Veterinary Assistant 1, 2, or 3
Louisiana State University
Veterinary Assistant 1, 2, or 3
Louisiana State University
Public research university in Baton Rouge, LA
The Small Animal Emergency Service (SA-ER) operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, providing immediate triage, emergency stabilization, and critical care for small animal patients. The LSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital offers rapid access to advanced diagnostics, a full-service clinical laboratory, specialty referral services, and a dedicated Intensive Care Unit for continuous monitoring and treatment. The Small Animal Emergency Service veterinary technicians and assistants provide advanced nursing care to emergent and critically ill patients, support emergency admissions and stabilization, assist with diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, and contributes to the teaching and service missions of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital.
Job Responsibilities:
Veterinary Assistant 1
40% Assist with advanced veterinary nursing procedures associated with the triage, assessment, and treatment of emergency patients. Assist in the rapid evaluation and stabilization of patients presenting with urgent and life-threatening conditions. Assist with and support life-saving interventions utilizing emergency and critical care techniques, equipment, and therapies. Assist with administering medications and treatments as prescribed by veterinarians. Place and maintain intravenous catheters and vascular access devices. Perform venipuncture, cystocentesis, abdominal and thoracic fluid collection procedures, and other technical nursing procedures as directed. Safely and effectively restrain patients for examinations, treatments, and diagnostic procedures.
20% Assist with patient admissions, initial assessments, and emergency stabilization procedures. Assist with obtaining and accurately documenting patient histories and presenting complaints. Assist with treatment plans, estimates, and client communication as directed by the veterinary team. Assist with patient transfers to specialty services or the Intensive Care Unit when indicated. Monitor patient status and communicate significant changes to the veterinary team in a timely manner. Assist with maintaining accurate and complete medical records documenting patient assessments, procedures, treatments, diagnostics, and nursing observations. Complete requests, prescriptions, treatment sheets, discharge instructions, and other medical documentation as required.
20% Assist with operating and maintaining emergency and diagnostic equipment, including but not limited to: Oxygen cages, Electrocardiogram (ECG) monitors, Fluid pumps and infusion devices, bedside blood analyzers, patient monitoring equipment. Assist veterinarians with diagnostic testing and therapeutic procedures. Assist with ensuring equipment is functioning properly and maintain readiness for emergency use. Support the collection, processing, and submission of diagnostic samples. Assist in maintaining a daily census of patients seen by the Emergency Service. Assist with entering charges, treatment fees, and other required data accurately and in a timely manner. Assist with inventory tracking and maintenance of emergency supplies.
10% Assist in the instruction and mentorship of clinical veterinary students, veterinary interns, technician students, and new technical staff. Demonstrate and reinforce emergency medicine techniques, patient assessment skills, monitoring procedures, and medical record documentation. Support the educational mission of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital through hands-on training and professional example. Participate in continuing education and departmental training initiatives.
10% Assist in the instruction and mentorship of clinical veterinary students, veterinary interns, technician students, and new technical staff. Assist in demonstrating and reinforcing emergency medicine techniques, patient assessment skills, monitoring procedures, and medical record documentation. Support the educational mission of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital through hands-on training and professional example. Participate in continuing education and departmental training initiatives.
10% Assist in the Intensive Care Unit as needed to support quality patient care. Assist in maintaining the Emergency Service in a state of readiness for routine and heavy emergency case load. Serve as essential personnel during hospital emergency response activations and disaster response operations. Provide holiday, overnight, weekend, on-call, and emergency coverage as assigned. Assist in maintaining emergency equipment, treatment areas, and supplies necessary for uninterrupted patient care.
Other duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree; OR associate's degree in veterinary technology OR credentials as a vet tech or equivalent OR 3 years of experience in a working environment with similar duties.
