Surgical Veterinary Assistant

Description

Since 1984, we’ve dedicated ourselves to ensuring every animal has the quality of life they deserve – a life worth living. Now, we go beyond our walls to help create a more humane community for pets and the people who love them.

Asheville Humane Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. We do, however, hold the County contract for animal sheltering. This means that we are the open-admission shelter for all Buncombe County animals.

Position Summary

The Surgical Veterinary Assistant is primarily responsible for the daily care of all surgical patients, assisting the veterinarian and surgical staff with pre-, peri- and post-operative care of patients, administering medications, and general cleaning and care of the surgical facility. This position will primarily work on our Mobile Medical Unit (MMU).

Key Responsibilities

• Knowledge of basic veterinary medical and surgical concepts.
• Ability to perform basic veterinary assistant duties.
• Comfort and competency in restraint and handling of all types and sizes of animals in a kind and safe manner for pre-op exams, surgical induction, and recovery.
• General duties in the operating room during surgery, assisting with the movement of patients, recovery of patients, and general flow.
• Responsible for prepping patients for surgery and observing all clinic procedures to ensure sterility and safety of patients.
• Able to monitor anesthesia, with a clear understanding of abnormal conditions.
• Able to respond appropriately during an emergency, able to take direction from a veterinarian and/or veterinary technician and maintain competency in CPR procedures.
• Prepare surgical instruments for cleaning, pack preparation, and sterilization.
• Responsible for calculating dosages and preparing and filling medications for animals.
• Responsible for monitoring patients during recovery from anesthesia.
• Must have a working knowledge of infectious disease control.
• Follow all written and verbally communicated departmental standard operating procedures.
• Ensure prompt and accurate recordkeeping procedures are followed each day
• Able to provide basic kennel assistant duties.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Provide a high level of customer service to partners and clients.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• High school diploma or GED equivalent required
• Prior experience working in private veterinary practice OR in a high-volume/high-quality spay/neuter practice as an assistant or technician is required.
• Basic computer knowledge.
• Ability to multi-task, problem solve, and coordinate multiple schedules with a high attention to detail.
• Must have the ability to stoop, bend, reach, and perform repetitive motion, such as bending or kneeling and reaching.
• Must be able to lift items weighing up to 60 pounds
• Must have good hand-eye coordination and an acceptable degree of dexterity in hands and fingers.
• Must have good hearing including the ability to distinguish changes in pitch.
• Must have a reasonable degree of agility to move through tightly cramped areas in various situations.

Schedule: The Surgical Veterinary Assistant will generally work on our Mobile Medical Unit (MMU), located at the Buncombe County Animal Care Campus. The work schedule is a 4-day work week with 10-hour days from Monday-Thursday, hours may vary depending on the schedule (either 6a-4p or 7a-5p).

Compensation & Benefits: The compensation for the Surgical Veterinary Assistant starts at $17.50/hour. AHS is pleased to offer a competitive and comprehensive benefits package to full-time employees that includes: medical, dental, and vision insurance, a Simple IRA plan with up to 3% company match, 18 days of PTO in the first year, paid holidays, pet prescription discounts, and more! Benefits are available after 60 days of employment.