Guide Dogs For The Blind

POSITION DESCRIPTION

POSITION TITLE:  Registered Veterinary Technician

REPORTS TO:  Veterinary Clinic Practice Manager

OVERALL SUMMARY:  The Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) position works with the staff veterinarians to ensure the health and well-being of all dogs and puppies under care at Guide Dogs for the Blind where all aspects of veterinary medicine are performed, including anesthesia, radiology, dermatology, oncology, internal medicine, dentistry, emergency and critical care, and rehabilitation. RVTs are responsible for prescribed medical care, working alongside veterinarians during preventative health care duties and perform basic to advanced/complex medical procedures. All of the above are done while maintaining high standards of medical care as an American Animal Hospital Association accredited practice.

POSITION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Induce and monitor anesthesia, develop individualized anesthetic plans.   

Establish and maintain IV catheters for various life stages. Administer IV, IM, and SQ injections. Administer vaccinations, draw blood and carry out medical treatments.

Position, expose, and when necessary provide physical restraint for digital radiographs. Knowledge and use of sand bags and external restraint devices is ideal.

Possess skills and knowledge necessary for dental procedures (e.g. prophylactic cleaning and polishing, chart dentition, dental extractions which are within the scope of an RVT, digital radiography). Able to provide client education regarding dental care.

Assist with surgical and endoscopic procedures including aseptic technique and scrubbing in.

Suture closure layer after surgery.

Place and manage bandages, splints and casts.

Assess pain levels adequately for a variety of medical conditions and procedures.

Assist with all aspects of laparoscopy equipment set up, break down and instrument handling including surgical assisting.

Possess knowledge of medications, pharmacology/pharmacokinetics for calculation of medication doses and rates.

Maintain and properly handle/clean surgical, dental, endoscopic, laparoscopic and other technical equipment.

Perform comprehensive physical examinations or evaluations including all body systems; recognize and report abnormal findings and communicate findings to staff veterinarians.

Collect laboratory sampling (e.g. Venipuncture, cystocentesis, FNA, joint taps, skin scrapings, urine and DTM cultures, etc.).

Perform and interpret in-house lab tests including but not limited to cytology, microbiology, parasitology, hematology, blood chemistry, urinalysis, and necropsy.

Understand introductory concepts of low-stress handling techniques and animal behavior.

Accurately enter and maintain electronic medical records in GDB vet records database.

Assist veterinarians during appointments. Greets and rooms patients, cleans exam rooms, makes record entries and helps keep the vet on time.

Admit and discharge patients; provide counsel to constituents in critical and quality of life cases; consult and provide assistance to outside veterinary specialists; follow up with constituents over phone and in person.

Be the solo vet clinic Sunday/holiday contact – work independently to triage calls, approve outside vet expenses, give medical guidance to constituents, canine welfare technicians, and training staff. Recognize situations and contact veterinarian on call to give detailed reports when intervention is needed.

Adheres to GDB standards of conduct, ethics and safety policies and procedures and encourages others to do the same. Promptly reports incidents and accidents according to campus procedures.

Undertake other duties assigned.

POSITION ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS:

Be licensed to work as a Registered Veterinary Technician in the State of California.  A minimum of three year’s position-related experience is desirable.  Graduate of AVMA-accredited veterinary technician program with an Associate’s Degree in Veterinary Technology or equivalent.  

Safely handle a variety of large breed dogs, weighing up to 90 pounds, with varying strength and manageability. Able to safely lift up to 40 pounds. Employees are required to seek assistance when lifting dogs or objects weighing more than 40 pounds.

Communicate effectively and professionally via voice mail and e-mail, able to use common office equipment and use Microsoft products such as Word, Excel, and Outlook and perform database tasks.

Demonstrate excellent interpersonal and customer service skills with all encountered during the course of work.

Work on-call (up to approx. 7 – 7.5 hours per month), holidays and weekends as required.

POSITION SPECIFICATIONS:

This is a non-exempt position