Seasonal veterinary assistant

Springs, Gauteng

R 200000 ZA Per annum

Position Overview: The veterinary assistant provides support to the veterinarians and technicians in their daily tasks by cleaning and maintaining equipment, feeding, exercising and grooming patients, preparing and sanitizing surgery suites, restraining and handling patients, and clerical and administrative work. They deliver quality care for all patients and provide exceptional service.

Essential Functions:

Provide compassionate care to all patients

Greet patients and their owners as they arrive and show them to an examining room, taking the patient's weight and other vital signs upon arrival

Triage patients, perform physical exams, treatments, and administer medication as directed by the licensed veterinary technicians (LVT's).

Calm and soothe anxious patients

Assist doctors and technicians with the administration of medications or with patient restraint

Perform laboratory tests and take radiographs

Operate and maintain hospital equipment, including EKG, fluid pump, syringe pump, scales, anesthetic monitors, and machines, etc.

Fill prescriptions, calculate and administer medications, maintain proper documentation, logging, and security of controlled drugs.

Feed patients as prescribed by the attending doctor or as the client has requested; record appetites; recognize and report any unusual conditions or abnormal behaviors

Communicate in a positive manner with clients and ensure that they feel comfortable leaving their pet(s)

Educate clients about insurance, wellness, and medicinal plans

Maintain the cleanliness of the hospital each day; clean equipment, kennels, and facilities using chemicals and supplies; ensure the safe use of chemicals; complete laundry

Bath and care for patients who stay overnight; ensure that every animal released is clean and properly groomed prior to their release

Adhere to the hospital's safety and wellness regulations

Understand and carry out oral and written directions

Maintain accurate medical records

Show up for work regularly; full-time presence at work is essential for every shift

Promote hospital products and services and support the organization

Respond respectfully with urgency to directions given by Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) or Licensed Veterinary Technicians (LVT).

Perform any other duties as assigned by the Manager; may have other assigned duties if working in a specialty area (i.e., dentistry, surgery, emergency, radiology, cardiology, neurology, internal medicine, etc.)

Additional Functions: Assignment to the areas below may include the following additional job functions:

Cardiology:

Assists in collecting and submitting laboratory samples

Ability to learn to identify common and acquired cardiac disorders and arrhythmias

Sets up and calibrates transducers/physiographs to measure intracardiac and intravascular pressures

Understands the basic physiology and engineering of pacemakers

Dentistry:

Assists with dental cleanings, polishing, and intraoral radiographs

Assists with dental procedures and oral surgery

Dermatology:

Assists with performing ear cleanings and minor flushes

Obtains skin scrapes and tape samples

Prepares skin and ear cytology

May induce and monitor anesthesia under direction and supervision

May place intravenous catheters

May prepare and administer medications, intravenously, orally, and topically

Emergency:

Assists veterinarians with a variety of emergency procedures and critical care situations

Cleans wounds and applies casts or bandages

Give injections and takes blood samples

May have to be on call in the intensive care unit

Internal Medicine:

Researches general wellness and preventative medicine for animals

Neurology:

Assists with various technical procedures including intravenous catheter placement, venipuncture, IV injections, wound management, drug administration assistance, bandage care, vital sign monitoring, intubation, surgery support, and various routine diagnostic Electromyography (EMG) testing

Oncology:

Assists veterinarians with patient assessment, diagnostics, treatments, and procedures

Provides empathy, comfort, and unparalleled nursing care to all patients and serves as a strong patient advocate during the patient's hospitalization

Provides client communication and education on various oncology disease processes

Ophthalmology:

Assists veterinarians with ocular exams

Assists with diagnostic testing (Schirmer Tear Testing, Tonometry, Ocular Ultrasounds, Electroretinogram testing, etc.)

Radiology:

Assists veterinarians with providing high-quality diagnostic imaging services to inpatient, outpatient, surgical, and emergency patients

Surgery:

Provides extensive surgical assistance by preparing patients, scrubbing, shaving, acting as a surgical nurse, and operating specific surgical equipment and supplies

Competencies:

Care and Compassion – displays a desire to build rapport, provide personal assistance, and emotional support

Animal Restraint and Safety – uses sound judgment when handling patients and always takes appropriate precautionary steps when needed

Communication – uses effective and appropriate methods of interacting with others

Team Orientation – works cooperatively with the team to address tasks and accomplish goals

Dependability – demonstrates responsibility in completing all job tasks

Cleanliness Standards – consistently follows sanitization and sterilization policies and procedures

Energy and Productivity – completes tasks quickly and thoroughly without prompting

Time Management – manages time and prioritizes work tasks effectively

Technical Skills and Learning – keeps up-to-date with new technical skills and knowledge in the field

Care and Use of Equipment – takes appropriate steps to perform operation checks and maintenance of equipment

Qualifications:

High school diploma or equivalent

One or more years' experience in a veterinary environment successfully performing all of the duties of this position

Vet Tech (VTNE) Certification preferred

Experience with surgical monitoring, radiology, dental prophylaxis, and client education preferred

May consider an equivalent combination of education, certification, training, and/or experience

Position Requirements:

Maintains current knowledge in the field of expertise and actively seeks opportunities for continuing education and skill improvement.

Ability to restrain animals, fill prescriptions, and monitor sedation procedures

Ability to work with or around sick animals, potentially hazardous materials, cleaning chemicals, gas anesthetics, zoonotic diseases, and unpleasant odors

Requires knowledge of hospital procedures, policies, and services; client and patient treatment protocols; hospital computer systems; and the standard procedures, records, and terminology used in a veterinary hospital.

Must be flexible with scheduling and able to work some weekends and holidays

Depending on the functional area of assignment, tasks may involve extended periods of time at a keyboard or workstation and/or extended periods of time standing and/or walking.

This is a strenuous job that requires a lot of lifting, cleaning, and constant motion. May involve some climbing, balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, or crawling

Some tasks involve the periodic performance of moderately physically demanding work, usually involving lifting or carrying moderately heavy animals (up to 50 pounds)

Additional Information: The list of essential functions, as outlined in this job description, is intended to be representative of the tasks performed within this classification. The omission of any job function does not preclude management from assigning duties not listed herein if such functions are a logical assignment to the position. Pet Vet Care Centers, Inc. is one of the nation’s leading operators of veterinary hospitals for companion animals. The company operates over 450 hospitals across multiple states and employs over 11,000 people including over 800 veterinarians. Since its inception, Pet Vet has been structured around a model that is focused on developing a partnership between the hospitals and the company and providing the highest quality medicine and service.

Pet Vet is an equal opportunity employer. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, age, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, religion, citizenship, national origin/ancestry, physical/mental disabilities, military status or any other basis prohibited by law. EOE, M/F/D/V

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