Veterinary Assistant 2
40% Perform advanced veterinary nursing procedures associated with the triage, assessment, and treatment of emergency patients. Assist in the rapid evaluation and stabilization of patients presenting with urgent and life-threatening conditions. Perform and support life-saving interventions utilizing emergency and critical care techniques, equipment, and therapies. Administer medications and treatments as prescribed by veterinarians. Place and maintain intravenous catheters and vascular access devices. Perform venipuncture, cystocentesis, abdominal and thoracic fluid collection procedures, and other technical nursing procedures as directed. Safely and effectively restrain patients for examinations, treatments, and diagnostic procedures.
20% Perform patient admissions, initial assessments, and emergency stabilization procedures. Obtain and accurately document patient histories and presenting complaints. Assist with treatment plans, estimates, and client communication as directed by the veterinary team. Facilitate efficient patient transfers to specialty services or the Intensive Care Unit when indicated. Monitor patient status and communicate significant changes to the veterinary team in a timely manner. Maintain accurate and complete medical records documenting patient assessments, procedures, treatments, diagnostics, and nursing observations. Complete requests, prescriptions, treatment sheets, discharge instructions, and other medical documentation as required.
20% Operate and maintain emergency and diagnostic equipment, including but not limited to:Oxygen cages, Electrocardiogram (ECG) monitors, Fluid pumps and infusion devices, bedside blood analyzers, patient monitoring equipment. Assist veterinarians with diagnostic testing and therapeutic procedures. Ensure equipment is functioning properly and maintain readiness for emergency use. Support the collection, processing, and submission of diagnostic samples. Maintain a daily census of patients seen by the Emergency Service. Enter charges, treatment fees, and other required data accurately and in a timely manner. Assist with inventory tracking and maintenance of emergency supplies.
10% Assist in the instruction and mentorship of clinical veterinary students, veterinary interns, technician students, and new technical staff. Demonstrate and reinforce emergency medicine techniques, patient assessment skills, monitoring procedures, and medical record documentation. Support the educational mission of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital through hands-on training and professional example. Participate in continuing education and departmental training initiatives.
10% Assist in the Intensive Care Unit as needed to support quality patient care. Maintain the Emergency Service in a state of readiness for routine and heavy emergency case load. Serve as essential personnel during hospital emergency response activations and disaster response operations. Provide holiday, overnight, weekend, on-call, and emergency coverage as assigned. Assist in maintaining emergency equipment, treatment areas, and supplies necessary for uninterrupted patient care.
Other duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree; OR associate's degree in veterinary technology with 2 years' experience OR credentials as a vet tech or equivalent with 2 years' experience OR 5 years of experience in a working environment with similar duties.
Veterinary Assistant 3
40% Perform and teach advanced veterinary nursing procedures associated with the triage, assessment, and treatment of emergency patients. Assist in the rapid evaluation and stabilization of patients presenting with urgent and life-threatening conditions. Perform, teach, and support life-saving interventions utilizing emergency and critical care techniques, equipment, and therapies. Administer medications and treatments as prescribed by veterinarians. Place and maintain intravenous catheters, Perform and teach venipuncture, cystocentesis, abdominal and thoracic fluid collection procedures, and other technical nursing procedures as directed. Safely and effectively restrain patients for examinations, treatments, and diagnostic procedures.
20% Perform and teach patient admissions, initial assessments, and emergency stabilization procedures. Obtain and accurately document patient histories and presenting complaints. Assist with treatment plans, estimates, and client communication as directed by the veterinary team. Facilitate & teach methods of efficient patient transfers to specialty services or the Intensive Care Unit when indicated. Monitor patient status and communicate significant changes to the veterinary team in a timely manner. Maintain accurate and complete medical records documenting patient assessments, procedures, treatments, diagnostics, and nursing observations. Complete requests, prescriptions, treatment sheets, discharge instructions, and other medical documentation as required.
20% Operate and teach how to maintain emergency and diagnostic equipment, including but not limited to:Oxygen cages, Electrocardiogram (ECG) monitors, Fluid pumps and infusion devices, bedside blood analyzers, patient monitoring equipment. Assist veterinarians with diagnostic testing and therapeutic procedures. Ensure equipment is functioning properly and maintain readiness for emergency use. Support and instruct on the collection, processing, and submission of diagnostic samples. Maintain a daily census of patients seen by the Emergency Service. Enter charges, treatment fees, and other required data accurately and in a timely manner. Assist with inventory tracking and maintenance of emergency supplies.
