GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF CLASS

The VETERINARY TECHNICIAN 2 provides general medical and emergency care service and assistance to veterinarians. This class serves as the primary assistant to higher-level technicians and veterinary faculty/clinicians by providing basic medical care and treatment to the animal patients, and insuring a clean and organized hospital care environment.

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES

This is the second level of a four-level series. This class is distinguished from the first level by, the addition of animal handling and restraint and the practice of technical veterinary procedures and medical treatments.

This class is distinguished from the higher levels by: less than two years experience in professional veterinary medical care, no surgical assistant skills, no anesthesia procedures, no independent decision making, and limited assistance in the instruction of veterinary students.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Hospital Assistance: Typical tasks: Receives animal patients, processes intake paperwork, records patient information, inputs hospital charges in billing system, verifies condition of stall and beds stall. Provides patient care and feeding in accordance to verbal and written instructions, monitors patients condition, and effectiveness of medications. Preps patient for discharge and cleans and disinfects cabinets, carts, counters, sinks, and patient stalls as necessary. Sets up and assists in operation of diagnostic imaging procedures
2. Medical Procedure Assistance: Typical tasks: assists in drawing blood, prep for standing diagnostic procedures, assists with tabling and restraining animals; assists with monitoring animal recovery; provides care to patients checking vital signs, cleaning wounds, changing bandages, monitoring incisions, placing catheters, administering medications and treatments as directed, monitoring liquid intake levels, exercising animal patients as directed, and feeding as directed.
3. Surgical Assistance: Pre-surgery set-up of operating rooms and operating room turnaround as directed or in accordance to surgical schedules; set-up teaching surgery labs, small animal teaching surgery labs, and outpatient clinic surgeries; cleans cabinets, anesthesia carts, counters, and sinks.
4. Student Assistance. Typical tasks: assists in animal restraint and handling, demonstrates and assists in instructing students in the proper use of equipment and supplies; demonstrates to veterinary students aseptic techniques, instrument sterilization techniques, and pre-anesthetic procedures including wrapping tails, placing catheters, clipping hair. Cleans and disinfects area after instructional procedures are performed.
5. Maintenance and Inventory. Typical tasks: cleans, assesses workability, performs minor routine maintenance of equipment, and ensures that medical supplies are stocked. Cleans and reorganizes operating rooms after surgery. Cleans and reorganizes student labs, maintains supplies inventories, records supplies used, and restocks medical supplies at various workstations.
6. Miscellaneous. Typical tasks: assists pharmacy as workload demands in issuing medication as requested by hospital staff following written instructions, and in maintaining drug use records; occasionally assists in central services area; assists in various research projects.

RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS

Employees in this class have regular daily contact with faculty, veterinary faculty/ clinicians, and technicians to receive instructions and give assistance during medical procedures and give assistance to veterinary students with restraint of animals and administration of tests.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED

Employees in this class receive general supervision from clinical faculty/clinicians or technical supervisor who reviews the work for timely completion and conformance to established veterinary hospital procedures and policies. Work is also reviewed through observation and informal discussion with faculty/clinicians that work with employees in this class. Work assignments are received, verbally and in writing, from faculty clinicians and from the general job description. Employees in this class provide routine veterinary medical procedures; Follow State and Federal regulations regarding use of pharmaceuticals; and procedural manuals on sterile techniques, instrument care, and maintenance as guidelines.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Positions in this class are primarily found in a veterinary teaching hospital and/or veterinary clinic setting. They require the willingness to work in the environment associated with the position's location and purpose, which include working with large or small animals (dependent of position applying for). Positions in this class work in any one of three daily shifts, and require willingness to maintain a proper attitude toward the purpose of animals used in teaching and research.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Demonstrated experience in large and small animal handling and restraint, and one year of experience or training in a clinical veterinary facility as a Veterinary Assistant, and demonstrated knowledge of:

• Drugs and medications typically used in veterinary care
• Aseptic techniques, patient preparation, and medical procedure assistance
• Medical terminology
• Animal anatomy and physiology
• Veterinary care procedures
• Basic mathematics (add, subtract, multiply, divide)

Positions may require ability to obtain an Oregon Animal Health Technologist Certificate.

Revised 7/9/02