Veterinary Assistant at Chippewa Animal Hospital

Heartland Veterinary Partners LLC; St. Louis (MO); On-site; USD 19,000 - 25,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Retirement benefits or accounts

Bonus incentive

Flexible work schedules

Career and professional development

Employee Assistance Program

Employee Referral Program

Job summary

Chippewa Animal Hospital in the Dutchtown neighborhood of South St. Louis is seeking a Veterinary Assistant to support veterinarians in patient care, assist during exams and surgeries, monitor hospitalized pets, and educate clients.

You will handle in-house lab work, take radiographs, manage inventory, and help maintain a clean, efficient clinic environment while delivering warmth and professional service to clients.

Qualifications

• Ability to work on weekends as required.
• Previous veterinary experience preferred.
• Ability to lift patients up to 25 pounds; assist with heavier lifts.
• Practice OSHA safety techniques including PPE.
• Basic math and the ability to calculate medication dosages.
• Basic computer skills, familiarity with MS Office.
• Strong communication skills to ensure patient safety.

Responsibilities

• Assist veterinarians in veterinary medicine and surgery as needed.
• Assist with outpatient exams by taking histories, vital signs, and weights, and educate clients.
• Prepare patients for surgery and monitor vital signs during procedures.
• Obtain samples and perform in-house laboratory testing; prepare specimens for outside labs.
• Take and develop radiographs following safety procedures.
• Provide basic animal handling and restraint during exams.
• Administer and monitor medications, anesthesia, vaccines, and treatments as directed.
• Clean and restock exam rooms and labs; maintain equipment and supplies.
• Demonstrate warmth, courtesy and professionalism with clients and patients.
• Communicate with veterinarians and team members regarding plans and concerns.
• Other duties as assigned.

Skills

Patience & Compassion

Collaboration & Teamwork

Communicating

Active Listening

Organization Skills

Client Satisfaction

Job description

Chippewa Animal Hospital is a full-service veterinary hospital in the Dutchtown neighborhood of South St. Louis.

The Chippewa team enjoys a collaborative and supportive environment that empowers the doctors to focus on patient care and client communication. We are equipped with electronic records, digital radiography, an in-house laboratory, a therapy laser and more to come!

Our clientele is dedicated to providing quality care to their pets and we enjoy a diverse caseload allowing us to pursue interesting workups and surgeries.

More about the Role:

The Veterinary Assistant assists the veterinarians and technicians with patient care and treatment, monitors hospitalized pets, maintains inventory, prepares prescriptions, performs routine in-house laboratory work, educates clients regarding veterinary care and procedures, and assists with surgical procedures.

Competencies:

• Patience & Compassion: Remaining professional while still making teammates, clients, and patients feel as comfortable as possible regardless of the situation or challenges presented. Responding quickly and calmly to crisis while maintaining a high standard of patient care.
• Collaboration & Teamwork: Carefully coordinating actions with veterinarians and practice team members. Providing feedback appropriately and in a timely manner. Quickly incorporating feedback to ensure positive results. Sharing ideas and being open to other’s ideas.
• Communicating: Conveying instructions to clients and teammates to ensure successful patient care.
• Active Listening: Following the instructions of veterinarians and sometimes patient owners. Picking up the needs of veterinarians and teammates based on prior experiences and feedback.
• Organization Skills: Clear tracking of lab specimens, medications, patient instructions, workflow, and other job-related items while managing multiple patients and clients.
• Client Satisfaction: Ensuring all activities and interactions result in the highest level of client satisfaction.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Assist veterinarians in the practice of veterinary medicine and surgery and other tasks as needed.
• Assist veterinarians in outpatient exams by taking histories, vital signs, and weights, as well as providing client education.
• Prepare patients for surgery and monitor vital signs of the patient during surgery.
• Obtain blood, stool, and other samples; perform in-hospital laboratory testing and prepare specimens for outside laboratories.
• Take, develop, and maintain radiographs following proper safety procedures.
• Provide basic animal handling and restrain animals during exams.
• Administer and monitor medications, anesthesia, vaccines, and treatments at the discretion of the veterinarian.
• Clean and straighten exam rooms, treatment, and lab areas; restock exam rooms with supplies. Assist other team members to keep the public areas of the practice clean; clean and maintain all medical equipment.
• Demonstrate warmth, courtesy and professionalism in all interactions with clients; exercise compassion and care in all interactions with patients.
• Communicate with veterinarians and practice team members including client discussions, patient plans, client concerns, etc.
• Any other duties as assigned.

Requirements/Qualifications:

• Ability to work on weekends as required
• Previous veterinary experience preferred
• Ability to lift patients and carry equipment up to 25 pounds; ability to lift patients or carry equipment over 25 pounds with assistance
• Practice OSHA safety techniques including proper PPE
• Basic math and the ability to calculate medication dosages
• Basic computer skills, familiarity with MS office applications, etc.
• Strong communication skills to ensure patient safety

Benefits Offered:

• Paid time off
• Health insurance; dental insurance; vision insurance
• Retirement benefits or accounts
• Bonus incentive
• Flexible work schedules
• Career and professional development
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employee Referral Program

Benefits offered may vary depending on full or part time employment status according to company policy.

Pay Range:

USD $14.00 - USD $18.00 /Hr.