Registered Veterinary Technician; RVT

Position: Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT)
Job Description

Job Description:

Certified Veterinary Technician

Position Summary

A certified veterinary technician directly handles inpatient and outpatient care, working hand-in-hand with veterinarians. The technician assists in exam rooms by taking patients' history, vital signs and weight; preparing vaccines; collecting samples and running diagnostic tests; providing client education; and assisting with animal restraint. Technicians also may see their own appointments for procedures such as suture removal, nail trim, vaccine administration when a doctor exam is not required, long-term medication monitoring testing, surgery admission and discharge and boarding check-in exams.

Technicians directly impact doctors' productivity, client service and patient care. Technicians play a key role in communicating with clients in person and by phone for follow-up care and patient monitoring.

Reports to:

Technician Supervisor, Medical Director and/or Practice Manager

Job Responsibilities

Technical Duties, 90%:

* Assist veterinarians in the practice of veterinary medicine and surgery

* Perform in-hospital lab testing and prepare specimens for outside labs

* Assist veterinarians in outpatient exams by taking histories, vital signs and weights as well as providing client education

* Provide nursing care for in-hospital patients

* Conduct pre-admission exams and discharge hospitalized patients

* Perform client callbacks

* Maintain proper care and medication administration of boarding animals and assist kennel staff

* Maintain legally defensible medical records in cooperation with veterinarians

Exams

* Prepare and maintain exam rooms (cleanliness and stocking of supplies and brochures)

* Assist veterinarians in exam rooms by taking patients' history, vital signs and weight; preparing vaccines and medications; and assisting with medical records

* Educate clients on prevention and wellness topics

* Collect samples and run heartworm, tick-borne disease and intestinal parasite tests

* Fill prescriptions per veterinarians' instructions

* Educate clients about medication instructions and administration

* Perform admission exams for patients being hospitalized, including weight, vital signs and pre-surgical exam

* Perform pre-anesthetic exams on surgery and dental patients if the veterinarian has not already assessed patients

* Discharge patients for dentistry, spay, neuter and declaw surgeries

* Conduct dental recheck exams

Lab

* Responsible for in-hospital lab testing such as intestinal parasite screens, pre-anesthetic testing, senior screens, complete blood count, urinalysis, heartworm, tick-borne diseases, Feline Leukemia, FIV, cytology, etc.

* Collect and prepare samples

* Report diagnostic testing results to veterinarians

* Maintain quality controls and record keeping on in-house lab equipment

* Complete proper sample preparation and paperwork for outside diagnostic lab tests

Treatment

* Perform treatments noted on treatment board and in medical records (hospitalized patients, surgeries, dentistry patients, boarding medications)

* Assist veterinarians with daily treatments

* Monitor intensive care patients

* Provide nursing care

* Take and process x-rays

* Accurately number and file x-rays; record x-rays in log and medical records

* Use and maintain IV pumps

Surgery

* Admit patients scheduled for surgery and dentistry

* Keep surgical materials stocked

* Prepare gown and surgical packs

* Check oxygen lines and waste gas scavenger system; turn off scavenger system after surgical procedures are completed

* Prepare surgery suite for surgery

* Prepare instruments; know type of surgical instruments required for specific surgeries

* Assist veterinarians with patient restraint

* Assist veterinarians with induction/intubation or perform induction/intubation

* Surgical preparation of patient

* Monitor anesthesia closely with monitoring equipment such as pulse oximeter and electrocardiogram

* Help maintain anesthesia machine

* Assist veterinarian performing surgery

* Monitor patients waking up from anesthesia; assist with treatment if patient has reaction to anesthesia

* Clean surgery suite and surgical instruments after each procedure following hospital sterilization…