Registered Veterinary Technician

Employment Opportunity Summary

This position is under the direction of the Staff Veterinarian and the Animal Services Manager of the City of Sedalia. The primary responsibility is to operate and maintain equipment pertinent to carrying out their duties, including but not limited to laboratory equipment, anesthesia, dental and radiograph equipment. Assist the Staff Veterinarian.

Ready to Apply?

Apply Online

Questions and resumes can be submitted via email at jobs@sedalia.com.

Employment Opportunity Additional Details

Job Scope:

The purpose of this position is to play a crucial role in providing exceptional care to animals, ensuring their health and well-being. Assisting the Staff Veterinarian in surgeries. Successful performance helps ensure animal and citizen safety and welfare.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Patient Care

1. Review the appointment schedule and plan for procedures and create appropriate surgery schedules and treatment plans.
2. Assess patient status, review patient plan, perform hospitalized patient’s treatments according to the veterinarian’s orders and document such activity.
3. Monitor patients for vomit, blood, urine, and feces in the cage and clean as needed. Note incidents in the medical record.
4. Monitor changes in patients’ conditions. Alert the veterinarian to significant changes.
5. Know common disease states and alert the veterinarian when symptoms change or when concerns arise with hospitalized patients.
6. Anticipate what the veterinarian will need for appointments and do everything you can to set up and assist the doctor.
7. Manage emergency patient care and alert the veterinarian as soon as possible.
8. Be able to recognize signs and degrees of pain and discomfort. Understand the medications and methods used to control pain.
9. Perform emergency initiation of treatment procedure, applying temporary bandages and clipping/cleaning wounds.
10. Recognize patients with potentially contagious diseases and follow appropriate protocols to prevent spread to other patients. Be familiar with zoonotic diseases.
11. Safely and humanely restrain patients.
12. Perform common outpatient procedures (e.e., nail trim, ear cleaning, anal gland expression, etc.).
13. Assist with humane euthanasia as requested.
14. Properly calculate medication volumes and rates of administration.
15. Administer injectable, topical, and oral medications to patient.
16. Perform venipuncture and place IV catheters and administer IV fluids using an IV pump according to veterinarian’s orders.
17. Update client/patient records.
18. Understand and utilize laser therapy modalities correctly.

Laboratory Procedures

1. Perform radiographs and evaluate for proper positioning and exposure. Be proficient in conducting contrast imaging studies. Adhere to radiographic safety standards.
2. Clean and maintain laboratory equipment.
3. Know how to use common diagnostic equipment. (i.e., ECG, BP, SPO2, centrifuge, etc.).
4. Perform and document in-house laboratory tests, including blood smears, PCV/TP, urinalysis with sediment, stool analysis, skin/ear cytology.

Anesthesia and Surgical Assistance

1. Understand aseptic principles and always apply them to surgical patients, instruments, equipment, and rooms.
2. Operate, interpret, and maintain vital signs equipment and other general surgery equipment.
3. Operate and maintain anesthetic machine with rebreathing and non-rebreathing circuits. Maintain oxygen supply and use of scavenger system.
4. Knowledge of commonly used analgesics and resuscitative medications. Properly calculate emergency medication volumes.
5. Knowledge of fluid therapies for intraoperative use and properly calculate volumes and rates.
6. Administer injectable and gas anesthesia according to standard practice protocols. (Assistants cannot perform induction of anesthesia).
7. Properly maintain a patient airway using endotracheal intubation.
8. Monitor and maintain anesthetized patients by observation/manual parameters and by use of vital signs equipment.
9. Perform standard surgical field preparation and patient positioning.
10. Perform routine dental radiographs, scaling, polishing and fluoride. Recognize and bring to the veterinarian’s attention any abnormalities. Perform dental charting and document the procedure in the medical record.
11. Knowledge and maintenance of standard surgical equipment.
12. Knowledge of a variety of surgical procedures and ability to anticipate what supplies and equipment are needed for set-up.
13. Assist the veterinarian in surgery as directed.
14. Monitor and assure safety of patients during post-operative recovery. Perform extubation.
15. Operate and maintain autoclave.

