Patient Care Specialist

ANIMAL CARE & CONTROL OF NYC • New York, NY

7h

About The Position

Under the direction of a Veterinarian or Licensed Veterinary Technician, the Patient Care Specialist will assist in the provision of compassionate care for convalescing animals who are injured, ill or recovering from surgery by tending to the animal’s basic needs including feeding, walking, cleaning and socializing. It is important to notice little changes in the animal’s behavior, appetite and comfort level and alert the Veterinary Team to the observed concerns. They provide direct assistance with physical examinations from retrieval of the animal to basic restraint.

Requirements

• High School Diploma or GED required.
• Six months of previous animal handling experience required– i.e. dog walking, animal husbandry, grooming, measuring vital signs, restraining aggressive animals.
• Ability to excel in a fast-paced, often high stress environment, treats animals and people with respect, has attention to detail and a strong work ethic to complete tasks correctly.
• Must be able to lift up to 50 lbs and work standing for 8 hours or more.

Nice To Haves

• Is a confident communicator, a people person, and a team player.
• Willing to pitch in to help others and ensure the needs of the animals are met.
• Available to modify schedule as needed to meet the needs of the organization, including with little notice.
• Possesses a love of animals and is able to interact with them in a calm, non-threatening manner.
• Willing to familiarize themselves with medical terminology, and proper technique in obtaining patient vital signs.
• Demonstrated ability to handle animals of all temperaments.

Responsibilities

• Maintain a high standard of animal care and welfare, which includes providing scheduled feedings, clean water at all times, proper bedding and enrichment toys.
• Take the patient’s vital signs: temperature, pulse and respirations, as directed by the doctor, and document normal and unusual behavior, signs of illness and any injury of an animal on a daily basis.
• Restrain, confine, handle animals, including those which are ill, injured, quarantined, and aggressive in a manner that is safe for both pet and staff.
• Walk dogs housed in medical areas safely and in accordance to ACC policies.
• Properly clean and sanitize medical area to keep the patients comfortable and dry.
• Facilitate transfer of animals from intake or medical areas and into appropriate housing.
• Work cooperatively with ACC volunteers and partners and all departments.
• Communicate effectively, cordially, and promptly within and outside of the department.
• Required to obtain ACC-provided euthanasia certification in order to perform the humane euthanasia of animals when needed.
• Maintain handling and restraint equipment.
• Maintain adequate inventory as well as restock and maintenance of Vet Services Area.
• Will need to be a multitasker and jump from various teams to assist when needed. Also needs to be a self-starter and observant.
• Retrieve animals from rooms throughout the shelter and safely restrain for physical exams.
• Fear Free certification required within 30 days of hire.
• Complete other duties as assigned by supervisor.

Benefits

• ACC values work/life balance and offers a generous paid-time-off (PTO) package that includes vacation time, birthdays off, personal days and sick pay.
• We also value physical and mental health by offering a great open access Cigna medical, dental and vision insurance at a low premium to our employees as well as 401K and Pension, Life Insurance.
• We also have on-the-job training for 2-4 weeks, periodic all staff trainings to include safety, DEI, cross training, and other growth opportunities.
• Because ACC is a nonprofit, employees may be eligible for loan forgiveness, cancellation, and/or consolidation under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program (PSLF). Created under the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007, PSLF allows borrowers who work full time for nonprofits and government agencies to have their outstanding debt forgiven tax-free on Federal Direct Loans, after making 120 qualifying monthly payments under a qualifying repayment plan.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED