The team at Tumwater Veterinary Hospital is looking to add a compassionate Veterinary Assistant to our team that is client-focused, and internally driven to provide the best care for patients and clients. The right person for the job should love animals, but enjoy staying busy, able to multi-task and appreciate forming positive relationships with clients and the team. We are a growing practice that promotes teamwork, personal growth, and high quality of care to all our patients. Regular attendance and timeliness are an essential function in order to fulfill the requirements of this position.

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:

• Assists veterinarians with exams
• Assists with performing ear cleanings and minor flushes
• Obtains skin scrapes and tape samples
• 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
• Prepares skin and ear cytology
• Place intravenous catheters
• May prepare and administer medications, intravenously, orally, and topically
• Assists in collecting and submitting laboratory samples
• 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.
• Assists veterinary technician and veterinarian with providing high-quality diagnostic imaging services
• 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
• Fill prescriptions and administer medications, maintain proper documentation.
• 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 products and services the hospital provides.
• 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
• 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

 Dentistry:

• Assists with dental cleanings, polishing, and intraoral radiographs
• Assists with dental procedures and oral surgery

Competencies:

• 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.

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
• Obtain a Medical Clerk License.

Qualifications:

• High school diploma or equivalent
• One year experience in a veterinary environment successfully performing all of the duties of this position preferred but not required.
• Experience with surgical monitoring, radiology, dental prophylaxis, and client education preferred but not required.
• Avimark knowledge is a plus but not required.

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.