Job Details

Are you someone who enjoys the thrill of not knowing what's going to come in next? Do you love a fast-paced environment and being able to think critically on your feet? Are you looking for an opportunity to utilize your full skill set while simultaneously learning new & advanced techniques? If so, Animal Emergency & Specialty Hospital of Byron Center wants YOU on this growing team!

Animal Emergency & Specialty Hospital in Byron Center, MI is a growing 24-hour Emergency & Specialty hospital offering a fast-paced work and rewarding environment. Our seasoned Emergency Veterinarians, Technicians, and Assistants pride themselves on providing high-quality medical care to our patients around the clock. We are looking for candidates available to work full time, day shift!

Our new, state of the art, Emergency & Specialty hospital provides 10,000 square feet to allow for 24 hour Emergency & Critical Care to our community. Our hospital is located close to Tanger Outlet Mall. Byron Center is also home to unique independent stores, many comfort-food restaurants and abundant recreation opportunities. Byron Center is easily accessible from two major expressways and is just 15 minutes from downtown Grand Rapids.

Schedule:

• Full time

• Day shift

  Compensation:

• Starting at $17/hr

• Our pay ranges are primarily determined by role, level, and location. The range provided for each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target for the position. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

  Job Overview & Purpose: The purpose of the Emergency Veterinary Assistant is to provide high quality medical support and nursing care to companion animal patients. In addition, this position is responsible for the general oversight and workflow efficiency of the hospital and client/patient services, especially during the overnight hours in absence of hospital management personnel. A veterinary assistant is non-state licensed supportive role to the veterinarians and veterinary technicians.

Responsibilities and Duties:

Technical Duties, 90%:

• Assist veterinarians in the practice of veterinary medicine and surgery

• Proficient IV catheter placement

• Proficient and accurate drug calculations and administration

• Quality nursing and husbandry care of patients

• Strong working knowledge of veterinary procedures and pharmacology

• Perform in-hospital lab testing and prepare specimens for outside labs

• Perform and/or participate in all other diagnostics such as radiology, ultrasound, ECG, BP and glucose monitoring

• Assist veterinarians in outpatient exams by taking histories, vital signs and weights as well as providing client education

• Provide nursing care for in-hospital patients including all DVM requested treatments, diagnostics and medications

• Accurately and completely record all treatments

• Conduct pre-admission exams and discharge hospitalized patients

• Perform client callbacks as necessary

• Maintain legally defensible medical records in cooperation with veterinarians

• Actively engages in nursing rounds

• Rounds delivered/received at shift changes, anytime a staff member comes/leaves

• Rounds will be complete, detailed and relative to patient & client care

  Examinations & Triage

• Prepare and maintain exam rooms (cleanliness and stocking of supplies)

• Assist veterinarians in exam rooms by taking patients' history, vital signs and weight; preparing medications; and assisting with medical records

• Collect samples and perform a variety of in-house diagnostic tests

• Fill prescriptions per veterinarians' instructions

• Educate clients about medication instructions and administration

• Perform admission exams for patients being hospitalized, including weight, vital signs

• Perform pre-anesthetic exams on surgery patients if the veterinarian has not already assessed patients

• Discharge patients as requested; review discharge instructions

  Laboratory

• Responsible for in-hospital lab testing such as intestinal parasite screens, pre-anesthetic testing, senior screens, complete blood count, urinalysis, heartworm, tick-borne diseases, Feline Leukemia, FIV, cytology, etc.

• Collect and prepare samples for both in-house and outside laboratories

• Report diagnostic testing results to veterinarians

• Maintain quality controls and record keeping on in-house lab equipment

• Complete proper sample preparation and paperwork for outside diagnostic laboratory tests

  Treatment

• Perform treatments noted on treatment board and in medical records (hospitalized patients, surgeries)

• Assist veterinarians with daily treatments

• Monitor intensive care patients

• Provide nursing and husbandry care

• Facilitate patient radiographs

• Record x-rays in log and medical records; attach digital images to the patient record

• Use and maintain IV pumps

  Surgery

• Set up the surgical area

• Keep surgical materials stocked

• Prepare gown and surgical packs

• Check oxygen lines and waste gas scavenger system; turn off scavenger system after surgical procedures are completed

• Prepare instruments; knowledge of surgical instruments required for specific surgeries

• Prepare patient for surgery including pre-op medications, induction/intubation and surgery prep

• Monitor anesthesia utilizing equipment such as pulse oximeter and electrocardiogram

• Maintain anesthesia machine

• Assist veterinarian performing surgery

• Monitor patients through anesthesia recovery

• Ensure the cleaning of the surgery suite and surgical instruments after each procedure following hospital sterilization protocols

• Keep accurate anesthesia/surgical medical records

• Ensure hospital patients go home well-groomed and in an appropriate medical state; remove catheters

  Medical Records

• Update medical records with progress notes

• Communicate with doctors and technicians through notations in medical records

• Record information for hospitalized patients including:

• Daily status each time a technician touches a patient, with initials, time, procedures and observations

• Hospitalized procedures such as surgeries, radiographs and dentistry

• Pre-surgical exam findings, anesthesia risk

• Time anesthesia begins, ends and how many minutes

• Suture material, suture pattern; incision location and size; veterinarian's surgical notes

• Lab test results

• Injections, medications, fluid therapy, pain management

• Note homecare instructions given to and reviewed with client

• Create estimates/treatment plans

• Collect signatures on consent forms and estimates/treatment plans

  Housekeeping Duties, 5%:

• Maintain cleanliness of surgery suite, treatment area and exams rooms for all surfaces, including lights, tables, cabinets, walls and floors

• Maintain equipment cleanliness and longevity by vacuuming pet hair from keyboards, wheels and equipment

• Vacuum computer keyboards in treatment area, lab/pharmacy and exam rooms

• Clean glass windows and doors in surgery suite, treatment area and exam rooms

• Sweep and mop floors in surgery suite, exam rooms and treatment area

• Keep food and drinks out of treatment area and surgery suite

• Discard syringes in proper containers

• Empty trash

• Clean water and food bowls for hospitalized pets

• Clean cages and bedding for hospitalized pets

• Organize radiology gowns, gloves and badges, making sure they are neatly hung or stored

• Scrub and polish sinks

• Wipe down walls and baseboards in the surgery suite, treatment area and exam rooms

• Clean cages

• Do laundry

  Administrative Duties, 3%:

Inventory

• Log controlled drugs

• Assist with inventory physical count

• Know how to use the inventory module in our veter