At Houston Methodist, the Veterinary Technician position is responsible for delivering exceptional animal care to the research animals at Houston Methodist Academic Institute (HMAI) Comparative Medicine Program (CMP) under the direction of the Comparative Medicine management which includes participating in all aspects of the health and welfare of laboratory animals, including daily monitoring and treatment, maintaining accurate health records, health surveillance, and providing requested technical services which includes inducing and monitoring anesthesia for multiple species.

PATIENT AGE GROUP(S) AND POPULATION(S) SERVED
Refer to departmental "Scope of Service" and "Provision of Care" plans, as applicable, for description of primary age groups and populations served by this job for the respective HM entity.

HOUSTON METHODIST EXPERIENCE EXPECTATIONS

• Provide personalized care and service by consistently demonstrating our I CARE values:
  • INTEGRITY: We are honest and ethical in all we say and do.
  • COMPASSION: We embrace the whole person including emotional, ethical, physical, and spiritual needs.
  • ACCOUNTABILITY: We hold ourselves accountable for all our actions.
  • RESPECT: We treat every individual as a person of worth, dignity, and value.
  • EXCELLENCE: We strive to be the best at what we do and a model for others to emulate.

• Practices the Caring and Serving Model

• Delivers personalized service using HM Service Standards

• Provides for exceptional patient/customer experiences by following our Standards of Practice of always using Positive Language (AIDET, Managing Up, Key Words)

• Intentionally collaborates with other healthcare professionals involved in patients/customers or employees' experiential journeys to ensure strong communication, ease of access to information, and a seamless experience

• Involves patients (customers) in shift/handoff reports by enabling their participation in their plan of care as applicable to the given job

• Actively supports the organization's vision, fulfills the mission and abides by the I CARE values

PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Establishes and maintains working relationships and communicates effectively with the Houston Methodist Academic Institute (HMAI) animal care, veterinary and research teams.

• Contributes towards improvement of department scores for employee engagement, i.e. peer-to-peer accountability.

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Performs veterinary procedures such as, but not limited to, blood collection, TB test placement and reading, parenteral and oral administration of materials, animal restraint, anesthesia, and tissue collection.

• Provides pre, peri and post-operative care including, but not limited to shaving and skin preparation, animal transport, administration of anesthesia and analgesia, intubation, bandaging, or any other treatment as directed by the veterinarian.

• Cleans, prepares, packs, and sterilizes surgical instruments/equipment.

QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Ensures that animal records are maintained in conformance with institutional policies and federal regulations including the Animal Welfare Act, Good Laboratory Practices and the standards required by the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care for accreditation.

• Ensures the CMP facility remains prepared for routine regulatory inspections and meets occupational health and safety standards.

• Identifies and clearly communicates all health problems to veterinarians in oral or written form. Understands verbal and written directions of the veterinarians and/or management.

• Maintains both written and electronic animal treatment records.

FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Enters billing charges for services provided by CMP Veterinary Team and documents the use and transfer of controlled substances.

• Identifies and communicates cost saving initiatives within the department and is self-motivated to independently manage time effectively and prioritize daily tasks.

GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Generates and communicates new ideas and suggestions that improve quality and service for a variety of animal care, technical procedures and facility support practices.

• Embraces opportunities to acquire additional knowledge regarding guidelines and regulations that affect CMP's animal research facility. Ensures own career discussions occur with appropriate management. Completes and updates the My Development Plan on an on-going basis.

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive; the employee will also perform other reasonably related business/job duties as assigned. Houston Methodist reserves the right to revise job duties and responsibilities as the need arises.

EDUCATION

• Associate's Degree

WORK EXPERIENCE

• One year of animal handling and veterinary technician experience
  

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS - REQUIRED

• N/A

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through on-going skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations

• Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job, especially with regard to activities impacting patient or employee safety or security

• Ability to effectively communicate with patients, physicians, family members and co-workers in a manner consistent with a customer service focus and application of positive language principles

• Ability to use a variety of technical machinery including developing x-rays, cleaning equipment and entering essential research data into computers and databases

SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

WORK ATTIRE

• Uniform No
• Scrubs Yes
• Business professional No
• Other (department approved) No

ON-CALL*
*Note that employees may be required to be on-call during emergencies (ie. DIsaster, Severe Weather Events, etc) regardless of selection below.

• On Call* No

TRAVEL**
**Travel specifications may vary by department**

• May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area No
• May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area No

Houston Methodist Research Institute was formed in 2004 to rapidly and efficiently translate discoveries made in the laboratory and the clinic into new diagnostics, therapies, and treatments. The research institute was created to provide the infrastructure and support for these endeavors, and to house the technology and resources needed to make innovative breakthroughs in important areas of human disease. A 540,000 square foot building dedicated to research, the research institute houses over 1,500 staff and trainees, 284 principal investigators and has more than 570 ongoing clinical trials.