Job Description

Job Position

Oncology Animal Care Attendant - Full Time

Reports to

Lead Specialty RVT (Oncology/Cardiology)

Prerequisites

High school diploma Further veterinary professional training as VOA, VMA, etc will be considered an asset Able to stand for long periods of time (10 hours) Able to lift 50lbs (22kg) Exhibit compassion and patience Strong patient restraint skills Understanding of veterinary hospital flow Knowledge of the scope of practice for hospital staff Strong communication skills Basic understanding of medical terminology Ability to be on time and prepared to work at the beginning of your scheduled shift Ability to communicate with clients in a friendly, compassionate and professional manner (both verbally and electronically) Manage, direct and sort incoming calls and messages to the appropriate team member

Summary

To provide support to the oncology medical team, including gold standard nursing and comfort care to our patients with clear and effective client communication.


This will be a very important accessory role to our oncology team and will include assisting with restraint for procedures and chemotherapy treatments and updating owners as requested by the medical team. Respiratory fit-testing is required and will be provided by Boreal Veterinary Centre.


This role will work under the direction of the oncology RVTs with a primary focus on comfort care for chemotherapy patients. Some cross-training and assisting in other departments may be required as requested.

Essential Job Functions

Ability to safely and comfortably restrain a variety of species of animals for procedures such as chemotherapy administration, blood collection, IV catheter placement, etc. Prepare supplies for and clean up following treatments and procedures as required Have knowledge of biosecurity protocols Ensure cleanliness of the chemotherapy patient wards and associated treatment areas Ensure that exam rooms are always clean, stocked and ready for clients and patients Notify the medical team of any concerns with attitude, stress, changes to appetite etc. Cross train in other areas of internal medicine (cardiology, IM, etc.) to provide additional support as required Become familiar with and use internal messaging and invoicing functions Document in detail dietary intake, walks, urination, defecation, and other fluid losses Provide mentorship and support to the kennel staff team Perform aftercare of deceased patients, to be double checked by RVT Provide a variety of oral nutrition options and hand feed if necessary Provide environmental enrichment (Kongs, toys, treats, iPad, music, Feliway etc.) for hospitalized patients Grooming and cleaning of patients as necessary Monitor and encourage natural bathroom breaks Facilitate safe, organized family visits for hospitalized patients Clean Kennels and ready them for new patients Other supportive tasks as deemed necessary

Background for development and importance of this role

The need for this accessory role has risen due to the shortage of veterinary professionals. When examining the day-to-day work of registered veterinary professionals, we need to highlight what is in their scope of practice and place an emphasis of time on those activities for them. When the hospital is busy, their medical expertise is prioritized, and the non-medical activities become less of a focus.


Boreal Veterinary Centre feels that those "non-medical" activities are often under emphasized and strive to include non-registered support staff as an integral part of the medical care team to provide a gold standard of care.