Veterinary Technician - ICU

Purpose: Provide technical and clerical support for the doctors, high quality medical care for the patients, and support for their family members, and all other activities associated with the ICU department.

Qualifications: A Registered Veterinary Technician with advanced skills, knowledge, and experience. Must be able to effectively communicate, multi-task, work as a part of a team, and solve problems. Must show professionalism, strong work ethics, flexibility, integrity, and initiative. Must be a licensed Veterinary Technician.

Required abilities:

• Communication skills: Able to communicate clearly with other team members and doctors. Fluent in English (written and spoken) and able to spell common medical words.
• Ability to multi-task: Able to complete various tasks and treatments with little supervision as directed by multiple doctors, supervisors or team members.
• Customer Service Skills: Able to interact with clients and patients while maintaining a positive, energetic and professional demeanor. Must be able to explain procedures and treatments before, during and after they are performed. We are an open hospital, so great customer service skills are a must!
• Problem solving skills: Accurately assess patient conditions and notify appropriate doctors. Interest and knowledge to learn the processes behind diseases to better understand problems that may occur.
• Information processing: Able to receive and complete oral and written instructions and carry them out accurately and consistently.
• Mathematical skills: Able to quickly, efficiently, and with no mistakes, be able to calculate medications based on patient’s weight.
• Computer skills- We are a ‘paperless’ hospital which means all treatments, procedures, diagnostics, vitals, ect must be entered into the patient’s record on the computer (some of these may also be record on the green hospital sheet). Making sure that patients are charged accordingly and correctly to treatments or diagnostics administered while at Adobe.
• Time Management skills: Able to accurately and efficiently provide high quality care and treatment to all our patients. We are a busy hospital, so time management is a must to maintain smooth flow.
• Teamwork: Must be able to work as a cohesive and collaborative unit with the other team members. The flow of our hospital is dependent upon everyone working as a team to provide the best care possible.
• Initiative: Must have the ability to assess and initiate action to resolve or improve a situation independently. Must want to improve skills and knowledge and advance in the industry/organization. Must have the drive to go ‘above-and-beyond” for our clients, patients, and team members.
• Autonomy: Ability to work with little supervision but be able to ask questions when needed.
• Dedication and Commitment to Quality Care: A deep commitment to the veterinary field and to sustaining a high level of patient care.

Job Functions and Responsibilities:

• Basic ICU Treatments
• Drug calculations and administration (SQ, IM, IV, PO, etc)
• Monitoring and assessing patient status
• Patient cleanliness and comfort
• Placement/maintenance/troubleshooting intravenous catheters
• Collection of blood, fecal, urine, or other samples for diagnostics
• Understanding and using basic aseptic techniques
• Accurately interpreting doctor orders
• Checking medications and dosages with other technicians for accuracy
• Care for boarders
• Other various simple treatments
• Advanced Treatments and Skills
• Placement/maintenance/troubleshooting of urinary catheters, nasal cannulas, and sampling catheters, and central lines
• Maintenance/troubleshooting various drains and aspiration tubes
• Administering/monitoring blood or plasma transfusions
• Set up/maintaining/troubleshooting ventilators, electrocardiograms, and other equipment
• Consistently monitoring CVP and/or patient hydration status
• Calculating/preparing/administering CRIs
• Neonatal care, including tube feeding
• Treating patients in isolation contamination free
• Other various advanced treatments
• Maintenance of the Department
• Keeping patient paper records up to date
• Keeping patient computer records and charges up to date
• Scheduling boarding appointments, and maintaining appointment book
• Properly storing and maintaining equipment and supplies
• Stocking supplies, and notifying supervisors of low stock
• Ensuring Doctors' orders are current
• Proper cleaning of runs, cages, dishes, counters and sinks
• Emergency and late hours
• Triage
• Cardiopulmonary Cerebral Resuscitation
• Basic receptionist tasks
• Assisting night doctor with appointments and emergencies
• Set up, anesthesia, treatments for emergency surgeries
• Radiography
• Lab work
• Department and client communications
• Properly discharging patients, including instructions on medications and treatments to be done at home
• Participate in departmental, staff, training and other meetings that are required
• Keeping doctors informed of the status of their patients
• Addressing departmental issues through proper channels
• Providing patient updates to their family members
• Relaying information between doctors, technicians, and clients
• Clearly and accurately record all patient information to other staff members via green hospital sheets, cage cards, and the medical record.
• Departmental training
• Participation in training and nurturing of fellow technicians
• Introduction of new, accurate information useful to the department
• Disseminating accurate information regarding procedures/protocols

Hours:

• Full Time- 40 hours a week
• ICU is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
• AWS scheduling (4 10-hour shifts)

Compensation:

• Base wage starts at $31.50-42.00/hr. including differentials, see below

Differentials available:

• Swing shift: Additional $3/hr. for shifts starting between 12pm and 4:59pm
• Overnight shift: Additional $10/hr. for shifts starting between 5pm and 4am
• Weekend shift: additional $3/hr. for any weekend shifts worked