Veterinary Assistant 1, 2, or 3 - Emergency Critical Care

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Job Posting Title:

WAE-Veterinary Assistant 1, 2, or 3-ECC

Position Type:

Wages as Earned (Fixed Term)

Department:

LSUAM VetMed - VTH - Admin - Nursing - Emergency (Jose Juarez (00070166))

Work Location:

Veterinary Medicine

Pay Grade:

Job Description:

The Small Animal Emergency Service (SA-ER) and Small Animal Intensive Care Unit (SA-ICU) provide continuous emergency, critical care, and intensive nursing support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Veterinary technicians and assistants deliver advanced nursing care to emergent, critically ill, and injured patients; support emergency triage, stabilization, anesthesia and surgical recovery, and ongoing intensive care; assist with diagnostic and therapeutic procedures; maintain unit readiness; and contribute to the teaching, clinical service, and patient care missions of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital.

Job Responsibilities:

Veterinary Assistant 1

40% Assist with advanced veterinary nursing care for emergency, critically ill, and hospitalized patients, including triage, assessment, stabilization, treatment, and ongoing intensive care. Assist with life-saving interventions using emergency and critical care techniques, therapies, and equipment. Administer medications and treatments as prescribed; place and maintain intravenous catheters, perform venipuncture and other technical nursing procedures. Operate and monitor life-support equipment, recover and monitor anesthetized and post-surgical patients, safely restrain patients for examinations and procedures, promptly communicate changes in patient condition, and maintain accurate medical records.

20% Assist with emergency patient admissions, assessment, stabilization, and transfer to specialty services or the Intensive Care Unit as appropriate. Assist with obtaining and document patient histories, assessments, diagnostics, treatments, nursing observations, prescriptions, treatment sheets, discharge instructions, and other required medical records. Carry out treatment plans, estimates, and client communication as directed. Handle Class II controlled substances in accordance with hospital policies and regulatory requirements, including dispensing, documentation, inventory management, and proper disposal.

20% Assist with operating, maintaining, and performing quality control checks on emergency, intensive care, and diagnostic equipment to ensure continuous operational readiness. Assist with diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, including collection, processing, and submission of diagnostic samples. Maintain emergency department and ICU readiness through equipment maintenance, inventory management, and stocking of medications and supplies. Assist with maintaining patient census records and complete accurate, timely entry of patient charges, procedures, and hospitalization fees. Provide holiday, overnight, weekend, and emergency coverage as assigned.

10% Promote continuity of patient care through effective communication with veterinarians, technicians, students, and other members of the teaching hospital team during patient transfers and shift changes. Foster a collaborative work environment focused on exceptional patient care. Support the educational mission of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital by assisting with the mentoring and training veterinary students, interns, residents, technician students, and newly hired staff through instruction, demonstration of best practices, and participation in continuing education and departmental training activities.

10% 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% Provide and demonstrate advanced veterinary nursing care for emergency, critically ill, and hospitalized patients, including triage, assessment, stabilization, treatment, and ongoing intensive care. Perform life-saving interventions using emergency and critical care techniques, therapies, and equipment. Administer medications and treatments as prescribed; place and maintain intravenous catheters, perform venipuncture and other technical nursing procedures. Operate and monitor life-support equipment, recover and monitor anesthetized and post-surgical patients, safely restrain patients for examinations and procedures, promptly communicate changes in patient condition, and maintain accurate medical records.

20% Provide and demonstrate assistance with emergency patient admissions, assessment, stabilization, and transfer to specialty services or the Intensive Care Unit as appropriate. Obtain and document patient histories, assessments, diagnostics, treatments, nursing observations, prescriptions, treatment sheets, discharge instructions, and other required medical records. Carry out treatment plans, estimates, and client communication as directed. Handle Class II controlled substances in accordance with hospital policies and regulatory requirements, including dispensing, documentation, inventory management, and proper disposal.

20% Operate, maintain, and perform quality control checks on emergency, intensive care, and diagnostic equipment to ensure continuous operational readiness. Assist with diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, including collection, processing, and submission of diagnostic samples. Maintain emergency department and ICU readiness through equipment maintenance, inventory management, and stocking of medications and supplies. Maintain patient census records and complete accurate, timely entry of patient charges, procedures, and hospitalization fees. Provide holiday, overnight, weekend, and emergency coverage as assigned.

10% Promote continuity of patient care through effective communication with veterinarians, technicians, students, and other members of the teaching hospital team during patient transfers and shift changes. Foster a collaborative work environment focused on exceptional patient care. Support the educational mission of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital by mentoring and training veterinary students, interns, residents, technician students, and newly hired staff through instruction, demonstration of best practices, and participation in continuing education and departmental training activities.

10% 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 care for emergency, critically ill, and hospitalized patients, including triage, assessment, stabilization, treatment, and ongoing intensive care. Perform and teach life-saving interventions using emergency and critical care techniques, therapies, and equipment. Administer medications and treatments as prescribed; place and maintain intravenous catheters, perform venipuncture and other technical nursing procedures. Operate and monitor life-support equipment, recover and monitor anesthetized and post-surgical patients, safely restrain patients for examinations and procedures, promptly communicate changes in patient condition, and maintain accurate medical records.

20% Perform and teach emergency patient admissions, assessment, stabilization, and transfer to specialty services or the Intensive Care Unit as appropriate. Perform and teach obtaining and document patient histories, assessments, diagnostics, treatments, nursing observations, prescriptions, treatment sheets, discharge instructions, and other required medical records. Carry out treatment plans, estimates, and client communication as directed. Handle Class II controlled substances in accordance with hospital policies and regulatory requirements, including dispensing, documentation, inventory management, and proper disposal.

20% Perform and teach operating, maintaining, and performing quality control checks on emergency, intensive care, and diagnostic equipment to ensure continuous operational readiness. Perform and teach diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, including collection, processing, and submission of diagnostic samples. Maintain emergency department and ICU readiness through equipment maintenance, inventory management, and stocking of medications and supplies. Perform and teach maintaining patient census records and complete accurate, timely entry of patient charges, procedures, and hospitalization fees. Provide holiday, overnight, weekend, and emergency coverage as assigned.

10% Promote and teach continuity of patient care through effective communication with veterinarians, technicians, students, and other members of the teaching hospital team during patient transfers and shift changes. Foster a collaborative work environment focused on exceptional patient care. Support the educational mission of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital by mentoring and training veterinary students, interns, residents, technician students, and newly hired staff through instruction, demonstration of best practices, and participation in continuing education and departmental training activities.

10% 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)

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

Additional Job Description:

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. 

Special Instructions:

A copy of your transcript(s) may be attached to your application (if applicable).

Please provide your resume and three professional references including name, title, phone number and e-mail address.

Questions can be directed to Amy Geeding, [email protected], or Jose Juarez, [email protected].

Skills Needed:

Preferred Skills:

Posting Date:

October 16, 2026

Closing Date (Open Until Filled if No Date Specified):

January 15, 2027

Additional Position Information:

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.

Essential Position (Y/N):

LSU is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

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.

HCM Contact Information: