Veterinary Assistant: Animal Care Assistant

Position Information Department Vet Teaching Hospital (VTH) Classification Title Veterinary Assistant Job Title Veterinary Assistant : Animal Care Assistant Appointment Type Classified Staff Job Location Corvallis Benefits Eligible Full-Time, benefits eligible Remote or Hybrid option?

Employment Category Regular Job Summary This recruitment will be used to fill one full-time Veterinary Assistant (Animal Care Assistant) position for the Lois Bates Acheson Veterinary Teaching Hospital at Oregon State University (OSU).

The Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine provides veterinary professional and graduate programs leading to the DVM and MS degrees, and operates the Veterinary Teaching Hospital and the Oregon Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory.

The College budget (from all sources) approximates $21 million annually, which supports educational programs, veterinary medical and diagnostic public services, and research programs with broad impacts related to animal and human health.

The College employs approximately 200 faculty and staff, plus student employees.

The Veterinary Teaching Hospital provides primary health care for animals locally and referral care for animals in Oregon and the region, participates in the education of veterinary students through clinical training, develops new diagnostic and therapeutic techniques for veterinary care, and provides consultation service to practitioners and clients.

This position is responsible for daily operations necessary in maintaining general patient areas in the Large Animal Teaching Hospital and general patient care.

General patient areas require deep cleaning, organizing and restocking daily. Patient care encompasses feeding and watering hospitalized patients, stall cleaning and disinfecting, assisting with medical care and treatments as well as care for CVM owned animals and paperwork associated with the care.

Why OSU? Working for Oregon State University is so much more than a job!

Oregon State University is a dynamic community of dreamers, doers, problem-solvers and change-makers. We don’t wait for challenges to present themselves we seek them out and take them on.

We welcome students, faculty and staff from every background and perspective into a community where everyone feels seen and heard.

We have deep-rooted mindfulness for the natural world and all who depend on it, and together, we apply knowledge, tools and skills to build a better future for all.

FACTS :

• Top 1.4% university in the world
• More research funding than all public universities in Oregon combined
• 1 of 3 land, sea, space and sun grant universities in the U.S.
• 2 campuses, 11 colleges, 12 experiment stations, and Extension programs in all 36 counties
• 7 cultural resource centers that offer education, celebration and belonging for everyone
• 100+ undergraduate degree programs, 80+ graduate degrees plus hundreds of minor options and certificates
• 35k+ students including more than 2.3k international students and 10k students of color
• 217k+ alumni worldwide
• For more interesting facts about OSU visit :

Locations :

Oregon State has a statewide presence with campuses in Corvallis and Bend, the OSU Portland Center and the Hatfield Marine Science Center on the Pacific Coast in Newport.

Oregon State’s beautiful, historic and state-of-the-art main campus is located in one of America’s best college towns. Corvallis is located close to the Pacific Ocean, the Cascade mountains and Oregon wine country.

Nestled in the heart of the Willamette Valley, this beautiful city offers miles of mountain biking and hiking trails, a river perfect for boating or kayaking and an eclectic downtown featuring local cuisine, popular events and performances.

Total Rewards Package :

Oregon State University offers a with benefits eligible positions that is designed to meet the needs of employees and their families including :

• Medical, Dental, Vision and Basic Life. OSU pays 95% of premiums for you and your eligible dependents.
• Free confidential mental health and emotional support services, and counseling resources.
• Retirement savings paid by the university.
• A generous paid leave package, including holidays, vacation and sick leave.
• Tuition reduction benefits for you or your qualifying dependents at OSU or the additional six Oregon Public Universities.
• Robust Work Life programs including Dual Career assistance resources, flexible work arrangements, a Family Resource Center, Affinity Groups and an Employee Assistance Program.

Future and current OSU employees can use the to learn more about the full value of the benefits provided at OSU. Key Responsibilities 50% Animal Care : General Patient Care

Clean and bed stalls, feed and water hospitalized patients in accordance to verbal and written instructions. Dispose of waste as necessary.

