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Technician (IPN)

Hawthorne Animal Hospital Ltd

Technician (IPN)

Glen Carbon, IL
Full Time
Paid
  • Responsibilities

    SUMMARY: The inpatient technical nurse (IPN) performs medical tasks under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian to help diagnose and treat the illnesses and injuries of animals.  The IPN is additionally expected to receive direction from the Lead Nurse and Duty Manager.  Hawthorne Animal Hospital is currently working on a model in which each IPN is assigned to a veterinarian and specific patients for the day.

    TYPICAL TASKS: The IPN shall be responsible for, but is not limited to the following:

    Laboratory

    1. Restrains animals in order to effectively perform healthcare tasks such as draw blood or place intravenous catheters

    2. Assists with blood draws, fecals, cystos, and so forth for examination and analysis

    3. Prepares and labels samples for laboratory testing, and runs all in house lab work

    4. Conducts client call backs to alert clients of labwork results under instruction from DVM

    Surgical and Dental

    1. Cleans and sterilize equipment and materials to ensure safe use

    2. Sets up surgery room to ensure it is prepared once the veterinarian and patient are ready for the procedure

    3. Prepares animals for surgery (TPR’s, IV’s, etc.)

    4. Assists with surgical and dental procedures in order to support the veterinarians throughout the procedures

    5. Monitors animals during procedures (anesthesia level, vitals, etc.) to ensure their safety

    6. Recovers pets post operation to ensure they come out of procedure successfully

    7. Cleans surgical and dental rooms to maintain health and safety regulations for a hospital healthcare facility

    Examination and Treatment

    Overall, get familiarized with your patients in order to know if they are improving or declining and what the goals are for the day

    Administers emergency first aid to animals in critical situations

    Prepares and administers medications, vaccines, and other various treatments as directed by veterinarians

    Assists OPN’s with ear cleaning, nail trims, anal gland expressions, wound care, and so forth in order to provide general patient healthcare

    Performs and assists with x-rays as needed

    Cleans messes when necessary to provide a safe and healthy hospital environment

    Conducts hourly rounds to ensure consistent treatments and optimal patient care

    Monitors trends in patients to alert DVM of any changes

    Correctly charts hourly rounds, according to standard operating procedures, with detailed precision in order to ensure all pets have proper healthcare documentation

    Feeds, waters, and spot bathes animals when needed in order to ensure we do not discharge patients with blood or any other bodily fluids on them

    Takes animals outside for potty breaks and walks to ensure their comfort and daily functions are properly allowed

    Clean cages and messes to ensure animals are staying in proper living conditions

    Monitor and administer boarding medications to provide proper nutrition and health

    Uses and follows Calibration systems and procedures to ensure patient health and safety

    1. Catheters/Fluids, Anatomy/systems, Labs, Injections/drugs, Bedding, Records/Notes, Analgesia, Tender Loving Care, Infection Control, Observations/Trends, and Nutrition.

    Office Management

    1. Conducts charges to ensure the hospital is being paid properly for services provided

    2. Utilizes and properly monitors health care plans in the hopes that payments will be more feasible for clients to manage.  Must update owner if the healthcare plan changes due to new treatment plan

    3. Fills medications to ensure prescriptions are sent to the pharmacy

    4. Creates hospital sheets in order to track patients admitted into the hospital

    5. Discharges and prepares client instructions for post visit care

    6. Stocks various hospital rooms (treatment, special, comfort, dental, surgery, ICU) to ensure they are adequately prepped before being utilized

    7. Fulfills cleaning duties at end of shift via the “Daily Duties” list for daily task completion

    Attend all staff and training meetings

    1. Completes other duties as needed

    KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required of the job.

    Active Listening – Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

    Monitoring – Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself or other individuals to make improvements or take corrective action.

    Service Orientation – Actively looking for ways to help people and animals

    Oral Expression – The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

    Customer and Personal Service – Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

    Diagnostic and Treatment- Knowledge of taking blood pressure, using Tonepin and Laser Therapy. Placing a catheter in a male dog, maintaining catheters and perform tasks with use of doplar.

    Biology – Knowledge of animal anatomy and diseases, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment

    Critical Thinking – Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

    Judgment and Decision Making – Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

    QUALIFICATIONS:  In order to be eligible for the In-Patient technician position at Hawthorne Animal Hospital, applicants must adhere to the following:

    1. Must work effectively in a fast-paced  and high stress environment

    2. Must have a high school degree

    3. Veterinary technician certification is preferred along with an Associate’s or comparable degree related to veterinary technician education

    4. At least 6 months of experience is preferred (job shadowing and internships are acceptable)

    5. Pass a drug screen test

    6. Pass a criminal background check

    7. Be able to, on occasion of need, lift at least forty pounds of weight

    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

    Reports to: Veterinarians

    Works most closely with: Nurses and veterinarians

    Equipment commonly utilized: Sterilizers, x-ray, anesthesia machine, dental machine, Doppler (blood   pressure), oxygen cage/tank, fluid pumps, lab machines, centrifuges, lasers (therapy), CO2, computers, client tracking database, some surgical equipment, and general animal care equipment

    Working condition considerations: On feet walking and standing 90% of working time, noisy working conditions, requires bending, stooping, and lifting, and generally very fast-paced.

    Common hazards: Animal-related hazards such as bites, scratches, zoonotic illness transmission, working with sharp objects, chemical exposure, and back injuries due to lifting and stooping