10% Assist in the instruction and mentorship of clinical veterinary students, veterinary interns, technician students, and new technical staff. Demonstrate and reinforce emergency medicine techniques, patient assessment skills, monitoring procedures, and medical record documentation. Support the educational mission of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital through hands-on training and professional example. Participate in continuing education and departmental training initiatives.
10% Assist in the Intensive Care Unit as needed to support quality patient care. Maintain the Emergency Service in a state of readiness for routine and heavy emergency case load. Serve as essential personnel during hospital emergency response activations and disaster response operations. Provide holiday, overnight, weekend, on-call, and emergency coverage as assigned. Maintain emergency equipment, treatment areas, and supplies necessary for uninterrupted patient care.
Other duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree; OR associate's degree in veterinary technology with 4 years' experience OR credentials as a vet tech or equivalent with 4 years' experience OR 7 years of experience in a working environment with similar duties.
Job Skills Needed (ALL LEVELS):
Knowledge of basic animal care and handling including restraint
Knowledge of medical terminology, basic anatomy, and abbreviations
Basic computer skills, problem-solving and communication skills
Knowledge of proper medical record keeping (paper and electronic)
Math skills; including drug calculations (dosage and conversions)
Operation of equipment, diagnostic tests, and handheld analyzers (EPOC, glucometer)
Interpretation of normal and basic arrhythmias on ECG
Ability to collect blood from a number of different sites by venipuncture
Proper administration of oral, sub-cutaneous, intra muscular, and intra venous medications
Obtain and interpret temperature, pulse, respiratory rates and capillary refill time
Safety and Security Sensitive Job - Safety and security-sensitive positions are defined as those positions where any form of substance abuse may affect University activities through unsafe work behavior/performance or error in judgment; or where substance abuse could jeopardize the safety and well-being of employees, other personnel, or the general public, or cause significant damage to University property. This includes positions requiring firearms, access to controlled substances, handling hazardous material, operating heavy equipment or machinery, etc. These positions are subject to drug screens per PS-67/FASOP HR-04.
-Emergency Essential Personnel -This position may be required to report to campus in times of emergency and/or closure per PS-18.
-Physical Requirements - Required to be capable of lifting up to 50 pounds, standing or walking for prolonged periods, able to reach above and below the shoulder, vision (near sight), vision (far sight), kneel or sit on the floor, push/pulling, grasping, crawling, twisting, squatting, climbing, sitting, and/or bending.
-Required to work a variety of shifts including nights, weekends, and holidays, on-call, and emergency response.
Skills Needed:
Preferred Skills:
Background Check - An offer of employment is contingent on a satisfactory pre-employment background check.
Benefits - LSU offers outstanding benefits to eligible employees and their dependents including health, life, dental, and vision insurance; flexible spending accounts; retirement options; various leave options; paid holidays; wellness benefits; tuition exemption for qualified positions; training and development opportunities; employee discounts; and more!
Positions approved to work outside the State of Louisiana shall be employed through Louisiana State University’s partner, nextSource Workforce Solutions, for Employer of Record Services including but not limited to employment, benefits, payroll, and tax compliance. Positions employed through Employer of Record Services will be offered benefits and retirement as applicable through their provider and will not be eligible for State of Louisiana benefits and retirement.
All candidates must have valid U.S. work authorization at the time of hire and maintain that valid work authorization throughout employment. Changes in laws, regulations, or government policies may impact the university’s ability to employ individuals in certain positions.
For questions or concerns related to updating your application with attachments (e.g., resumes, RS:17 documents), date of birth, or reactivating applications, please contact the LSU Human Resources Management Office at 225-578-8200 or email [email protected]. For questions or concerns regarding the status of your application or salary ranges, please contact the department using the information provided in the Special Instructions section of this job posting.
Public research university in Baton Rouge, LA
Louisiana State University (LSU) is a public flagship research university in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Its academic mission encompasses undergraduate and graduate instruction, research, and public service.
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