Veterinary Assistant

Overview

If you are a current associate, you will need to apply through our internal career site. Please log into Workday and click on the Jobs Hub app or search for Browse Jobs.

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.

• 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 productivity.
• Communicate with veterinarians, veterinary technicians and all other associates to maintain the flow of patients.
• Provide professional, efficient and exceptional service at all times, including performing or preparing procedures that do not require veterinarian or veterinary technician assistance, completing preparatory work for other procedures, ensuring client and pet comfort, and monitoring hospitalized or surgical pets as allowed by 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 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 laboratories.
• Assist with surgery as applicable.
• Utilize technical skills to the fullest, within state practice acts and as outlined in NAVTA guidelines for veterinary assistant skills and duties.
• Mentor other paraprofessionals in the hospital.
• Other job duties as assigned.

• 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.

• Competencies:
  
  Leadership, Action Oriented, Customer Focus, Listening, Peer Relationships, Personal Learning, Functional:
  Ensure medical quality, Effective communication.

• Ability to multi-task; manage multiple tasks at one time with accuracy under distractions.
• Communication skills: fluent English, strong written and verbal communication.
• Organizational ability; systematic approach to assignments.
• Problem solving; translate problems into practical solutions.
• Client service skills; provide attentive, courteous and informative service.
• Intellectual ability; follow instructions and provide directions.
• Mathematical ability; basic computations and unit conversions.
• Computer skills; comfortable with medical software and Microsoft Office.

• Initiative; take steps to find solutions and take on additional responsibilities.
• Integrity; adhere to company values and ethics.
• Cooperativeness; work with others and share information.
• Flexibility; adapt to changing situations and tasks.
• Independence; work without supervision as appropriate.
• Tolerance for stress / resiliency; maintain a positive outlook under pressure.

• Ability to work at a computer for long periods; be confident around pets (dogs, cats, birds, reptiles).
• May require more than 40 hours per week; weekends and evenings possible.
• Must have mental processes for reasoning, memory, mathematics and language abilities (English).
• Moderately high noise level; ambulatory requirements to perform duties in hospital.
• Physical: ability to stand, walk, stoop, kneel, crouch, climb and lift up to 50 pounds; good hand-eye coordination and visual acuity.
• Exposure to pets that may bite or scratch; potential exposure to anesthesia, radiation, biological hazards and medications.