Operating Room/Central Supply Veterinary Nurse

University Overview

The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn’s distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America’s Best Large Employers in 2023.

Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.

The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.

Posted Job Title

Operating Room/Central Supply Veterinary Nurse (New Bolton Center))

Job Profile Title

Veterinary Technician, Operating Room B

Job Description Summary

Penn Vet's New Bolton Center provides an internationally renowned standard of care. Located on a campus of some 700 acres in Chester County, Pennsylvania, New Bolton Center has one of the largest caseloads of any academic large animal hospital in the nation. Position encompasses operating room responsibilities, sterilizing duties and general nursing care for large animal patients. Position located in Kennett Square, PA. No public transportation available. Free onsite parking is available.

New Bolton Center has an ongoing need for Veterinary Technicians. This posting describes the basic responsibilities and requirements for this role. If you meet the qualifications outlined below and have an interest in being considered as positions become available, please apply to this posting. Your information will be reviewed, and you will be contacted if we would like to learn more about your background.

Job Description

Under the direction of the Director of Imaging and Clinical Services your responsibilities will include:

• Assist in preparation and circulation for all surgical procedures in large animal hospital
• Prepare assigned operating rooms as required for intended procedure
• Assist in getting patients to surgery and properly positioned for intended procedure
• Requires restraint and handling of large animals
• Prepare patients for surgery by clipping, cleansing and aseptic prepping of surgical site
• Coordinate with other Operating Room Nurses to ensure efficient operation and adequate coverage in all rooms
• Demonstrate thorough knowledge of surgical instruments and surgical equipment operation including Medical Lasers, Cryotherapy, Endoscopy, Laparoscopy and Fluoroscopy.
• Demonstrates excellent knowledge of sterile and aseptic technique
• Ensure that all Operating Rooms are well stocked, equipment is stored and functioning properly
• Maintains Usual Surgical Requests and surgery logs, updates Department SOP’s
• Enters appropriate billing information into EMR
• Prepares and administers medications, including controlled drugs.
• Assist Surgical team in donning of surgical attire and table set up
• Independently operates various surgery table and overhead hoist systems
• Assist Anesthesia staff in recovery of patients
• Prepares and maintains equipment for Pool Recovery System, assigns tasks and guides personnel/students throughout Pool Recovery
• Clean and maintain all Central Supply equipment and stock.
• Independent operation of steam autoclaves, ETO sterilizer and other equipment.
• Reviews surgery schedule on an ongoing basis to determine priority of surgical instrumentation needed.
• Inspects, tests, assembles, packages and labels instruments in preparation of sterilization to ensure that instruments are ready and available when needed.
• Guide Harcum veterinary nursing students through daily activities of veterinary nurses; provide demonstration and instruction on all aspects of OR Nursing and Central Supply
• Submit comprehensive student evaluations to Harcum rotation supervisor in a timely manner
• Provide guidance to veterinary students during aseptic preparation and throughout surgical procedures
• Continually develop medical knowledge base in order to effectively teach students
• Provide demonstration and support for students in lab and classroom settings
• Runs biological monitoring and incubates, reads and records biological monitor results.
• Decontaminates instrumentation and equipment following facility written policies and procedures.
• Prepares disinfectants and other solutions and operates mechanical washers and ultrasonic cleaners for decontamination.
• Wash and dry laundry following proper procedures. Maintain the organization of the laundry room
• Recognizes safety hazards and initiates appropriate corrective/preventive measures.
• Maintains Department SOP’s.
• Assists with ordering and receiving Central Supply stock

This position is eligible for a sign-on incentive of $1,000. Please contact Carole Johnson, Director of Imaging and Clinical Service at [email protected], Kim Daley, Director of Nursing at [email protected] or Sally Tunstall at [email protected] for further details regarding the sign-on incentive.

