Licensed Vet Technician

Licensed Veterinary Technician 

Reports to: Lead Veterinary Technician and Practice Manager

SUMMARY

The Licensed Veterinary Technician’s primary role is to support and assist the doctors of the hospital.  They are comfortable assisting the doctor with diagnostic and treatment phases of the pets’ visit.  They assist in restraining pets and test set up for the examination procedure.  Licensed Veterinary Technicians will also interact closely with clients, communicating general information, home care, and other information in regards to the pet’s care.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provides compassionate care to patients and clients; able to conduct oneself in a confident and professional manner even when stressed and/or focused on individual tasks.
• Assists doctors in medical procedures, prepares patients for surgery, willing to initiate conversation with doctor about potential sedative protocol, and administers fluids.
• Gives injections and administers medications.  
• Holds a valid license to practice as a Licensed Veterinary Technician in the state of Virginia
• Receives animals to be admitted, is responsible for their proper identification and for recording their respective location.   
• Performs emergency procedures such as control of bleeding, resuscitation with oxygen, and external cardiac massage.
• Keep accurate medical records in accordance with hospital policy.  
• Properly care of and recover all inpatient pets throughout the day with minimal oversight.
• Prepares and maintains the kennel area, exam rooms and treatment areas.
• Performs physical assessments; record observations legibly in files or veterinary software system.
• Can effectively restrain pets, even when large or difficult.
• Is able to lift and carry up to 50 pounds
• Knows all common vaccines and vaccination protocols and can explain to clients.
• Understands the importance of a clean and orderly facility and does so as part of regular normal job duty, maintaining OSHA and cleanliness standards of the hospital.
• Feeds each animal in the hospital as prescribed by the attending doctor and records the appetite.  Ensures all animals are walked when appropriate.
• Maintains positive, cooperative relationships with other employees.
• Prepare estimates for procedures and discusses financial commitments with clients supporting hospital financial policies.
• Able to explain necessary follow up and homecare instructions to clients.
• Can properly care for all surgical materials and equipment; keep the operating room properly stocked and prepared for surgery.
• Can effectively position for and take radiographs of patients.
• Understands the use and care of IV pumps.
• Admits patients following hospital policy and doctors written orders. 
• Discharges patients based on the veterinarian’s orders, ensuring that patients are well groomed and in a medically appropriate state. 
• Counsels clients on various aspects of animal care; explains dosage/purpose of medications; reinforces the proper care and procedures that should be followed at home; makes follow up calls to clients. 
• Understands usage and dosage for commonly used prescribed drugs and can readily explain them to clients.
• Accurately fill medications according to doctor orders.
• Performs other duties as assigned including assisting in other areas. 
• Proficient in all Licensed Veterinary Technician tasks

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

N/A

PREFERRED EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

The ideal candidate will have  

• High school diploma or equivalent
• Holds a valid license to practice as a Licensed Veterinary Technician in the state of Virginia
• Previous on-the-job experience is desirable, but not requirement
• Previous animal care background is a plus
• Must be proficient in all tasks outlined in the Licensed Veterinary Technician position. 

CERTIFICATIONS, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

Accreditation from a Veterinary Technician program required.

Holds a valid license to practice as a Licensed Veterinary Technician in the state of Virginia

COMPETENCIES

• Compassionate
• Adaptable 
• Empathetic
• Oral Communication and Comprehension
• Organizational Skills
• Planning and Prioritizing
• Relationship Building 
• Writing, Verbal, and technical Skills

COMPUTER SKILLS

To perform this job successfully, an individual should have knowledge of basic computer software.  Previous veterinary practice systems is a plus.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

No travel is expected for this position.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to sit and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand and walk. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision and ability to adjust focus.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT

This job operates in a professional animal hospital/clinic. This role may have exposure to electromagnetic radiation, anesthetic gases, unpleasant odors, noises and animal feces.  May be exposed to bites, scratches and contagious diseases.  This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, and filing cabinets.