (including blood products), as well as the ability to respond calmly and quickly, especially with clients.

General RVT Requirements – Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

There are several areas of potential growth as a certified veterinary technician in our hospital. By demonstrating the desire to perform and/or learn additional tasks, this position can be upgraded to Head Technician or Manager should the position become available. These are just a few tasks that we feel would demonstrate the desire of a certified veterinary technician to learning and growing more in our hospital: setting and maintaining jugular (long) catheters; knowing protocols for several different emergency situations (including major surgeries, snakebites, DKAs); being proficient in providing critical care monitoring; being proficient in understanding body systems, their diseases, and how their treatment will affect the outcome; knowledge of transfusion medicine; being proactive in putting together treatment plans (including type of fluids, medication doses) alongside the doctors; ability to read cytologies and blood smears; ability to perform more difficult mathematics; showing strong leadership and training abilities towards other staff members; loyalty towards hospital and dependable in emergencies; and absolute confidence in required skills and duties.

How this position is part of the team

By assisting the doctors, we can maintain the high standard of care for our patients that is extremely important. Utilizing our skills for patient treatments, client phone calls and client education gives the doctors the opportunity to diagnose and care for more patients. Every aspect of the patient’s care rolls over into client service as well. By educating our clients, we can give them the opportunity to provide optimum care for the life of their pet. Serving the clients beyond their expectations with our animal care, customer service, and hospital cleanliness will enable us to forge strong bonds with our clients and their pets.