Qualifications

Experienced Veterinary Assistants as well as experienced non-certified Veterinary Technicians will be considered. Experience with sterile processing techniques is preferred. Requires ability to function quickly and react to stressful situations involving patient care. Requires experience in handling of large animals, especially in techniques of restraint.  Good interpersonal skills needed to communicate effectively with faculty, staff, students, and clients both written and orally.  Position requires rotating and on-call schedules as well as occasional overtime, with some weekends as assigned. Position requires ability to be within a 30-minute travel time to the hospital when on-call.

Veterinary Nurse A

Associate's Degree from an AVMA-accredited veterinary technician program and 0 to 1 year of experience or equivalent combination of education and experience required.

Veterinary Nurse B

Associate's Degree from an AVMA-accredited veterinary technician program and 1 to 3 years of experience or equivalent combination of education and experience required.

Job Location - City, State

Kennett Square, Pennsylvania

Department / School

School of Veterinary Medicine

Pay Range

Salary offers are made based on the candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, and in alignment with salary ranges based on external market data for the job’s level. Internal organization and peer data at Penn are also considered.

Equal Opportunity Statement 

The University of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin(including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any class protectedunder applicable federal, state or local law.

Special Requirements 
Background checks may be required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.

University Benefits

• Health, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts: Penn offers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and your family’s health and welfare. You can also use flexible spending accounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars.

• Tuition: Take advantage of Penn's exceptional tuition benefits. You, your spouse, and your dependent children can get tuition assistance here at Penn. Your dependent children are also eligible for tuition assistance at other institutions.

• Retirement: Penn offers generous retirement plans to help you save for your future. Penn’s Basic, Matching, and Supplemental retirement plans allow you to save for retirement on a pre-tax or Roth basis. Choose from a wide variety of investment options through TIAA and Vanguard.

• Time Away from Work: Penn provides you with a substantial amount of time away from work during the course of the year. This allows you to relax, take vacations, attend to personal affairs, recover from illness or injury, spend time with family—whatever your personal needs may be.

• Long-Term Care Insurance: In partnership with Genworth Financial, Penn offers faculty and staff (and your eligible family members) long-term care insurance to help you cover some of the costs of long-term care services received at home, in the community or in a nursing facility. If you apply when you’re newly hired, you won’t have to provide proof of good health or be subject to underwriting requirements. Eligible family members must always provide proof of good health and are subject to underwriting.

• Wellness and Work-life Resources: Penn is committed to supporting our faculty and staff as they balance the competing demands of work and personal life. That’s why we offer a wide variety of programs and resources to help you care for your health, your family, and your work-life balance.

• Professional and Personal Development: Penn provides an array of resources to help you advance yourself personally and professionally.

• University Resources: As a member of the Penn community, you have access to a wide range of University resources as well as cultural and recreational activities. Take advantage of the University’s libraries and athletic facilities, or visit our arboretum and art galleries. There’s always something going on at Penn, whether it’s a new exhibit at the Penn Museum, the latest music or theater presentation at the Annenberg Center, or the Penn Relays at Franklin Field to name just a few examples. As a member of the Penn community, you’re right in the middle of the excitement—and you and your family can enjoy many of these activities for free.

• Discounts and Special Services: From arts and entertainment to transportation and mortgages, you'll find great deals for University faculty and staff. Not only do Penn arts and cultural centers and museums offer free and discounted admission and memberships to faculty and staff. You can also enjoy substantial savings on other goods and services such as new cars from Ford and General Motors, cellular phone service plans, movie tickets, and admission to theme parks.

• Flexible Work Hours:Flexible work options offer creative approaches for completing work while promoting balance between work and personal commitments. These approaches involve use of non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or job structures.

• Penn Home Ownership Services: Penn offers a forgivable loan for eligible employees interested in buying a home or currently residing in West Philadelphia, which can be used for closing costs or home improvements.

• Adoption Assistance: Penn will reimburse eligible employees on qualified expenses in connection with the legal adoption of an eligible child, such as travel or court fees, for up to two adoptions in your household.

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To learn more, please visit: https://www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/benefits-pay