Veterinary Assistant

Petco•Dedham, MA

37d•Onsite

About The Position

The Veterinary Assistant role is crucial for providing excellent medical care to patients at Vetco Total Care full-service hospitals and delivering phenomenal customer care to their owners. This position represents the company's mission and values to all clients, setting the tone for technical and customer support within the hospital. All staff are responsible for fostering cohesion and motivation, ensuring patient needs are always prioritized, empowering team members to create exceptional customer experiences, resolving issues promptly, and promoting teamwork towards shared goals.

Requirements

At least 1-year previous experience working in veterinary practice or sufficient relatable animal care experience.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Compassionate and sympathetic demeanor, able to maintain a professional attitude during emotional and stressful situations.
Telephone and computer skills.
Team player willing to learn new techniques and treatments, offer creative ideas, and accept change.
Must be able to perform bending, kneeling, lifting (up to 30 pounds, as necessary) and standing for long periods of time.

Responsibilities

Greet clients and patients, escort them into exam rooms, obtain weight and vital signs, and record information in the electronic medical record.
Collect thorough patient histories and document patient visits in EMRs.
Assist doctors with appointments (routine and emergency), surgery, dentistry, and euthanasia under supervision.
Perform patient restraint, obtain and process laboratory samples, and handle/dispense medications as directed.
Maintain and update client/patient records.
Schedule appointments and provide client education.
Relay test results to doctors and clients.
Prepare patients for surgical and dental procedures and assist with anesthesia.
Safely maintain patients under anesthesia, monitoring vital parameters, and monitor patients during recovery.
Prepare patients for discharge or transfer to overnight care facilities.
Perform in-hospital treatments for sick patients, including administering medications and intravenous fluid therapy.
Keep patients clean, watered, and fed as indicated and directed by the doctor.
Safely walk canine patients when necessary for elimination.
Assist in training new staff members and disseminate knowledge as required.
Keep the hospital environment neat and clean, performing regular cleaning based on necessity and a predetermined maintenance schedule.
Provide backup phone and front desk support as needed.