Veterinary Assistant

Medical Management International, Inc.; Roseville (CA); On-site; USD 24,245 - 30,982; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance

Retirement plans with company match

Paid parental leave

Continuing education allowance

Exclusive discounts on products and services

Job summary

VCA Inc. is hiring a Veterinary Assistant in Roseville, California, to support veterinarians and ensure quality veterinary care for pets. The role involves providing exceptional service, assisting with surgical procedures, and educating clients on pet health needs.

Successful candidates will have strong communication skills and relevant certifications. Flexible working hours are expected, including weekends. Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance, and professional development opportunities.

Qualifications

• Must be at least 18 years old for certain tasks.
• Experience in a veterinary setting preferred.
• Ability to handle the physical demands of the job.

Responsibilities

• Support veterinarians in providing pet care.
• Communicate effectively with the veterinary team.
• Educate clients about pet health and wellness.

Skills

Multi-tasking

Communication skills

Organizational ability

Problem solving skills

Client service skills

Education

Certificate from NAVTA approved Veterinary Assistant program

High school diploma or equivalent preferred

Tools

Microsoft Outlook

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Role Overview

The Veterinary Assistant supports veterinarians and veterinary technicians in ensuring quality veterinary care for all pets, advocates for pets, educates clients on all aspects of pet health, and ensures a safe and effective hospital environment.

Essential Responsibilities and Tasks

• Live and exemplify the Five Principles of Mars, Inc. within self and team.
• Act as the extra eyes, ears and hands for the veterinarian and veterinary technician to ensure the best quality pet care and to maximize the veterinarian’s and veterinary technician’s productivity. Communicate with veterinarian, veterinary technicians and all other associates to maintain the flow of patients.
• Provide professional, efficient and exceptional service at all times. This includes performing or preparing procedures that do not require veterinarian or veterinary technician assistance, completing preparatory work for other procedures, ensuring that clients and pets are comfortable in the hospital, and monitoring hospitalized or surgical pets as allowed in the state practice acts.
• Educate clients about optimum wellness plans, preventive care, pet health needs, hospital services and other issues.
• Obtain relevant information and history from clients and maintain proper and complete medical charts.
• Ensure the safety of pets, clients and associates by utilizing safe restraining techniques, following standard protocols, and maintaining clean, sterile and organized treatment areas, exam rooms and labs.
• Assist with surgery as applicable.
• Utilize technical skills to the fullest, within state practice acts and as outlined in the NAVTA guidelines for veterinary assistant skills and duties.
• Mentor other paraprofessionals in the hospital.
• Other job duties as assigned.

The Five Principles

• Quality - The consumer is our boss, quality is our work and value for money is our goal.
• Responsibility - As individuals, we demand total responsibility from ourselves; as associates, we support the responsibility of others.
• Mutuality - A mutual benefit is a shared benefit; a shared benefit will endure.
• Efficiency - We use resources to the full, waste nothing and do only what we can do best.
• Freedom - We need freedom to shape our future; we need profit to remain free.

Hiring Qualifications Competencies

• Leadership – Action oriented, customer focus, listening, peer relationships, personal learning, drive for results.
• Functional – Ensure medical quality, effective communication, priority setting.
• Functional skills – Ability to multi-task, communication skills, organizational ability, problem solving skills, client service skills, intellectual ability, mathematical ability, computer skills.

Capabilities and Experience (Can Do)

• Ability to multi-task – manages multiple tasks at one time; quickly and accurately shifts attention among multiple tasks under distracting conditions without loss of accuracy or appearance of frustration.
• Communication skills – reads, writes and speaks fluent English, using appropriate grammar, style and vocabulary; demonstrates exceptionally strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Organizational ability – demonstrates a systematic approach in carrying out assignments; is very orderly and excels at cutting through confusion and turning chaos into order.
• Problem solving skills – demonstrates a strong ability to identify, analyze and solve problems; translates problems into practical solutions.
• Client service skills – consistently ensures the team provides the client with attentive, courteous and informative service.
• Intellectual ability – accurately and consistently follows instructions delivered in an oral, written or diagram format; can provide directions.
• Mathematical ability – able to add, subtract, multiply and divide, and to compute rates, ratios and percentages; ability to convert units of measurement.
• Computer skills – comfortably and confidently uses a computer and specialized medical software, as well as Microsoft Outlook, Word and Excel.

Attitudes (Will Do)

• Initiative – shows willingness and aptitude to find solutions to problems; presents options and ideas to enhance current processes or procedures.
• Integrity – firmly adheres to the values and ethics of Banfield Pet Hospital; exhibits honesty, discretion, and sound judgment.
• Cooperativeness – willing to work with others, collaborating and compromising where necessary; promptly shares relevant information with others.
• Flexibility – is open to changing situations and opportunities and is willing to perform all tasks assigned.
• Independence – able and willing to perform tasks and duties without supervision as appropriate.
• Tolerance for stress / resiliency – maintains a positive can do outlook, rebounds quickly from frustrations and unpleasantness, and maintains composure and friendly demeanor while dealing with stressful situations.

Special Working Conditions

• Ability to work at a computer for long periods.
• Ability to be confident around pets (dogs, cats, birds, reptiles, etc.).
• Client needs and work volume may often require more than forty hours per week; position requires special hours including working weekends and evenings.
• Must have mental processes for reasoning, remembering, mathematics and language ability (reading, writing, speaking English) to perform duties proficiently.
• Noise level in the work environment is moderately high.
• Requires sufficient ambulatory skills to perform duties while at hospital.
• Ability to stand, walk, stoop, kneel, crouch, climb and manipulate up to fifty pounds.
• Requires good hand-eye coordination, arm-hand-finger dexterity with the ability to grasp, and visual acuity.
• Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
• Associate is routinely exposed to a variety of pets that may bite or scratch, and may be exposed to anesthesia, radiation, biological hazards and medication or controlled substances.

Experience, Education and Training

• Certificate of completion from a NAVTA approved Veterinary Assistant program, or equivalent education, training and experience.
• High school diploma or equivalent preferred.
• Must be able to perform all required skills of NAVTA approved veterinary assistant programs at a level in which to aid in the efficiency of the practice.
• Must be at least eighteen years old to perform duties involving radiography and exposure to radioactive substances.
• One year related experience required; customer service preferred.

Pay Range

Hourly pay range: $17.60 – $22.49. Specific rate determined by experience, skill level, and education, and may vary by location or applicable minimum wage laws.

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Retirement plans (401k and Roth) with company match.
• Student debt relief program for full-time veterinarians.
• Paid time off and holidays.
• Mental health and wellbeing resources, including free coaching and counseling sessions.
• Company-paid associate life insurance and optional supplemental coverage.
• Company-paid short-term and long-term disability insurance.
• Flexible and health savings accounts.
• Paid parental leave for birth and adoption.
• Continuing education allowance for eligible positions.
• Backup child and elder care support resources.
• Fertility and family building support.
• Digital exercise therapy program.
• Voluntary protection benefits.
• Legal plan.
• Identity protection.
• Commuter benefits.
• Three free optimum wellness plans for pets.
• Exclusive discounts on products and services.

About Banfield

Banfield is a community of caring people marked by a diversity of thought, background and approach. Together we’re bonded by a commitment to our purpose: a better world for pets. We pledge to create an inclusive environment where associates can be themselves, helping us find value in our differences while upholding the health and well-being of our associates.