Veterinary Assistant

Job Title: Veterinary Assistant

Department: Medical

Reports To: Medical Director/

FLSA Status: Nonexempt

Summary:

Under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian, the Veterinary Assistant supports the veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and ensures a comfortable and sanitary environment for pets in BTAA care. The responsibilities vary with current needs of the team, the season of the year, and the individual abilities demonstrated by the employee. This is an overview of the position and the duties listed do not encompass the entire position.

BTAA Expectations of Employee:

• Treats animals humanely, with love and concern, both on and off the job, and transmit these values to others.
• Adheres to organization's policies and procedures.
• Ensure that all state and federal laws and regulations, BTAA standards, policies and procedures regarding clinic/care center operations, the practice of veterinary medicine, drug control and animal care and handling are strictly followed.
• Provides accurate information and courteous service to the public at all times.
• Makes a good appearance and has the ability to deal tactfully and effectively with the public.
• Maintains a positive and respectful attitude.
• Demonstrates flexible and efficient time management and ability to prioritize workload.
• Consistently reports to work on time prepared to perform duties of position.
• Is willing to participate in meetings with other BTAA personnel and share ideas and suggestions designed to improve working conditions and the organization's ability to meet its objectives.
• Is able to maintain accurate records, write well and speak effectively regarding the principles, purposes and objectives of the organization.
• Is able to lift 50 lbs. and endure long periods of standing, bending.
• Can tolerate intermittent exposure to high noise levels.
• Is able to maintain extreme flexibility in daily planning to allow for crisis management.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Adhere to current comprehensive health care programs that include but are not limited to the following components: environmental sanitation, record-keeping, disease surveillance, physical examinations, vaccination, parasite control, disease testing, disease treatment, nutrition, outbreak response, and environmental enrichment for animals in the care center and in foster homes.
• Educate staff and volunteers regarding veterinary medicine topics.
• Assist with shelter animals upon intake and/or for treatment and preparations for surgery
• Provide emergency medical care as needed, and transfer of animals to outside emergency clinics, if needed.
• Assist in animal euthanasia when needed.
• Promote a caring attitude toward all animals and to treat animals humanely and with compassion at all times, regardless of circumstances including those that are sick, injured, feral or aggressive.
• Ensure accurate record keeping in the computerized medical records system for medical management and surveillance of disease within the care center.
• Treat people (staff, volunteers, and the public) with respect and courtesy, foster a spirit of teamwork and perform duties in a manner that assists BTAA in the achievement of our goals and encourages community support of our work.
• Maintains a clean, functioning prep and surgery room
• Cleans, sterilizes and maintains surgical instruments; prepares surgical packs.
• Restrains animals for exams, treatment and anesthetic induction.
• Cleans and disinfects tables, floors, cages, and surgery equipment.
• Discharges patients and provides education to clients as needed.
• Monitors and medicates animals under veterinary care according to treatment plans.
• Assists shelter veterinarian in examinations, treatments, and as needed.
• Assists with clinical laboratory procedures such as fecal flotation exams, skin scrapings, urinalyses, fungal cultures, parvo tests, FeLV/FIV tests, and heartworm tests under direction of Shelter Veterinarian . Collects and prepares samples for shipment to the laboratory.
• Follow Fear Free guidelines and promote a fear free environment for both staff and animals
• Clean exams rooms after each visit and prepare for the next client and patient. Ensure supplies are always available and adequately stocked in exam rooms and treatment room. Alerting medical coordinator when supplies need to be ordered.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Other Duties and Responsibilities:

• Educate the public regarding humane issues and animal care.
• Ensure that proper protocols are followed, administers vaccines, and maintains accurate and sufficient medical records for all vaccine clinics and care center pet records.
• Review pet records for accuracy/completeness.

Competencies:

• Oral Communication -- Speaks clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations, listens and gets clarification, responds well to questions, participates in meetings.
• Written Communication -- Writes clearly and edits work for spelling and grammar, able to read and interpret written information.
• Internal/External Customer Service -- Manages difficult or emotional customer situations, responds promptly to customer needs, solicits feedback to improve service, responds to requests for service and assistance, meets commitments, supports everyone's efforts to succeed.
• Cost Consciousness -- Develops and implements cost saving measures, contributes to profits and revenue, conserves organizational resources.
• Ethics -- Treats people and animals with respect, keeps commitments, inspires the trust of others, works with integrity and ethically, upholds organizational mission and values.
• Safety and Security -- Observes safety and security procedures, reports potentially unsafe conditions, uses equipment and materials properly.
• Attendance/Punctuality -- is consistently at work and on time, ensures work responsibilities are covered when absent, arrives at meetings and appointments on time.
• Dependability -- Follows instructions, takes responsibility for own actions, keeps commitments, commits to long hours of work when necessary, completes tasks on time or notifies appropriate person with an alternate plan.

Position Requirements:

• Minimum 1 years of veterinary experience in a veterinary hospital or care center setting required.
• Ability to work as part of a team.
• Demonstrates compassion, integrity, respect and stewardship toward people and animals.
• Proficient in MS Office programs and computer knowledge/experience required.
• Valid driver's license with a clean driving record required.
• Some travel maybe required.

Physical Demands:

While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to walk and sit and stand; is regularly required to use both hands to make coordinated movements to grasp or type; is regularly required to lift and /or move up to 20 pounds, frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 40 pounds.

Work Environment:

The employee is occasionally exposed to toxic or caustic chemicals. The employee is occasionally exposed to fumes or airborne particles. The employee may be exposed to animal feces and animals with a potential for zoonotic exposure.

Intent and function of Job Descriptions:

All descriptions have been reviewed to ensure that only essential functions and basic duties have been included. Peripheral tasks, only incidentally related to each position, have been excluded. Requirements, skills, and abilities included have been determined to be the minimal standards required to successfully perform the positions. In no instance, however, should the duties, responsibilities, and requirements delineated be interpreted as all-inclusive. Additional functions and requirements may be assigned by supervisors as deemed appropriate.

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, it is possible that job requirements may be modified to reasonably accommodate disabled individuals. However, no accommodations will be made which may pose serious health or safety risks to the employee or others or which impose undue hardships on the organization.

Job descriptions are not intended as and do not create employment contracts. Better Together Animal Alliance / FOTS Thrift Store maintain its status as an at-will employer. Employees can be terminated for any reason not prohibited by law.

Job Type: Full-time

Salary: $16.00 - $17.00 per hour

Benefits:

• 401(k) matching
• Employee discount
• Health savings account
• Paid time off

Schedule:

• Day shift