Veterinary Care Assistant

Job Purpose

As a member of the nursing team ensure the smooth running of the Small Animal Hospital and provide a high standard of nursing care to all patients.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Ensure all patients are appropriately identified at admission and ensure all items left with the patient are labelled and returned to the clients on discharge.

Provision of care to hospitalised patients in conjunction with veterinary nurses to include feeding, walking, grooming and additional needs as required.

Restrain a variety of species including cats, dogs and exotics, with varied temperaments, including aggressive patients. Understand how to safely handle patients and use restraint aids appropriately.

Perform basic patient monitoring including demeanour, temperature, pulse, respiration rate, capillary refill time and mucous membrane colour. Recognise abnormalities and know when to report changes to the veterinary nurse/surgeon.

Select an appropriate volume of a pre-determined diet to meet the patients’ nutritional demands. Ensure patients eat and if not, provide encouragement by tempting with different diets and hand-feeding. Accurately measure the amount of food eaten and record on patient records.

Perform routine cleaning of kennels, runs, wards, treatment rooms, consulting rooms, food preparation and storerooms as required. Perform disinfection of high-risk areas including those that house immunosuppressed patients and patients with infectious/zoonotic diseases. Understand and adhere to infectious control procedures.

Assist staff while they perform a variety of diagnostic & nursing procedures by setting up equipment and restraining patients e.g. catheter placement, blood sampling, dressing changes and ultrasound examinations.

Collect faecal and urine samples. Deliver samples to laboratory when required.

Adhere to hospital protocols to ensure high levels of hygiene are maintained in all areas of responsibility.

Ensure health & safety guidelines are followed at all times.

Use a range of equipment including in-house laboratory analysers and accurately report results to more senior staff in charge of case.

Perform daily quality control of maintenance of in-house laboratory equipment. Inform senior staff of any problems with equipment. Ensure the laboratory is kept clean and appropriately stocked.

Monitor stock levels within area of responsibility. Rotate stock to ensure minimal wastage.

Assist with laundry duties, both internal & external.

Theatre duties to include cleaning of theatres, cleaning & packing surgical instruments and general stocking. Changing surgical gas cylinders when required.  Assisting with preparation of patients for surgery and transport of patients to and from theatre.

To set up and disinfect equipment for a range of common procedures performed within treatment area including endoscopy.

Understand veterinary terminology and ensure patient hospital records are updated following any procedure/check.

Other tasks within level of responsibility as deemed suitable by line manager.

Knowledge, Qualifications, Skills and Experience

Knowledge/Qualifications  

Essential:

A1 Knowledge of animal husbandry (cats, dogs and exotics).

A2 Educated to Standard Grade level or equivalent.

A3 Knowledge of veterinary terminology

Desirable:

B1 Veterinary Care Assistant (City & Guilds Level 2)

B2 Veterinary Terminology (SCQF Level 3)

Skills

Essential:

C1 Excellent animal handling skills especially dogs and cats.

C2 Evidenced ability to clean to a high standard.

C3 Good observation & communication skills.

C4 Evidenced ability to use initiative.

C5 Evidenced ability to work independently or as part of a team.

C6 Basic IT skills.

C7 Good organisational skills and an ability to prioritise work

Experience

Essential:

E1 Substantial & relevant work experience in a kennel, cattery or veterinary environment

Desirable:

F1 Experience of working in a veterinary practice.

F2 Experience of handling reptiles and exotics.

Terms and Conditions

Salary will be Grade 3, £21,900 - £22,681 per annum, plus 6% shift allowance for working weekends.

This post is full time (35 hours per week) and fixed term for up to 12 months from start date. Includes weekend working 1:4 (6% weekend shift allowance applies). Participation in public holiday rota required (enhanced payment given). 

As part of Team UofG you will be a member of a world changing, inclusive community, which values ambition, excellence, integrity and curiosity.

As a valued member of our team, you can expect:

1 A warm welcoming and engaging organisational culture, where your talents are developed and nurtured, and success is celebrated and shared.

2 An excellent employment package with generous terms and conditions including 41 days of leave for full time staff, pension - pensions handbook https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/payandpensions/pensions/, benefits and discount packages.

3 A flexible approach to working.

4 A commitment to support your health and wellbeing, including a free 6-month UofG Sport membership for all new staff joining the University  https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/staff/healthwellbeing/.

We believe that we can only reach our full potential through the talents of all. Equality, diversity and inclusion are at the heart of our values. Applications are particularly welcome from across our communities and in particular people from the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) community, and other protected characteristics who are under-represented within the University. Read more on how the University promotes and embeds all aspects of equality and diversity within our community https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/humanresources/equalitydiversity/.

We endorse the principles of Athena Swan https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/humanresources/equalitydiversity/athenaswan/ and hold bronze, silver and gold awards across the University.

We are investing in our organisation, and we will invest in you too. Please visit our website https://www.gla.ac.uk/explore/jobs/ for more information.