Lead Surgery Veterinary Technician or Assistant - General Practice at Oak Heart Veterinary Hospital and Emergency at South Saunders – Raleigh, North Carolina

The Lead Surgery Veterinary Technician/Assistant provides exceptional patient care to all surgery patients; overseeing the daily operations of patient care for all surgeries and provides leadership and management to the surgical team.

They are responsible for the daily oversight of all surgical operations, including but not limited to, hospitality and husbandry to all surgical animals in our care; upkeep and cleaning of surgical, dental, radiograph suites and treatment areas; stocking of necessary materials in surgical suites to assist in the flow of any given day.

The Lead Surgery Veterinary Technician/Assistant is expected to promote all services that OH-SS offers and collaborate with the Leadership Team on how best to meet the needs of all of our patients. They are responsible for supervising, training, coaching, and developing other nursing staff in order to meet our goals and standards.

Above all, they are committed to Oak Heart, its mission, values, and goals.

Duties:

• Provide leadership, encouragement, and direction to team members.
• Provide compassionate care to patients and clients while overseeing and assisting with patient care, charges, and care notes throughout their stay and maintaining accurate medical records in accordance hospital policy.
• Conduct oneself in a confident, professional manner even when stressed and/or focused on individual tasks.
• Assist in training of technical skills and knowledge to new and current employees and facilitating employee reviews within the surgery component of the department.
• Assist with implementation of hospital policies and protocols.
• Maintain an appropriate inventory of all surgical supplies as determined by the needs of the hospital and the hospital’s inventory controls.
• Perform physical assessments and record observations legibly on travel sheet and veterinary management software.
• Give SQ, IM and IV injections.
• Prepare estimates for procedures and discuss financial commitments with clients supporting hospital financial policies and explain necessary follow-up and homecare instructions handling client’s medical questions with confidence and directing to veterinarians when appropriate.
• Understands usage, dosage, and common side-effects for commonly used prescription drugs and readily explain them to the clients, as necessitated.
• Assist the veterinarian in medical, surgical and dental procedures; prepares patients for surgery; administers anesthesia; monitors patients during surgery and recovery; administers fluids.
• Perform emergency procedures such as control of bleeding, resuscitation with oxygen, opening airways, and external cardiac massage and perform clinical laboratory procedures such as fecal flotation exams, heartworm checks, skin scrapings, urinalysis, and fungal cultures; draws blood for laboratory analysis.
• Maintains file of lab test results and ensures that test results are recorded in patient records.
• Place IV catheters and properly care for them. Understands the use and care of IV pumps as well.
• Know common anesthesia states and can alert veterinarian when changes/concerns arise with anesthetized patients.
• Admit patients following hospital policy and doctors written orders and discharge patients based on the veterinarian’s orders, ensuring that patients are well groomed and in a medically appropriate state.
• Oversee and assist with the sterilization and cleanliness of the surgery suites pre-op and post-op and with the sterilization process of the tools, utensils, and packs utilized during surgery.
• Oversee and assist with surgery pack building and training of team members in compiling and sterilizing.
• oversee and assist with the maintenance of the sterilization equipment on a maintained routine basis.
• assist with the maintenance of surgical equipment and troubleshooting of surgical equipment
• Oversee the completion of daily and weekly checklists.

Perks and benefits include:

• Tuition assistance
• A choice between two medical plans with prescription drug benefits
• Dental and vision coverage available
• 401(k) Savings Plan with employer match, including immediate vesting
• Life insurance for yourself, spouse and eligible dependents available
• Paid time off / holidays
• Health Savings Account available
• Short term disability available
• Supplemental critical illness and accident plans available
• Uniform allowance
• Continuing education allowance for credentialed technicians
• Employee assistance program

We provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.