Observe patient for abnormal behavior and report to appropriate personnel.

• Clean, bed, feed, and water patients in isolation following all hospital protocols. Dispose of waste as necessary. Use appropriate PPE (personal protection equipment) to work safely in all situations.
• Provides patient care, treatments; including oral medications, feeding in accordance with verbal and written instructions, monitoring liquid intake levels, assists in lunging, jogging and trotting patients for lameness exams;

assists in restraint and head propping for dental procedures; monitor patients conditions including performing inpatient physical exams.

• Exercise patients as directed; including disconnecting a patient form IV fluid line and flushing the catheter.
• Return any unused pharmacy items

CVM Owned Animal Care

Care, feed, water, clean, and bed stalls in use in the teaching herd barn. Observe animals for normal / abnormal behaviors and report any findings through the computer reporting system as well as alert appropriate personnel as necessary.

All daily care is to be accurately recorded on paper as well as reported through the computer animal health report.

• Administer oral medications, change bandages, feed restrictions, exercise regiments to meet Attending Clinicians requests.
• Assist in monthly herd health checks when needed; Catch and restrain for physical exams. May include transporting with OSU Motor Pool vehicle and trailer.
• Assist in research projects by monitoring daily health, ability to distinguish different animals within the herd as well as knowledge of their medical history and temperament, and participate as needed by the research project leader.

i.e. Maintaining environmental exposures, exercise regiments, specific feeding). All observations are recorded and reported to the research project leader.

Medical Procedures

Sets up and prepares for medical procedures, including treatment room preparation. Assists veterinarian and veterinarian technicians in various procedures and treatments including but not limited to non-diagnostic physical exams on patients, running in-house bloodwork and fluid samples, submitting samples through diagnostic labs, submitting anesthesia / radiology requests, restraining patients for treatments and blood draws, preparing rooms for surgical procedures and setting up anesthesia equipment, clipping and prepping patients for surgery, monitoring animal recovery, and assisting with bandage changes.

Handles horses during lameness exams; walks, jogs, and lunges the horses.

30% Maintenance and Cleaning : General Hospital

• Maintains and cleans operating rooms and treatment rooms in between patients as well as weekly deep cleaning of assigned areas.
• Cleans and tidies treatment carts
• Clean and disinfect stalls and equipment by scrubbing walls, floors, and all buckets with a hose or pressure washer and hand brush.

Sweeping, hose, mop and scrub aisle ways and treatment rooms throughout the large animal hospital using specialized manual and motorized cleaning equipment.

• Collect and dispose of all hospital trash, recycling, and sharps containers.
• Collect and process laundry. Includes cleaning and properly storing restraint equipment, feed and water buckets, halters, lead ropes, and grooming tools, etc.

in designated locations.

Cleaning hospital shared spaces; Drains, parking lot, and paddocks.

Equipment Maintenance

• Maintains and cleans after and between patient use : Endoscopy units, ultrasounds, fluid pumps, etc.
• Weekly checks on all eye wash stations in the large animal hospital and records check on paper log. Reports any issues to supervisor immediately.
• Daily checks on all manual and motorized equipment prior to use. Performs minor repairs as necessary. Reports issues to supervisor immediately.
• Prepares Purchase Order Requests for parts needed or service requested; then submits the requests to the supervisor.
• Performs minor repairs and maintenance to equipment; e.g. battery changes, hose nozzles, feed bins, stall equipment, etc.

10% Stocking and Ordering of Supplies

• Maintains supply inventories, records supplies used, and restocks medical supplies at various workstations.
• Stocks medical supplies, cleaner / disinfectant, restraint equipment, towels, etc. throughout designated areas of the hospital, isolation, and barn.
• Communicate with suppliers for delivery of bedding material as needed.
• Maintain inventory of specialty feeds and grains in all feed rooms. Load hay, straw, feed and supplies onto vehicle; unload and stack in feed rooms.
• Operate Motor Pool vehicle to transport hay, feed, supplies and animals.

