Veterinary Assistant at Banfield Pet Hospital in Jacksonville

Veterinary Assistant

Location: Banfield Jacksonville Collins FL|005326

Position Description

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JOB TITLE Veterinary Assistant TEAM Hospital

FUNCTION, FAMILY Service Operations (Pet), Hospital Operations (Pet) COST CTR #: Varies

REPORTS TO Practice Manager JOB LEVEL B3

FLSA CLASSIFICATION Non-Exempt Exempt

STATUS Full-time Part-time

SUMMARY OF JOB PURPOSE AND FUNCTION

The Veterinary Assistant supports the veterinarians and veterinary technicians in ensuring quality veterinary

care for all pets, advocates for pets, educates clients on all aspects of pet health, and ensures a safe and

effective hospital environment.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND TASKS

 Live and exemplify the Five Principles of Mars, Inc. within self and team.

 Act as the extra eyes, ears and hands for the veterinarian and veterinary technician to ensure the best

quality pet care and to maximize the veterinarian's and veterinary technician’s productivity.

Communicate with veterinarian, veterinary technicians and all other associates to maintain the flow of

patients.

 Provide professional, efficient and exceptional service at all times. This includes performing or preparing

procedures that do not require veterinarian or veterinary technician assistance, completing preparatory

work for other procedures, ensuring that clients and pets are comfortable in the hospital, and monitoring

hospitalized or surgical pets as allowed in the state practice acts.

 Educate clients about Optimum Wellness Plans, preventive care, pet health needs, hospital services and

other issues.

 Obtain relevant information and history from clients and maintain proper and complete medical charts.

 Ensure the safety of pets, clients and associates by utilizing safe restraining techniques, following

standard protocols, and maintaining clean, sterile and organized treatment areas, exam rooms and labs.

 Assist with surgery as applicable.

 Utilize technical skills to the fullest, within state practice acts and as outlined in the NAVTA guidelines for

veterinary assistant skills and duties.

 Mentor other paraprofessionals in the hospital.

 Other job duties as assigned.

THE FIVE PRINCIPLES

 Quality - The consumer is our boss, quality is our work and value for money is our goal.

 Responsibility - As individuals, we demand total responsibility from ourselves; as associates, we

support the responsibility of others.

 Mutuality - A mutual benefit is a shared benefit; a shared benefit will endure.

 Efficiency - We use resources to the full, waste nothing and do only what we can do best.

 Freedom - We need freedom to shape our future; we need profit to remain free.

HIRING QUALIFICATIONS

COMPETENCIES

Leadership

 Action Oriented

 Customer Focus

 Listening

 Peer Relationships

 Personal Learning

Functional

 Ensure medical quality

 Effective communication

Position Description

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 Drive for results

 Functional Skills

 Priority Setting

CAPABILITIES AND EXPERIENCE (CAN DO)

 Ability to multi-task- Manages multiple tasks at one time; quickly and accurately shifts attention among

multiple tasks under distracting conditions without loss of accuracy or appearance of frustration.

 Communication skills - Reads, writes and speaks fluent English, using appropriate grammar, style and

vocabulary. Correctly spells commonly used English words and job specific terms. Demonstrates

exceptionally strong written and verbal communication skills.

 Organizational ability – Demonstrates a systematic approach in carrying out assignments. Is very

orderly and excels at cutting through confusion and turning chaos into order.

 Problem solving skills - Demonstrates a strong ability to identify, analyze and solve problems.

Translates problems into practical solutions.

 Client service skills - Consistently ensures the team provides the client with attentive, courteous and

informative service. Gains and shows personal satisfaction from delivering great service.

 Intellectual ability - Accurately and consistently follows instructions delivered in an oral, written or

diagram format. Can provide directions.

 Mathematical ability - Ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide, and to compute rate, ratio and

percent; ability to convert units of measurement.

 Computer skills - Comfortably and confidently uses a computer and specialized medical software, as

well as Microsoft Outlook, Word and Excel.

ATTITUDES (WILL DO)

 Initiative – shows willingness and aptitude to take appropriate steps in finding solutions to problems;

presents options and ideas to enhance current processes or procedures. Takes on additional

responsibility when both big and small tasks need to be done.

 Integrity – Firmly adheres to the values and ethics of Banfield Pet Hospital. Exhibits honesty, discretion,

and sound judgment.

 Cooperativeness – Willing to work with others, collaborating and compromising where necessary;

promptly share relevant information with others.

 Flexibility – Is open to changing situations and opportunities and is willing to perform all tasks assigned.

 Independence – Able and willing to perform tasks and duties without supervision as appropriate.

 Tolerance for Stress / Resiliency – Maintains a positive “can do” outlook, rebounds quickly from

frustrations and unpleasantness, and maintains composure and friendly demeanor while dealing with

stressful situations.

SPECIAL WORKING CONDITIONS

 Ability to work at a computer for long periods of time.

 Ability to be confident around pets (i.e., dogs, cats, birds, reptiles, etc.)

 Client needs and work volume may often require more than 40 hours per week to complete essential

duties of this job. This position requires special hours including working weekends and evenings.

 Must have mental processes for reasoning, remembering, mathematics and language ability (reading,

writing, and speaking the English language) to perform the duties proficiently.

 The noise level in the work environment is moderately high.

 Requires sufficient ambulatory skills in order to perform duties while at hospital.

 Ability to stand, walk, stoop, kneel, crouch, and climb as well as manipulate (lift, carry, move) up to 50

pounds.

 Requires good hand-eye coordination, arm-hand-finger dexterity with the ability to grasp, and visual

acuity to use a keyboard and operate equipment.

 Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral

vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

 Associate is routinely exposed to a variety of pets that may bite or scratch, and on occasion, exposed to

anesthesia, radiation, biological hazards and medication/controlled substances.

Position Description

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EXPERIENCE, EDUCATION AND/OR TRAINING

 Certificate of completion from a NAVTA approved Veterinary Assistant program, or the equivalent

combination of education, training and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and

abilities. High School Diploma or equivalent preferred.

 Must be able to perform all required skills of NAVTA approved veterinary assistant programs at a level in

which to aid in the efficiency of the practice.

 Must be at least 18 years old to perform duties involving radiography (x-ray) and exposure to radioactive

substances.

 One year related experience required with customer service preferred.

WE ARE A DRUG-FREE, SMOKE-FREE, EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.

Company Policy, Federal and State Laws Forbid Discrimination Because of Age, Color,

Race, Religion, Sex, Disability, Sexual Orientation or National Origin

$15.65 - $20.00 Hourly