Veterinary Assistant: Patient Care & Clinic Support

National Veterinary Associates; Sioux Falls (SD); On-site; USD 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

Heather Ridge Pet Hospital, a long‑standing small animal practice in Sioux Falls, SD, seeks a Veterinary Assistant to support patient care, client service, and daily operations. The role integrates cleaning, room readiness, animal handling, and front-d desk support as part of a collaborative team.

The position emphasizes dependability, empathy, and education, with rotating weekend coverage and ongoing training to enhance animal‑handling and customer‑service skills within a compassionate hospital

Qualifications

• Education: High school diploma or equivalent preferred, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• Experience: Experience in veterinary medicine, animal care, customer service, healthcare, hospitality, or environmental services is helpful but not required.
• Hospital Support: Willingness and ability to perform cleaning, laundry, restocking, and facility-support duties throughout each shift.
• Judgment and Adaptability: Ability to recognize needs, prioritize competing tasks, adjust to changing workflow, remain calm under pressure, and seek direction appropriately.
• Communication: Strong verbal communication, listening, and customer-service skills with the ability to interact respectfully with clients and team members.
• Technology and Learning: Ability to learn hospital software, phone systems, payment procedures, animal-handling practices, and safety protocols.
• Availability: Ability to work a varied schedule based on hospital needs, which may include opening, closing, or evening coverage. Rotating weekend coverage.

Responsibilities

• Clean and disinfect exam rooms, treatment spaces, kennels, common areas, restrooms, and other assigned hospital spaces according to established protocols.
• Turn over exam rooms promptly between appointments and ensure rooms are clean, stocked, and ready for the next patient.
• Complete laundry, dishes, trash removal, sweeping, mopping, and assigned daily or periodic cleaning duties.
• Restock supplies before they are depleted and promptly report safety hazards, damaged equipment, maintenance concerns, or supply shortages.
• Follow infection-control, personal protective equipment, sharps, chemical-handling, and waste-disposal procedures.
• Assist veterinarians and veterinary technicians with safe, compassionate patient handling and restraint within demonstrated training and hospital protocols.
• Help weigh and transport patients, prepare rooms, and gather routine supplies for appointments, treatments, or procedures as directed.
• Provide assigned comfort and husbandry support, such as clean bedding, water, walks, and maintaining clean patient areas.
• Observe patients during assigned tasks and promptly report changes, concerns, stress signals, or safety risks to a technician or veterinarian.
• Complete non-licensed, appropriately delegated tasks only after training and demonstrated competency; pause and seek direction when unsure.
• Greet clients warmly, help direct them through the hospital, and maintain a clean and welcoming lobby and client service area.
• Answer incoming calls, place callers on hold appropriately, take accurate messages, and route questions according to hospital procedures.
• Assist with checkout, payment collection, scheduling, and other routine front-desk duties after training.
• Provide approved workflow or wait-time updates and involve a client service representative, technician, veterinarian, or leader when questions exceed the role’s training or authority.
• Protect client and patient confidentiality and handle sensitive interactions professionally.
• Float among clinical, client service, and hospital-support areas based on patient volume, staffing, and direction from hospital leadership.
• Regularly scan the hospital for unmet needs, prioritize appropriately, and either address the need or communicate it to the correct team member.
• Transition between assignments as priorities change while tracking incomplete work and communicating task status, barriers, and urgent needs.
• Assist with opening, closing, restocking, and end-of-shift handoffs so unfinished tasks or unresolved needs are clearly communicated.
• Work within applicable law, hospital policy, completed training, demonstrated competency, and appropriate supervision; do not independently diagnose, prescribe, create treatment plans, provide medical advice, or perform restricted technical procedures.
• Maintain required competencies and continue developing animal-handling, safety, client-service, and hospital-support skills through training and hands-on learning.
• Participate in team meetings and training, receive feedback constructively, and support hospital goals, standards, and philosophy.

Skills

Verbal communication

Customer service

Animal handling

Teamwork

Adaptability

Safety awareness

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

Hospital software

Phone systems

Payment procedures

Job description

Heather Ridge Pet Hospital, a long‑standing small animal practice in Sioux Falls, SD, seeks a Veterinary Assistant to support patient care, client service, and daily operations. The role integrates cleaning, room readiness, animal handling, and front-d desk support as part of a collaborative team.

The position emphasizes dependability, empathy, and education, with rotating weekend coverage and ongoing training to enhance animal‑handling and customer‑service skills within a compassionate hospital