Veterinary Assistant

Petco; Teterboro (NJ); On-site; USD 23,419 - 37,884; Full time

Job summary

Petco in Teterboro, NJ, is seeking a compassionate Veterinary Assistant to provide excellent medical care in our Vetco Total Care hospital. In this role, you will greet clients, assist with procedures, and maintain patient records. The ideal candidate has one year of veterinary practice experience and strong communication skills.

The position offers a salary range of $17.00 – $27.50 per hour based on experience, with opportunities for professional growth in a supportive environment.

Qualifications

• Must have excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Must be compassionate and sympathetic in stressful situations.
• Must be a team player focused on learning new techniques.

Responsibilities

• Greet clients and obtain patient histories.
• Assist doctors with appointments and procedures under supervision.
• Schedule appointments and provide client education.
• Maintain cleanliness of the hospital environment.

Skills

Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Compassionate and sympathetic

Team player

Telephone and computer skills

Education

1-year previous experience in veterinary practice or relatable animal care experience

Job description

We’re proud to be where the pets go and where the pet people go. If you want to make a real difference, create an exciting career path, feel welcome to be your whole self and nurture your wellbeing, petco is the place for you.

Position Purpose

The purpose of this position inherently involves providing excellent medical care to our Vetco Total Care full-service hospital patients and phenomenal customer care to their owners. The Veterinary Assistant represents the mission and values to all clients. Our Veterinary Assistants set the tone for the technical and customer support in the hospital, and are responsible, like all team members, for fostering cohesion and motivation within the practice.

Essential Job Functions

• Greet clients and patients arriving for appointments, escort them into an exam room, obtain weight and vital signs (temperature, pulse, respirations) and record the information in the electronic medical record. Veterinary Assistants will collect thorough patient histories and document the patient visit in the EMRs.
• Assist doctors with appointments (routine and emergency), surgery, dentistry, and euthanasia, under supervision from the veterinarian credentialed veterinary technician, HOM, and HLOD.
• Perform patient restraint, obtain and process laboratory samples, handle and dispense medications at the direction of the veterinarian and help maintain the electronic medical record.
• Schedule appointments, provide client education, relay test results to doctor and clients, and maintain and update client/patient records.
• Help prepare patients for surgical and dental procedures and assist doctor and/or veterinary technician in anesthetizing patients. Under supervision of the veterinarian and/or veterinary technician, assistants will maintain patients safely under anesthesia while monitoring vital parameters, help monitor patients during recovery and prepare them for hospital discharge or transfer to an overnight care facility.
• Under supervision of the veterinarian and/or veterinary technician, perform in-hospital treatments for sick patients including giving injectable and oral medications as well as intravenous fluid therapy; keep patients clean, watered, and fed (when indicated and directed by doctor), safely walk canine patients when necessary for elimination.
• Under direction of the HOM/HLOD, assist in the training of new staff members and general dissemination of knowledge as required.
• Keep hospital environment neat and clean; perform regular cleaning of environment based on necessity as well as based on a pre-determined maintenance schedule.

Other Duties And Responsibilities

• Perform additional duties as assigned.
• Provide backup phone and front desk support as needed.

Education / Experience

• Preferred to have at least 1-year previous experience working in veterinary practice or sufficient relatable animal care experience to ensure excellent performance at the above-listed skills.
• Must have excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Must be compassionate and sympathetic, and be able to maintain a professional attitude and demeanor during emotional and stressful situations.
• Must have telephone and computer skills.
• Must be a team player willing to learn new techniques and treatments, offer creative ideas, and accept change.

Work Environment

The majority of job duties are conducted in the Veterinary Hospital. Position requires bending, kneeling, lifting (up to 30 pounds, as necessary) and standing for long periods of time. A large amount of this partner’s time will be spent in direct contact with clients and their pets.

Salary Range

Hourly or Salary Range: $17.00 – $27.50. Actual pay rates will depend on factors such as position, location, level of experience, and applicable state or local minimum wage laws. If the regulatory minimum wage exceeds the minimum indicated in the pay range below, the regulatory minimum wage will be the minimum rate applied.

EEO Statement

Petco Animal Supplies, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or any other protected classification.

Contacts

This position will regularly communicate with clients, veterinary specialists, and companies that provide products and/or services that the practice utilizes.