Management and Regulatory Task

1. Perform laboratory, treatment and surgical inventory maintenance as requested.
2. Ensure that working areas are always stocked with medical supplies.
3. Maintain controlled substance log. Keep controlled drugs secured to meet Drug Enforcement Agency and Missouri state law specifications.
4. Maintain cleanliness and organization in treatment area, surgery suite, imaging, and cages. This includes keeping cage bedding laundered.
5. Notify or utilize want list on supplies that are running low or out.

Learning and Leadership

1. Assist in training and supervision of new technicians and shelter staff.
2. Provide staff leadership for tasks in a professional and personable way.
3. Promote a positive attitude and demonstrate a commitment to the vision/mission of the shelter.
4. Make suggestions on how to improve practice protocols.
5. Performs other related duties as assigned.

The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar or related to the position.

Minimum Qualifications:

1. High School diploma or GED.
2. Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT) or Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT).
3. Prior experience working in a veterinary clinic or animal hospital.
4. Proficiency in using veterinary practice management software.
5. Two (2) year’s experience in an animal clinic or shelter environment which may include humane society experience, veterinary experience, office or kennel.
6. Preferred training or course work in veterinary science, and/or experience with animals such as farming or ranching will be considered toward meeting the above requirements.
7. Valid driver’s license.
8. Must agree to be subject to random drug screen throughout employment.

Necessary Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

1. Knowledge of city ordinances and department policies and procedures.
2. Knowledge of animal behavior.
3. Knowledge of quarantine procedures.
4. Skill in operating a computer and standard office equipment.
5. Skill in catching and containing animals.
6. Skill in oral and written communication.
7. Technicians/Assistants must be able to operate and maintain equipment pertinent to carrying out their duties, including but not limited to laboratory equipment, anesthesia, dental and radiograph equipment.
8. Must genuinely enjoy working with animals even when they are stressed, ill or in pain. Calmly and safely restrain pets who may struggle, scratch, or try to bite.
9. Must be able to respond calmly and quickly to frequent auditory signals, warnings, or communication from other staff, animals, or medical equipment. Should be able to work unaffected in an environment where dogs are barking loudly or constantly.
10. Must be able to make independent, common-sense decisions and solve complex problems.
11. Must be able to communicate respectfully and clearly with clients and coworkers.
12. Perform multiple tasks simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.
13. Perform physical duties including repetitive standing, walking, bending, twisting, and some lifting to 50 pounds.
14. Must be able to observe abnormal behaviors and physical problems in patients.
15. Learn how to use the practice management software to enter services, medications, procedures, and updates into patient record.
16. Regular attendance and timeliness are an essential function to fulfill the requirements of this position.
17. Must be able to keep calm and respectful communication during times of high stress.
18. Become familiar/proficient in all forms of hospital communications (i.e. – email, verbal, app, etc.).

Guidelines:

1. City ordinances
2. State laws, regulations, department policies and procedures.
3. Guidelines require judgment, selection, and interpretation in application.

Principal Working Relationships:

1. Co-workers, other city employees.
2. Court personnel, veterinarians, postal carriers, utility workers, and the general public.

Purpose of Contacts:

Contacts are typically to give or exchange information, provide services, resolve problems, motivate or influence persons, and clarify, justify, defend, negotiate, or settle matters.

Supervisory and Management Responsibility:

None.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to 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 frequently required to sit and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to stand, walk, run, use hands to finger, handle, or operate objects, controls, or tools listed above. The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms, climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl, and taste or smell. The employee may occasionally be required to physically control animals and must maintain a level of physical ability accordingly.

The employee occasionally lifts light and heavy objects regularly exceeding 50 pounds or more, and may be required to distinguish between shades of color.

Work Environment:

The work is typically performed in an office. The employee may be exposed to noise, dust, dirt, machinery with moving parts, and cold or inclement weather. The work requires the use of protective devices.