Job Title: Veterinary Technician

Reports to: Hospital Director

FLSA Status: Non-exempt

Summary of Job Purpose and Function

Assist and carry out those tasks required to maintain client communications, patient care, and hospital inventory as determined by veterinarians.

Essential Responsibilities and Tasks

EXEMPLIFY AND EMBODY CARA’S CULTURE EVERY DAY. All employees are expected to exemplify Cara’s five pillars on a daily basis: Put Pets First. Trust the Parent. Authentically Human. Good Neighbors. Shake Things Up. Employees should also be willing and capable of multi-tasking, confidentially navigate various types of technology throughout the practice, and use mathematical skills accurately throughout their daily tasks. Employees must also mentally and physically stay organized to help ensure the clients and patients receive the best possible experience. Cara employees are also required to be mentally flexible, adaptable, and resilient to working in a stressful and demanding work environment. All Cara employees are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner at all times. They are also expected to be independent while working in their role, show integrity, be willing to collaborate with others, and to show always be a team player and show initiative.

DIAGNOSTIC SERVICE RESPONSIBILITIES, which include collections and processing of blood, urine, tissue, or fluid samples, in house differentials, and performing diagnostic procedures, such as fine needle aspiration, biopsy, bone marrow aspiration, cytology, etc., taking multiple X-RAY images and understanding the patient positioning and alignment for radiological studies, placing IV catheters,

ANESTHESIA SERVICE RESPONSIBILITIES, which include preparation and administration of preanesthetic drugs and gases, intubation, patient monitoring, including direct and indirect blood pressure measurements, etc., patient recovery, and sanitation of anesthetic equipment

SURGICAL SERVICE RESPONSIBILITIES, which include reviewing detailed pre- and postoperative requirements, including medications, scrubbing into surgical procedures, practicing all aspects of sterile technique, cleaning and sterilization of used surgical instruments, administration of local anesthesia and regional nerve blocks, epidural anesthesia, constant rate infusions of various narcotic drugs

DENTISTRY SERVICE RESPONSIBILITIES, which include performing prophylactic dental cleanings on canine and feline patients, tooth counting and charting, patient intubation, anesthetic monitoring and recovery, non-surgical extraction of teeth, assisting veterinarian with surgical extractions and other oral surgery

OUTPATIENT CARE RESPONSIBILITIES, which include case presentation at rounds, rooming and admitting patients/ clients, TPR, medication administration, filling prescriptions, and client education, including estimates, side effects, drugs, conditions, etc.

INPATIENT CARE RESPONSIBILITIES, which include walking dogs, ensuring comfortable bedding for dogs and cats, cleaning runs, bowls, bedding, etc., feeding, watering, medicating inpatients, providing litter boxes, notation of changes in medical or mental status, and bathing patients when needed.

DAILY WARD DUTIES, which include which include walking dogs, ensuring comfortable bedding for dogs and cats, providing fresh litter boxes, cleaning runs, bowls, bedding, etc., feeding, watering, medicating inpatients, notation of changes in medical or mental status, and bathing patients when needed, stocking and cleaning all rooms, wards, sinks, and tubs.

PATIENT HANDLING DUTIES, which include assisting veterinarians and other technicians in handling patients for procedures, exams, x-ray, sample collection, etc., using safety equipment such as muzzles when needed keep patients warm and dry, monitor patients for needing to go out for elimination.

PATIENT LIASON DUTIES, which include recording all client conversations, patient procedures, patient observations, etc. in medical records, calling clients to update on patient condition, communicating drop off and pick up times, creating and executing reminder phone calls, assisting the veterinarian with client phone calls and questions, and maintaining/ creating client information packets, discussing pre-anesthetic lab work with clients, communicating post-operative care instructions to clients

INVENTORY AND SUPPLY DUTIES, which include maintaining a clean and orderly practice, checking inventory supplies, maintaining supply lists, stocking of rooms, treatment rooms, wards, etc., and maintaining the controlled drug log per DEA requirements.

PATIENT BILLING DUTIES, which include creation of estimates and invoices for all services rendered, bringing patients to clients after payment, and charge verification with outside labs and services.

OTHER POSSIBLE DUTIES, which include completing available continuing education, and other duties assigned to you.

After completing training in front office duties, all Technicians will also be trained in and expected to assist in the following:

WELCOMING CLIENTS Knowing client and patient names and the reason for their visit, assisting with coffee, restroom, etc., smile and be empathetic and comforting

PHONES Place priority on answering the phone before the 4th ring, ensure that appropriate coverage exists to phones are never left unanswered, check and process voicemail, triage phone calls for techs and DVMs and degree of urgency. Process all client phone requests and document all phone conversations with clients in the medical record.

APPOINTMENT SCHEDULING Schedule new and existing patients on the phone and in person, collecting data, placing reminder calls 1 day before, making recheck appointments at the time of check-out, and tracking and rescheduling cancelled appointments.

MEDICAL RECORDS Recording all conversations with clients in the medical records, recording messages and patient updates, obtaining medical records from referring practices, alerting referring practices of patients euthanized at our practice, fax records when requested

HOUSEKEEPING Maintain a clean and tidy reception desk and lobby, free from animal hair and bodily waste, ensure coffee station is clean and stocked, assist technicians in cleaning the exam rooms.

FAX/EMAIL/MAIL Mail records, etc. to clients, other practices, etc., answer or triage emails in general contact box, alert DVMs to incoming faxes via email, process incoming mail, ensure outgoing mail is retrieved by post office

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT Collect payment at the time of service, assist clients with filing out CareCredit applications, settle merchant credit machine at the end of each day, maintain accurate financial records regarding the cash drawer, compile daily checks and credit card reports and give to the Hospital Director at the end of the day unless instructed otherwise.

Hiring Qualifications

Special Working Conditions

Experience, Education and/ or Training

DISCLAIMER: This job description is not meant to be an all-inclusive listing of duties expected of this position. This job description, the duties and expectations may change at any time.