Clinical Veterinary Technician 1

Oregon Health & Science University • Beaverton, OR

88d

About The Position

The Clinical Veterinary Technician 1 assists in providing clinical care, nursing support and husbandry for a variety of laboratory research animals. This is the first level of a three-level series. It is distinguished from the higher levels with increased level of oversight on clinical cases and focus on assisting surgical procedures. This role will be supervised or guided by senior staff and DVMs. At this level there is an emphasis on animal health, training, and greater supervision. It is distinguished from other Veterinary Technician series by the emphasis on clinical care and nursing support. Work inside an ABSL3 facility is a requirement of this position.

Requirements

• High school diploma or GED.
• 1 year experience caring for animals in a veterinary hospital including 6 months experience in a clinical position.
• State certification through the Veterinary Medical Examining Board as a Veterinary Technician.
• Certification by the American Association for Lab Animal Science at the Assistant Lab Animal Technician (ALAT) level within one year of employment.
• Knowledgeable in standard medical terminology and nomenclature.
• Ability to communicate and record patient information as required.
• Manual dexterity, hand-eye coordination, and fine motor skills to correctly perform clinical and technical procedures.
• Knowledge of veterinary and biological principles which underlie clinical illness.
• Ability to operate a variety of medical equipment used in clinical practice.
• Ability to obtain clear, diagnostic x-rays using established medical techniques or standard procedures.
• Ability to utilize personal protective equipment for cases requiring Animal Biosafety levels 2 & 3.
• Ability to interact in a positive and productive manner with veterinary, scientific, and technical staff.

Nice To Haves

• AA in Veterinary Technology.
• Experience in the health care of experimental animals in a research setting.
• Experience working with USDA regulated research animals.
• Experience working in a surgical environment.
• Experience with dental procedures, ultrasound, radiology, or emergency medicine.
• Advanced computer and Microsoft skills.
• Medical knowledge and clinical experience in the management of nonhuman primate illness.
• AALAS certification.
• Current state issued radiology license.

Responsibilities

• Evaluates new and ongoing clinical cases with oversight.
• Provides basic treatments within clinic guidelines or as determined by the attending veterinarian.
• Determines which cases need immediate care from the attending veterinarian, and which can be managed through routine practices.
• Provides assistance and support in the assessment, treatment, and stabilization of patients with urgent medical needs.
• May independently stabilize patients while the veterinarian is en route.
• Provides ongoing care for patients with potentially life-threatening illness or injury.
• Monitors recovery from sedation and patient care, including creation of medical records and administration of medications.
• Performs standard clinical procedures on research animals including checking for standard pathogens and treating as appropriate.
• Performs venipuncture, intravenous and urethral catheter placement, medication dose calculations, and administration of medications.
• Cleans, debrides, sutures, and bandages wounds; assists with dental manipulations; monitoring of animals receiving gas anesthetics.
• Checks clinical cases daily for signs of abnormal behavior, illness, or injury.
• Records information necessary to document adequate clinical care; and reports observed findings to veterinarians.
• Waters and feeds hospitalized animals as instructed.
• Captures, restrains and transports animals in support of investigative or veterinary procedures.
• Cleans and disinfects surgical and clinical supplies and instrumentation.
• Assembles surgical instrument sets and supplies according to established guidelines.
• Maintains sterility of surgical supplies and instruments through proper storage and rotation.
• Maintains procedure rooms including stocking, cleaning, and expiration monitoring.
• May perform miscellaneous tasks as deemed necessary by managerial staff.

What This Job Offers

• Education Level: High school or GED