Patient Care Specialist

Patient Care Specialist

The working schedule for this position is four ten-hour shifts on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday with Sunday, Monday, and Wednesday off.

ACC is one of the nation's largest open-admission animal shelters, whose mission is to End Animal Homelessness in NYC. We touch the lives of nearly 20,000 animals each year. ACC is more than an animal shelter; we are a resource to the community, always seeking ways to keep the human-animal bond intact. With a 90% placement rate, our progressive, life-saving initiatives contribute to the successful placement of our animals.

We strive to find loving homes for homeless and abandoned cats, dogs, guinea pigs and rabbits, both by adopting animals directly to the public and by partnering with more than 200 dedicated animal placement organizations (our New Hope partners). We also help keep NYC communities safe and rescue animals in need, responding to emergencies that involve animals as well as keeping our doors open 24/7 for people and animals in need.

Under the direction of a Veterinarian or Licensed Veterinary Technician, the Patient Care Specialist will assist in the provision of compassionate care for convalescing animals who are injured, ill or recovering from surgery by tending to the animal's basic needs including feeding, walking, cleaning and socializing. It is important to notice little changes in the animal's behavior, appetite and comfort level and alert the Veterinary Team to the observed concerns. They provide direct assistance with physical examinations from retrieval of the animal to basic restraint.

Required Qualifications:

• High School Diploma or GED required.
• Six months of previous animal handling experience required– i.e. dog walking, animal husbandry, grooming, measuring vital signs, restraining aggressive animals.
• Ability to excel in a fast-paced, often high stress environment, treats animals and people with respect, has attention to detail and a strong work ethic to complete tasks correctly.
• Must be able to lift up to 50 lbs and work standing for 8 hours or more.

Benefits

ACC values work/life balance and offers a generous paid-time-off (PTO) package that includes vacation time, birthdays off, personal days and sick pay. We also value physical and mental health by offering a great open access Cigna medical, dental and vision insurance at a low premium to our employees as well as 401K and Pension, Life Insurance. We also have on-the-job training for 2-4 weeks, periodic all staff trainings to include safety, DEI, cross training, and other growth opportunities.

Because ACC is a nonprofit, employees may be eligible for loan forgiveness, cancellation, and/or consolidation under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program (PSLF). Created under the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007, PSLF allows borrowers who work full time for nonprofits and government agencies to have their outstanding debt forgiven tax-free on Federal Direct Loans, after making 120 qualifying monthly payments under a qualifying repayment plan.

Please use this link for more details on our benefits package.

Essential Job Functions :

• Maintain a high standard of animal care and welfare, which includes providing scheduled feedings, clean water at all times, proper bedding and enrichment toys.
• Take the patient's vital signs: temperature, pulse and respirations, as directed by the doctor, and document normal and unusual behavior, signs of illness and any injury of an animal on a daily basis.
• Restrain, confine, handle animals, including those which are ill, injured, quarantined, and aggressive in a manner that is safe for both pet and staff.

Other Responsibilities :

• Walk dogs housed in medical areas safely and in accordance to ACC policies.
• Properly clean and sanitize medical area to keep the patients comfortable and dry.
• Facilitate transfer of animals from intake or medical areas and into appropriate housing.
• Work cooperatively with ACC volunteers and partners and all departments.
• Communicate effectively, cordially, and promptly within and outside of the department.
• Required to obtain ACC-provided euthanasia certification in order to perform the humane euthanasia of animals when needed.
• Maintain handling and restraint equipment.
• Maintain adequate inventory as well as restock and maintenance of Vet Services Area.
• Will need to be a multitasker and jump from various teams to assist when needed. Also needs to be a self-starter and observant.
• Retrieve animals from rooms throughout the shelter and safely restrain for physical exams.
• Fear Free certification required within 30 days of hire.
• Complete other duties as assigned by supervisor.

Preferred Qualifications :

• Is a confident communicator, a people person, and a team player.
• Willing to pitch in to help others and ensure the needs of the animals are met.
• Available to modify schedule as needed to meet the needs of the organization, including with little notice.
• Possesses a love of animals and is able to interact with them in a calm, non-threatening manner.
• Willing to familiarize themselves with medical terminology, and proper technique in obtaining patient vital signs.
• Demonstrated ability to handle animals of all temperaments.

Work Environment

At ACC it's all hands-on deck. We work together as a team, which means you may be asked to help with tasks that involve working outside in all sorts of weather. As a busy animal shelter in one of the biggest cities in the world it can get noisy inside. Employees should have the ability to remain calm yet professional in stressful situations involving animals and/or members of the public. ACC houses hundreds of animals in its facilities at any given time and with that comes fur, odors and other airborne particles in abundance.

ACC offers many low-cost services to pets and people in need. This includes compassionate end-of-life services for people who cannot afford to go to a private veterinary office but still want to provide a professional and peaceful transition for their beloved pet.

Reports To: Veterinary Team Manager

Overtime: This is a non-union position and is eligible for overtime.