Registered Veterinary Technician / Experienced Veterinary Assistant - Shelter Medicine

Job Type Full-time Description At the San Francisco SPCA, the practice of Shelter Medicine requires a unique blend of individual medicine and population management with a strong focus on behavioral wellness. Every day, the Veterinarians and Technicians on our Shelter Medicine Team dedicate themselves to maximizing our life saving capacity in San Francisco and beyond. We are looking for a highly skilled, innovative, go-getter, compassionate, Veterinary Technician to join this remarkable team. The Shelter Medicine Veterinary Technician role provides excellent medical and surgical nursing care for the thousands of companion animals that enter the SF SPCA shelter and/or are served by the SF SPCA shelter medicine department each year. The Shelter Med vet tech works with shelter medicine veterinarians and other departments to ensure that each shelter animal meets adoption criteria and is ready to succeed in its forever home. We are seeking a licensed Registered Veterinary Technician or experienced Veterinary Assistant to fill this spot on the Shelter Medicine team. This role reports to the Director of Shelter Medicine Operations and works a 4/10 schedule with at least one weekend day required. Core Responsibilities Provide high quality veterinary medical care including preventive care, diagnostic testing, routine treatments, and emergency care to shelter animals on both an individual and population basisNursing care will include, but is not limited to: IV catheter placement, calculation of appropriate drug doses and intravenous (IV) fluid rates, administration of IV fluids and medications by various routes, taking radiographs, collection of diagnostic samples, performance of in-house diagnostic tests, and application of bandages and splints as permitted by veterinary practice regulationsIn collaboration with SM Directors, SM veterinarians, and other SM staff, participate in/contribute to the monitoring and protection of the on-going health of the shelter populationPerform basic physical exams and recognize normal and abnormal parameters in a variety of canine and feline patients with familiarity of veterinary terminology and abbreviationsRecognize and respond appropriately to signs of animal pain and distressDemonstrate an understanding of infectious disease in patients and infectious disease controlHumanely handle and care for animals, using low stress handling techniques and adhering to the 5 FreedomsAccurately record all treatments, examinations, test results, procedures etc. on computerized patient charts and other medical recordsCreate, complete and interpret treatment sheetsContribute to /participate in ongoing assessment and improvement of nursing care systems, processes, and documentation Anesthesia & Surgical Nursing Calculate, draw up, and administer pre-medication and anesthetic drugs as permitted by veterinary practice regulationsPrepare animals for spays, neuters, and other surgeries, including intubation, preparation of aseptic surgical site, positioning, and preparation of appropriate surgical supplies and equipmentAdminister local and regional anesthetic blocks per protocol and/or as directed by surgeonCorrectly operate anesthesia machine and anesthetic circuitsMonitor vital signs & anesthetic depth for anesthetized patients from induction through recovery; maintain stable vital signs & appropriate planes of anesthesiaManually ventilate patients when necessaryConcurrently monitor multiple patients in various stages of anesthesia and surgeryIn collaboration with surgeon, recognize and respond appropriately to anesthetic and surgical complications and emergenciesCorrectly operate and interpret output of anesthesia monitoring equipmentHelp to maintain safe and efficient surgical flow that minimizes wait times for surgeons and anesthetized patientsAppropriately aseptically scrub and don surgical attire in order to assist surgeons with surgical procedures when required Requirements A minimum of 2 years experience working as a Veterinary Assistant, or 1 year as a Registered Veterinary Technician, in veterinary medicine including both medicine and anesthesia/surgeryExperience in high volume spay/neuter surgery and/or dentistry a plusA minimum of 1 year experience working in an animal shelter strongly preferred. Other experience working in veterinary medicine, animal science, agriculture, public health, laboratory animal research or similar field will be considered as well!AA, AS or two years of post-secondary education preferred.For Veterinary Assistants: Current Veterinary Assistant Controlled Substance Permit (VACSP) or ability to obtain one requiredFor RVTs: RVT in good standing Salary & Benefits The starting salary for this position depends on the depth and breadth of experience. The expected range is $27 - $37 per hour. Regular, full-time positions are eligible for a benefits package including Paid Time Off and Holiday payMedical, Dental & Vision insuranceLife InsuranceLong-term Disability Insurance401k Retirement Plan and contribution matchingStudent debt relief programPre-tax Commuter BenefitsDiscounts on retail and pet suppliesDiscounts on veterinary care at our SF SPCA Veterinary Hospital and Clinic The SF SPCA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. This job description reflects the assignment of essential functions and does not prescribe or restrict the tasks that may be assigned. The San Francisco SPCA is an at-will employer and may conduct pre-employment background checks and drug screening depending on the role. Salary Description $27.00 - 37.00 / hour