Registered Veterinary Technician

Registered Veterinary Technician

Requirements

• Licensed as a veterinary technician in the state of Ohio; highly competitive candidates eligible for but not currently licensed in Ohio will be considered; licensure in additional states a plus
• Minimum 1 year clinical experience as a veterinary technician working primarily or exclusively with dogs and cats
• Experience handling fearful and aggressive animals required
• Knowledge of veterinary medical concepts, protocols, and procedures; familiarity with shelter medicine principles and best practices a plus
• Possesses strong technical nursing skills
• Excellent low-stress and defensive animal handling and restraint skills; can skillfully modify handling techniques to best suit individual animals’ needs and unique behavior
• Possesses critical thinking and multitasking skills; able to quickly and calmly adjust focus and shift priorities based on patient and operational needs
• Able to work efficiently and calmly under challenging conditions; demonstrate flexibility with work assignments and unique tasks
• Able to recognize when to ask questions about uncertain situations or protocol
• Exhibits professionalism in stressful, time-sensitive and urgent situations; appropriately handles confidential and sensitive information with care and discretion
• Must have strong interpersonal and communications skills
• Is a team player; truly enjoys working with animals AND people
• Can cope well with exposure to animals suffering from serious medical and/or behavior problems; able to handle the stress of participating in humane euthanasia, sometimes for multiple animals at a time
• Able to work on a team as well as independently; ability to lead as well as follow instructions
• Strong organizational skills and a high level of attention to detail; meticulous record-keeping abilities
• Valid driver’s license

Responsibilities

• Provide compassionate and quality patient care, utilizing low-stress handling techniques
• Proficient technical nursing skills, including but not limited to: venipuncture, catheter placement, intubation, diagnostic testing procedures and obtaining radiographs
• Perform basic examinations and triage
• Prepare samples for submission to outside laboratories and follow-up as needed
• Assist and perform CPCR
• Proficient in pharmacology; administration of oral, topical and injectable medications
• Able to prioritize and re-prioritize responsibilities based on shelter and patient needs
• Participate in daily medical rounds of all animals in the shelter and regularly participate in Medical, Behavior, Sheltering (MBS) population rounds
• Review current treatment schedules, medical concern boards, and rechecks to ensure timely delivery of care
• Observe animals closely for signs of illness, injury, and/or poor medical welfare; document and communicate this information on monitoring sheets, in patient medical records, and/or directly to medical team members
• Assist with humane euthanasia following disposition decisions and/or in event of urgent medical need
• Ensure medical areas are kept clean, organized, and ready for use
• Perform or be willing to be trained to perform dental cleanings and radiographs
• Adept in administering and monitoring inhalation anesthesia
• Transport patients off-site for appointments
• Support the collection of evidence and documentation of examinations of live and deceased victims of animal cruelty, including clinical forensic exams and gross necropsies
• Monitor patients post-operatively to ensure safety and comfort and to identify possible post-operative or anesthesia-related complications
• Advise supervisor of any conditions that are unsafe including unrecognized hazards or infractions of safety rules
• Collaborate with behavior and sheltering colleagues to ensure holistic, balanced care for animals and a cohesive team culture for staff
• Ensure accurate and timely data entry to animals’ medical records in accordance with principles of medical record-keeping, including the transfer of information from outside veterinary partners and laboratories
• Participate in auditing and monitoring medical records
• Utilize appropriate chain of custody, evidence transfer and disposition procedures for forensic evidence
• Handle, administer, and log controlled substances under the direction of a veterinarian and in accordance with laws and protocols
• Take inventory and stock supplies as needed; assist the medical team with identifying inventory and ordering needs
• Assist with medical scheduling as needed
• Maintain equipment and supplies essential for deployments including packing, shipping etc.
• Use PPE appropriately and help ensure proper use by all shelter teams
• Timely communicate animal status updates as needed
• Communicate regularly with the behavior team using objective language and established communication systems to ensure information is shared in a timely fashion with relevant stakeholders, flagging behavior changes and concerns
• Competently and compassionately explain information about an animal’s condition to other staff and responders with easily understood language
• Model a standard of continual commitment to improvement in all aspects of CRC care and handling of dogs, cats, and other species
• Offer input and feedback as requested or if concerns arise
• Learn and follow CRC philosophy, procedures and protocols
• Follow and ensure adherence to all written and verbally communicated SOPs
• Adhere to all protocols put forth by Occupational Safety and Health Administration
• Obtain relevant continuing education as required by the ASPCA and the state licensing board
• Treat animals and staff with care and respect
• Work independently without supervision and as part of a team
• Possess critical thinking and multi-tasking skills
• Represent ASPCA in professional and courteous manner at all times
• Maintain open mind regarding changes and be willing to learn, implement, and teach new protocols
• Possess thorough knowledge of daily procedures and protocols
• Ensure and maintain high quality standard of care, work ethic, and performance
• Work efficiently and calmly under challenging conditions
• Attend and be active participant in staff meetings and training sessions
• Other tasks as assigned by supervisor

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with Salesforce or other shelter software systems a plus
• Prior experience in an animal shelter strongly preferred
• Previous experience working with legal cases and disaster response preferred
• Previous clinical experience with poultry, horses, and/or other species a plus
• Fear Free® and Fear Free Shelters certified or completed within 60 days of employment
• Knowledge of and experience working within Incident Command System (ICS) structure preferred; completion of ICS 100, ICS 200, IS0010.a, IS0011.a and IS0700.b training courses within 3 months of employment