Emergency Veterinarian

Job Summary

The emergency veterinarian has the primary responsibility for patient care, striving to provide the highest quality medical and surgical care for our patients.  The veterinarian must be able to pay attention to detail, respond quickly and calmly to crises, and provide exceptional customer service, showing care and concern for his or her patients. The emergency veterinarian must demonstrate proficiency in various emergency procedures and diagnostics specific to a specialty emergency hospital. In addition, the veterinarian must be able to promote teamwork, and communicate well with pet owners and staff members as well as act as leadership/mentor to CVTS and TAs at all times. While adhering to all segments of the veterinarian contract and hospital protocols, the following are representative of day to day duties and responsibilities. Possess and expresses a genuine love for animals and for working in an animal care environment.

Education and Experience

• Required: Active CO state veterinary license
• Required: Small animal internship or at least 2 years ER experience
• Preferred: Surgical experience highly preferred but not required

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Comprehensive patient work ups

• Obtain complete history in conjunction with technician
• Perform thorough physical exams including temp, pulse, respiration, body condition score for each patient
• Make notes on master health form with any problems and diagnosis
• Recommend all appropriate diagnostics
• Correctly interpret diagnostic results
• Make comprehensive treatment recommendations tailored to individual patient

Client communication and education

• Always asks if client has further questions or needs before leaving the room or discharging patient
• Communicate medical findings, recommended diagnostics, prognosis, and recommended plan to pet owner. Makes notes in chart to record all such conversations.
• Take owner constraints into account and has secondary recommendations
• Note any recommendations declined by pet owner in medical record.
• Give status reports to client on hospitalized patient’s condition in timely manner
• Perform timely discharge appointments, remembering to ask for any questions
• Respond to client phone calls/emails in a timely manner

Referring veterinarian communication

• Complete patient records and send to referring veterinarians within 24 hours of patient discharge
• Give status reports to veterinarian on hospitalized patients condition in timely manner
• Respond to/answer referring veterinarian phone calls whenever possible, and return calls in a timely manner
• Treat referring vet as a team member of the hospital and ensure that they feel valued as such

Diagnostic procedures & surgery

• Performs appropriate pre-op exams & diagnostics
• Demonstrates proficiency in interpretation of diagnostics including but not limited to
  • Electrocardiography
  • TFAST
  • Thoracic radiography
  • Blood smear
  • Urinalysis
• Practices good surgical techniques and leads the team during surgeries
• Demonstrates proficiency in emergency procedures including but not limited to
  • Pericardiocentesis
  • CPR
  • Chest tube placement
  • Intubation
• Ability to use and delegate appropriate surgical prep techniques with technician
• Calls back clients with results of diagnostic tests and provide copy with interpretation for pet owner.
• Review discharge instructions with technician or owner

Medical Record Responsibilities

• Record patient exams in medical records using SOAP format in EzyVet
• Follow AAHA guidelines for medical records
• Complete preliminary records by end of work day. Complete and email records within 24 hours of patient discharge.
• Fully document all patient care to ensure good case management
• Complete medical records in a legible and complete manner

Pharmacy duties

• Prescribe appropriate medication for patient conditions with appropriate dosing
• Approve prescriptions, reviews label for accuracy
• Maintain security of controlled drugs
• Monitor inventory levels of controlled substances
• Logs controlled substances consistently

Promotes teamwork & staff efficiency

• Assist in keeping appointments running on time
• Clearly communicate instructions to staff in respectful manner
• Is willing to assist staff with their duties when needed
• Communicate pertinent information to colleagues for efficient case management
• Promote a positive attitude throughout the practice
• Answers the persistent ringing phone when necessary
• Be available to colleagues/management when off duty for matters that cannot wait

Financial responsibilities

• Correctly estimate client invoices
• Clearly communicate costs to clients
• Follow hospital guidelines for client payment and credit policies
• Ensure that all applicable charges are in the records and accounted for prior to discharge
• Does not waste clinic resources

Continuing Education Responsibilities

• Regularly attend outside CE meetings for a minimum of 20 hours/year
• Share information gathered at CE meetings with colleagues
• Assist in teaching at staff meetings when called upon
• Assist with mentoring and training staff members
• Attend at least 80% of on-site staff training and/or meetings

Other duties may be assigned as the need arises

Supervisory Responsibilities: 

The Emergency Veterinarian has no direct supervisory duties but will lead the medical care of our patients by directing technical and kennel personnel in patient care in an efficient and respectful manner. Will act as hospital ambassador when Ownership/Hospital Managers are not present by leading the personnel in their duties and functions required of them, ensuring all aspects of the hospital are running efficiently and effectively.

Qualifications:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or Experience: 

Veterinarian degree (DVM) from accredited college or university and current Colorado veterinary license. Must demonstrate desire to continue learning in veterinary care and participate in leading staff training.

Language Skills: 

Ability to complete thorough written medical records and correspondence. Ability to read and interpret documents such as laboratory reports, medical records from other doctors, hospital policy and procedure manuals. Ability to speak effectively before small groups of customers or employees of the hospital. Ability to graciously deal with client complaints. Ability to successfully communicate with diverse personality types.

Computer Skills: 

Must be proficient with basic computer, fax and printer operations. Able to work with Microsoft Word, Excel, and the Internet. Has or will quickly obtain full working knowledge of all systems utilized in the hospital such as EzyVet, Instinct, and Clover. Experience with Ezyvet veterinary software helpful.

Mathematical Skills: 

Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as drug dosing, oxygen levels, dilutions, percentages, and volume.  Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry.

Reasoning Ability:

Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form.  Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations. Must possess solution-focused problem solving skills.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The job requires the following lifting requirements and/or exerted force be performed on the job.

Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust to focus.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this position, the employee is frequently exposed to wet and/or humid conditions.  As a hospital, there will be exposure to a variety of chemicals and cleaners. The noise level in the work environment is occasionally loud. Pet dander and exposure to a wide variety of animals including exotic animals is to be expected.

 Full-time Employee Benefits

• ProSal Available
• Matching 401(k)
• Medical/Dental/Vision Insurance
• PTO including some Paid Holidays (based on position’s schedule)
• Career training environment
• Discretionary Employee Bonus Program
• Employee Pet Discount
• Reimbursable Expenses including Licenses, Scrubs and CE Allowances

*Nothing in this job description restricts management’s rights to assign or reassign duties and/or responsibilities at any time.