10% Student Assistance

• Assist with demonstrating animal restraint and handling and instructing students in the proper use of equipment and supplies under direct supervision.
• Train, plan, assign, review and approves work for student stall workers during shift.
• Oversee daily work routine to ensure that all hospitalized animals are cleaned, bedded, fed, and watered to meet attending clinician’s instructions.
• Ensure student workers follow set protocols for isolation, cleaning, and handing of animals.
• Facilitate a safe, respectful, and inclusive work environment and support opportunities for the growth and development of students.

What We Require Demonstrated experience in large and / or small animal handling and restraint AND one year of knowledge and experience or training in a large and / or small animal facility.

Demonstrated knowledge of : drugs and medications typically used in veterinary care; patient preparation, medical procedure assistance;

medical terminology; animal anatomy; veterinary care procedures; basic mathematics (add, subtract, multiply, divide); and animal restraint technique and devices.

Finalists for this position will be required to complete a background history questionnaire. Offers of employment are contingent upon a satisfactory background check. What You Will Need

• Familiarity with caring for and handling large animals such as horses, cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, etc.
• Demonstrated ability to work productively and cooperatively in teams, and to contribute to an inclusive, respectful, and welcoming team culture where individuals with a range of different backgrounds, identities, perspectives, and / or life experiences feel valued and respected.
• Excellent verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills, and the ability to communicate professionally with a variety of students, faculty, staff, and clients.

This position is designated as a critical or security-sensitive position; therefore, the incumbent must successfully complete a criminal history check and be determined to be position qualified as per University Standard : 05-010 et seq.

Incumbents are required to self-report convictions and those in youth programs may have additional criminal history checks every 24 months.

This position requires driving a university vehicle or a personal vehicle on behalf of the university; therefore, the incumbent must successfully complete a motor vehicle history check, possess and maintain a current, valid driver’s license in their state of residence, be determined to be position qualified and self-report convictions as per University Policy 05-030.

What We Would Like You to Have

• Experience in a Large Animal Veterinary Facility.
• Ability to use a variety of manual and motorized equipment for performing duties such as cleaning and disinfecting stalls and equipment, mowing and maintaining pastures, minor equipment, barn, and fence repairs.
• Demonstrate a high level of attention to detail

Working Conditions / Work Schedule

• The VTH is a seven day per week, 24 hour per day hospital; therefore, weekend and holiday work may be required. Shift assignment may change based on operational needs and / or to maintain appropriate staffing levels.
• This is a float position and work schedule will typically include at least one weekend shift.
• This position in located in an extremely busy Veterinary Teaching Hospital and works primarily with large animals.
• This position may be exposed to noxious odors, infectious diseases, chemicals, gas anesthetics, radiation, loud noises, wet and slippery floors, and machinery.
• This position has access to controlled substances, is responsible for maintaining controlled drug logs, and witnessing the dispensing of drugs out of the cubex machine.
• The position will often be required to move, which may include lifting and / or carrying, up to 50 pounds, as well as pushing or pulling objects weighing up to 200 pounds.
• The position requires walking, standing, running, stooping, bending, squatting, kneeling, and crawling on hard or uneven surfaces as necessary to provide care to animals.
• Working with and around large animals has certain inherent risks. Animal handling and restraining can lead to injury. To minimize risk to the employee in this position, Oregon State University offers a rabies vaccination at the employer’s expense.

acceptance / declination at the discretion of the appointee)

• Overtime, Evenings, On-call, and or weekend hours required.
• The position is deemed essential. The employee in this position may be expected to report to work during inclement weather, emergency, and other university work curtailments or closures.

Pay Method Hourly Pay Period 16th - 15th of the following month Pay Date Last working day of the month Min Salary $17.80 Max Salary $26.

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