Career Opportunities

Summary of Position:

These duties will include, but may not be limited to: keeping accurate medical records, clerical work, client education, promotion of hospital services, and support of the organization.  This position requires some knowledge of hospital procedures, policies, and services, patient treatment protocols, hospital computer systems, and the standard procedures, records, and terminology used in a veterinary hospital.  The anesthesia technician provides support to the veterinarian by assisting with patient restraint, procedures, surgery, nursing care, admittance and discharge while providing direct assistance by ensuring patient health and safety surrounding a procedure.

Responsibilities:

• Display confidence and reassurance when dealing with pets experiencing severe stress, illness, and pain
• Be comfortable with various techniques of patient restraint
• Understand and limit the potential exposure to bites, scratches, and injuries to self and others
• Understand that employees in this role are exposed to various cleaning solutions, chemicals, odors, noises, and animal wastes
• Understand zoonotic disease risk in the work environment and use appropriate safety equipment and policies to protect self and others
• Perform observations, treatments and administer medications, including proper and compete documentation, as directed by the veterinarian
• Prepare and assist with diagnostics and procedures
• Perform laboratory tests and radiographs
• Fill prescriptions and understand security measures of controlled drugs
• Operate and properly maintain hospital equipment (fluid pumps, scales, anesthetic monitors, etc.)
• Understand and implement proper disinfection guidelines
• Communicate with clients about the status of patients as directed by the veterinarian
• Participate in all mandatory staff meetings
• Communicate and approach job duties in a mature manner
• Foster teamwork approach and work well with all members of the hospital team
• Ability to describe and administer common medications, inhalant anesthetics, and agents used in surgical patients including indications and reactions
• Calculate and administer CRIs
• Assign appropriate ASA status to patients and formulate an acceptable and patient-specific anesthetic plan in collaboration with attending veterinarian
• Ability to describe, set up, and operate monitoring equipment, breathing systems and their indications, and anesthesia machine components
• Properly and safely perform endotracheal intubation under appropriate supervision of the attending veterinarian
• Assess proper anesthetic depth and adjust protocol accordingly
• Ability to identify and respond to an adverse cardiovascular and/or respiratory complication or reaction
• Ability to perform swift and accurate CPR

Duties:

• Day prior to surgery
  • Be sure clients have confirmed surgery and coordinate with CSR to attain and prepare patient records
  • Review exam findings, medical history, medication usage, and diagnostic results of patient
  • Prepare anesthetic record according to veterinary orders
  • Be sure all needed medications, supplies, and equipment are stocked and available
  • Discuss any concerns or special plans with veterinarian
• Morning of surgery
  • Ensure vital signs were attained and current weight is recorded (check with DVM if weight is different than expected)
  • Ensure IV catheter is placed in an acceptable location with t-port attached
  • Schedule patient walk (and additional set of vitals if needed) prior to estimated induction
  • Review anesthetic record for accuracy, draw up, label, and organize medications
  • Administer pre-medications according to plan and schedule
• Set up Pre-Op:
  • Anesthesia machine (perform leak test, check iso level and soda lime)
  • Endotracheal Tubes (select expected size, one smaller and one larger, perform leak test), laryngoscope, tie, and sterile lube
  • Monitoring equipment (ECG, SpO2, blood pressure)
  • Fluid pump(s)
• Patient Pre-op:
  • Ensure veterinarian has performed daily exam and be sure no changes are warranted
  • Connect patient to IV fluids, monitoring equipment, and pre-oxygenate for at least 5 minutes
  • Induce and intubate patient, ensuring proper tube placement in the trachea and not further than the thoracic inlet
  • Monitor patient as usual following surgical plan
  • Ensure completion of Surgery Morning and Anesthesia Checklists
• Patient Post-Op:
  • Be conscious of patients needs and ensure kennel preparation (brachycephalic, non-ambulatory, hypothermic, number of fluid pumps, etc.)
  • Patient should remain intubated until definitive ability to swallow is observed. Follow brachycephalic protocol when indicated.
  • Continuous Sp02 should be monitored until extubated, post extubation result should be documented on chart to ensure patient is able to oxygenate without airway support
  • Schedule at least 3 hourly vital and SpO2 monitoring or longer if any are outside of parameters (then schedule until normal followed by one to make sure they stayed normal) then according to veterinarian orders on treatment sheet
  • Complete charting and charges
  • Fill post-op prescriptions as needed
• Day of discharge:
  • Review discharge instructions and medications for accuracy
  • Update charges and ensure veterinarian reviews for accuracy
  • Prepare patient for discharge-remove IVC and hypafix, check for soil/blood, brush and fluff, fit for E-Collar
  • Coordinate with CSR patient discharge, assisting out to vehicle and ensuring all medications and patient belongings are present

Schedule: Tuesday & Wednesday from 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

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