Tipton Ridge Veterinary Medical Center - Veterinary Assistant Level 2

Tipton Ridge Veterinary Medical Center has been serving the small animal and exotics populations of Pulaski, Virginia, just outside of Blacksburg, and the surrounding communities for over 30 years. We provide long term and acute treatments at a high standard, ensuring that all our clients receive great quality medical care. Our cohesive team of experienced veterinarians eagerly welcomes new graduate doctors to join us, offering strong clinical skills and mentorship in wellness and dentistry. We also have a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist and Veterinary Medical Acupuncture Veterinarian on our team. At Tipton Ridge, what truly distinguishes us is our people. Every member of our staff is committed to delivering exceptional patient care and fostering a culture of support and collaboration among team members, creating an inclusive and harmonious work environment.

Job Description:  Here at Tipton Ridge Veterinary Medical Center, we are looking to hire a full-time veterinary assistant team member to add to our team! The Veterinary Assistant works closely with the veterinarians in appointments.  The veterinary assistant must be able to follow instructions quickly and handle animals in situations that will vary with each patient. 

Job Tasks:

• Assist veterinarian in restraint and treatment of patients in variety of situations including but not limited to vaccinations, radiology, euthanasia, ultrasound, acupuncture and placing IV catheters.    
• Work closely with the assigned veterinarian for the day’s appointments.  Assist the veterinarian in preparing by proactively looking at the schedule to determine where delays and issues may arise.  
• Help respond to veterinarian’s call backs and messages as directed.
• Understand the doctor’s preferences when seeing appointments. 
• Be proactive about preparing exam rooms. Clean the exam room after discharging each patient.  Prepare for incoming appointments based upon the appointment type such as sick pet, annual exam, new puppy or kitten etc. 
• Communicate with Service Coordinators, Veterinarians, and clients as soon as a delay in appointments is known.
• Promptly and correctly enter vaccine history from external records in Neo.
• Educate clients on recommended heartworm and flea & tick products as well as vaccine information and potential reactions.  
• Accurately enter charges for appointments into the Patient Consultation in Neo.  
• Fill all daily Rx requests after doctor approval before the end of the day following clinic protocol.  
• Properly & safely restrain animals.
• Effectively and safely perform blood draws for necessary testing.  
• Properly run bloodwork and appropriately package and prepare for delivery according to laboratory protocol.
• Call clients whose pets have negative fecal and 4DX results.
• Prepare and interpret fecal and ear cytologies per clinic protocol.
• Perform nail trims.
• Coordinate appropriate paperwork for health certificates.
• Maintain lab supplies and equipment, including centrifuges and microscopes. 
• Keep lab and exam areas neat and clean.
• Answer phones after 3 rings unless actively working with a patient or client or assisting someone who is.  
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements:

• Must be able to lift 50 pounds
• Customer & Personal Service – Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer & personal services.  This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Clerical – Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, and other office procedures and terminology.
• Biology – Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies and interactions with each other and the environment. 
• English Language – Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar.

Skills & Abilities Required:

• Active Listening – Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking appropriate questions and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Speaking – Talking to others in a way to professionally convey information.
• Time Management – Being able to manage one’s own time and effectively handle multiple interactions at once by prioritizing appropriately.
• Service Orientation – Always actively looking for ways to help people.  If you are not servicing a client or a patient, help someone who is.  
• Writing & Typing – Either by writing or typing convey/document information regarding the client or patient status to ensure correctness of the medical record.   
• Flexibility and Strength – The ability to bend, stretch, twist or reach with your body, arms and/or legs.  The ability to exert maximum force to lift, push, pull or carry objects in excess of 50 lbs.  
• Manual Dexterity – The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate or assemble objects.
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Benefits: 

• Health/dental/vision 

• Short-term and long-term disability   

• 401k 

• Flexible schedule   

• Paid time off   

• Hospital-funded CE opportunities 

• Employee assistance program, and mental health resources   

• Uniform allowance   

• Generous pet discount program   

• Growth opportunities 

• LVT scholarship  

• Reimbursement for rabies vaccine