Sr. Veterinary Technician

Description

PART TIME:  Monday, Tuesday, and Friday (7:30am-5:30pm)

JOB SUMMARY

The primary responsibilities of a Sr. Veterinary Technician include providing training and support to clinic staff, managing inventory, overseeing workflow, and assisting in creating Standard Operating Procedures. Additionally, the position involves performing standard Veterinary Technician tasks, such as preparing animals for procedures, offering excellent customer service, maintaining cleanliness, managing paperwork and finances, and assisting with various clinic duties. This role combines both guidance and technical responsibilities in a veterinary clinic setting.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The responsibilities listed are not an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all possible responsibilities, tasks, and duties that are required of the position. Responsibilities, tasks, duties, and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Provide training, support, and guidance to clinic staff to support their growth and development by teaching and modeling technical knowledge and skills, giving feedback on tasks, introducing learning opportunities, and showcasing strong problem solving and decision-making skills
• Manage inventory par levels of clinic supplies such as vaccines, pharmacy medications, controlled drugs, tests, and other supplies
• Order clinic supplies and code invoices, ensuring cost-effective supply management within budgetary constraints
• Assist with the successful workflow of clinic, ensuring consistency of clinic and surgery procedures, completing frequent rounds and making adjustments to workflow, as needed
• Assist in creating Standard Operating Procedures, re-evaluating processes and procedures, as necessary
• Provide case consultation for Veterinary Technicians, as needed
• Handle controlled drugs and prepare anesthetic drugs for surgery
• Assist Veterinarian in maintaining accurate logbooks for DEA inspections
• Sedate animals for surgery and perform reversals, when necessary
• Perform daily checks on surgery equipment to ensure proper care, and call for maintenance with vendor, as needed
• Assist in documenting medical notes from Veterinarian in clinic software system, ensuring correct usage of medical terminology and pharmacology
• If certified, perform euthanasia in a humane and compassionate manner in accordance with Pet Alliance policies and procedures, when required
• Perform IV injections, as needed
• Assist with leadership of team when Clinic Manager is not available or offsite
• Communicate with other Pet Alliance departments and coordinate services, as needed
• Schedule the work of clinic team to ensure routine cleaning and inventory tasks are completed, as required

Perform all duties of a Veterinary Technician, including:

• Prepare animal for veterinarian by reviewing animal’s medical records and client’s needs and by taking animal’s vital signs, drawing blood for testing, and preparing and administering vaccines 
• Provide excellent customer service by educating clients and answering questions on available services, general animal care, preventative medications, dietary recommendations, annual vaccines, medication instructions and scheduling appointments
• Process patient prescriptions and medication instructions based on veterinarian’s recommendation
• Prepare animals for surgery, monitor patients during surgery, and observe during recovery phase
• Clean and disinfect all clinic areas and surgery equipment including but not limited to kennels and cages, exams rooms, linens, sanitization of prep areas, disposing of sharps properly, making surgical packs and sterilizing instruments
• Perform animal lab work including collecting blood, urine, and fecal samples, taking X-rays, and obtaining test results
• Complete all necessary paperwork and data entry of veterinarian notes, services provided, rabies certificates, and other medical records
• Use proper animal restraint techniques for the safety and well-being of the animal and the team
• Input patient charges, handle financial transactions of services rendered and reconcile receipts
• Maintain and organize inventory and restock supplies, as needed
• Perform and assist with other lab testing or medical procedures, as directed
• Assist with other areas of clinic, including reception, as needed
• Support the smooth operation of the animal clinic

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS

• High School Diploma or equivalent
• At least of 3 years of professional experience as a Veterinary Technician required, surgery experience highly preferred
• At least 3 years of customer service experience required 
• Advanced knowledge of animal handling, general pet care principals, preventative medications, and breed identification
• At least 3 years of experience working in a fast-paced teamwork environment preferred
• Certification as Veterinary Technician highly preferred
• Fear Free certification preferred
• Certified Euthanasia Technician (CET) training and certification preferred

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Knowledge of and ability to perform tasks on a computer using different software programs
• Advanced ability to work with animals safely and humanely and to remain calm in stressful situations
• Effective verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills
• Ability to quickly adapt to customer, animal, and business needs
• Ability to collaborate with others and work effectively in a team environment
• Ability to assess an individual’s training style and quickly adapt to others’ training needs
• Strong attention to detail and ability to focus with distractions
• Advanced ability to assess animal behaviors and cues
• Advanced ability to comfortably work with animals, treating them with respect and care, including animals that are difficult to handle and/or stressed
• Demonstrated excellent ability to use good judgement in problem solving and decision making
• Advanced ability to understand and interpret medical terminology and procedures
• Strong organizational skills for efficient task management and prioritization
• Ability to effectively delegate tasks for optimum team productivity
• Strong decision-making skills in procuring supplies within allocated budgetary limits

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL DEMANDS

• Physical demands include extended periods of standing, walking balancing, reaching, handling, grasping, crouching, and feeling with constant lifting and carrying requirements of up to 25 lbs. 
• Visual acuity and depth perception is required for safe handling of animals
• Work is frequently performed in the small, enclosed spaces such as animal cages
• Work includes providing compassionate and dedicated care to others 
• Work requires the ability to maintain focus and composure while working under pressure, manage stress during difficult situations, and adapt quickly to resolve issues or conflicts
• Work frequently requires critical thinking to help others solve difficult problems and make challenging decisions that offer the best outcome for the client and Pet Alliance
• Work includes offering support and guidance to others and effectively handling stress in a challenging work environment

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Most work is performed in the animal clinic and medical areas of Pet Alliance which is open and well lit, adequately ventilated, noisy and distracting environment.
• Work environment involves exposure to potentially hazardous materials and situations that require following safety precautions and may include the use of protective equipment.
• The job requires frequent and routinely intense public contact as well as the ability to multi-task under conditions that can be described as extremely fast-paced/high volume and are potentially stressful on a routine basis.