Veterinary Assistant

SUMMARY OF JOB PURPOSE AND FUNCTION

The Veterinary Assistant supports the veterinarians and veterinary technicians in ensuring quality veterinary care for all pets, advocates for pets, educates clients on all aspects of pet health, and ensures a safe and effective hospital environment.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND TASKS

• Live and exemplify the Five Principles of Mars, Inc. within self and team.
• Act as the extra eyes, ears, and hands for the veterinarian and veterinary technician to ensure the best quality pet care and to maximize the veterinarian's and veterinary technician’s productivity. Communicate with veterinarian, veterinary technicians and all other associates to maintain the flow of patients.
• Provide professional, efficient, and exceptional service at all times. This includes performing or preparing procedures that do not require veterinarian or veterinary technician assistance, completing preparatory work for other procedures, ensuring that clients and pets are comfortable in the hospital, and monitoring hospitalized or surgical pets as allowed in the state practice acts.
• Educate clients about Optimum Wellness Plans, preventive care pet health needs, hospital services, and other issues.
• Obtain relevant information and history from clients and maintain proper and complete medical charts.
• Ensure the safety of pets, clients, and associates by utilizing safe restraining techniques, following standard protocols, and maintaining clean, sterile, and organized treatment areas, exam rooms, and labs.
• Assist with surgery as applicable.
• Utilize technical skills to the fullest, within state practice acts and as outlined in the NAVTA guidelines for veterinary assistant skills and duties.
• Mentor other paraprofessionals in the hospital.
• Other job duties as assigned.

THE FIVE PRINCIPLES

• Quality - The consumer is our boss, quality is our work and value for money is our goal.
• Responsibility - As individuals, we demand total responsibility from ourselves; as associates, we support the responsibility of others.
• Mutuality - A mutual benefit is a shared benefit; a shared benefit will endure.
• Efficiency - We use resources to the full, waste nothing and do only what we can do best.
• Freedom - We need freedom to shape our future; we need profit to remain free.

CAPABILITIES AND EXPERIENCE

• Ability to multi-task - Manages multiple tasks at one time; quickly and accurately shifts attention among multiple tasks under distracting conditions without loss of accuracy or appearance of frustration.
• Communication skills - Reads, writes, and speaks fluent English, using appropriate grammar, style, and vocabulary. Correctly spells commonly used English words and job-specific terms. Demonstrates exceptionally strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Organizational ability - Demonstrates a systematic approach in carrying out assignments. Is very orderly and excels at cutting through confusion and turning chaos into order.
• Problem solving skills - Demonstrates a strong ability to identify, analyze, and solve problems. Translates problems into practical solutions.
• Client service skills - Consistently ensures the team provides the client with attentive, courteous, and informative service. Gains and shows personal satisfaction from delivering great service.
• Intellectual ability - Accurately and consistently follows instructions delivered in an oral, written, or diagram format. Can provide directions.
• Mathematical ability - Ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide, and to compute rate, ratio, and percent; ability to convert units of measurement.
• Computer skills - Comfortably and confidently uses a computer and specialized medical software, as well as Microsoft Outlook, Word, and Excel.

ATTITUDES

• Initiative - Shows willingness and aptitude to take appropriate steps in finding solutions to problems; presents options and ideas to enhance current processes or procedures.
• Integrity - Firmly adheres to the values and ethics of Banfield Pet Hospital. Exhibits honesty, discretion, and sound judgment.
• Cooperativeness - Willing to work with others, collaborating and compromising where necessary.
• Flexibility - Is open to changing situations and opportunities and is willing to perform all tasks assigned.
• Independence - Able and willing to perform tasks and duties without supervision as appropriate.
• Tolerance for Stress / Resiliency - Maintains a positive “can do” outlook, rebounds quickly from frustrations and unpleasantness.

SPECIAL WORKING CONDITIONS

• Ability to work at a computer for long periods of time. Ability to be confident around pets (i.e., dogs, cats, birds, reptiles, etc.).
• Client needs and work volume may often require more than 40 hours per week to complete essential duties of this job.
• This position requires special hours including working weekends and evenings.
• Exposure to a variety of pets that may bite or scratch, and on occasion, exposure to anesthesia, radiation, biological hazards and medication/controlled substances.

EXPERIENCE, EDUCATION AND/OR TRAINING

• High School Diploma or equivalent preferred.
• Must be at least 18 years old to perform duties involving radiography (x-ray) and exposure to radioactive substances.
• One year related experience required with customer service preferred.