Emergency Veterinarian

The primary function of the AERC ER DVM is to provide and recommend the highest standards of care to both existing patients of AERC and future referrals to AERC, while providing a positive and collaborative working relationship with specialists, referring clinics, and referring DVMs. This position reports to the
Director of Emergency and Critical Care.

Essential Functions

• Comply with all AERC Team Member Expectations
• Work as scheduled including scheduled nights, weekends and holidays. Holidays should be divided fairly each calendar year. Half time veterinarians may expect to work half the number of holidays of full-time veterinarians.
• Be responsible to work the scheduled hours or find a replacement when circumstance or illness occurs
• Support other DVM team members when they require assistance with shift coverage
• Arrive to work 10 minutes prior to start of scheduled shift
• Be available to complete all paperwork and communications at the end of the shift.
• Maintain a clean and tidy work space, including the doctor's office and bedding
• Attend all scheduled staff and DVM meetings
• Attend any scheduled meetings with the Board of Directors or Shareholders if requested
• Complete any other duties requested or assigned
• Participate in community outreach and marketing of AERC to the referring veterinary community as requested by the AERC marketing departments. Participation in these activities will be monitored by DVM team leads.
• Willingness to participate in recruitment of department team members if needed
• Willingness to participate in interviews and other meetings for incoming veterinarians
• Able to demonstrate professional decorum with all AERC team members at all times
• Will strive to educate clients in a friendly manner and at the client's level of understanding
• Console upset, angry or grieving clients by listening and maintaining a calm, reassuring composure.
• Follow up on any case complaints to attempt a timely and amicable resolution.
• Act as team leader on scheduled shifts in a professional and supportive manner, setting a positive example and demonstrating enthusiasm toward AERC team members with professionalism and respect.
• Emphasize and promote further training and education of all team members.
• Present a helpful attitude to the support staff including tasks such as monitoring inventory, assisting with treatments, housekeeping, or anything else needed to maintain AERC.
• Work as a team between clinics, including the sharing of staff and transferring of cases when appropriate.
• Promote AERC specialty services when appropriate by utilizing the in-house referral process.
• Work collaboratively with other departments on multi-disciplinary cases
• Be professional, friendly and open minded when discussing cases with referring veterinarians.
• View themselves and AERC as extensions of the regular veterinary clinics. Decisions and recommendations should reflect this bond in actions and words.
• Whenever possible should support all referring clinics and actions taken by referring DVMs in the presence of clients.

Diagnostics

• Perform a complete physical examination on all animals under their care during their shift
• Present appropriate diagnostic options based upon history, physical exam and the client's financial means
• Prepare accurate estimates of services to be performed
• Protect the safety of all personnel and patients by using appropriate sedation and chemical restraint in fractious patients
• Ensure the proper collection and labeling of all samples used for diagnostic testing, and assisting when the technicians are unable or uncomfortable collecting samples
• Assist with the use and maintenance of all hospital diagnostic equipment
• Direct the safe and proper production of radiographs, assisting when required
• Able to perform AFAST and TFAST ultrasound scans and assist support staff in the collection of samples requiring ultrasound guidance
• Able to interpret basic ultrasound images as applied to routine ER cases
• Able to perform ultrasound guided abdominocentesis, thoracocentesis and pericardiocentesis
• Interpret all diagnostics tests and procedures, and ensure the results are communicated to clients in a timely manner, as well as document interpretation and conversation in medical record
• Refer cases to the appropriate specialist when advanced diagnostics are indicated

Therapeutics

• Ensure that animals are clean, comfortable and properly treated in the hospital
• Direct and assist in the placement of all types of catheters, including intravenous and urinary catheters
• Direct and assist with the placement of nasogastric, nasoesophageal and esophagostomy tubes when appropriate
• Direct appropriate therapeutics with a complete treatment sheet. All drugs will include drug dose and route for administration.
• Be proactive in the prevention and treatment of patient pain
• Reduce patient suffering and perform humane euthanasia when requested
• Ensure the accurate recording of all controlled drugs
• Direct and assist in the preparation of patients for surgical procedures including the induction and maintenance of anesthesia
• Keep clients updated on patient's condition and current account balance. Further diagnostic and treatment options must be authorized by the client and resulting changes in their estimate communicated.
• Keep clients informed of prognosis, estimated length of hospitalization and estimated cost for entire length of hospitalization, when possible.

Medical Records

• Use SOAP format for documentation. The medical record should be easy to read and accurately convey the entire course of events, including dates and times, during the patient's stay.
• Time stamps in all medical records should be in chronological order.
• Maintain the record so it includes the current prognosis, all diagnostic assessments and treatment decisions, all communications with the client, as well as any changes in the condition of the patient and the estimate.
• Document prescribed medications and dosages. Write clear instructions for administration.
• Write complete and understandable home-care instructions for the client prior to discharge.
• Complete all documentation for hospitalized patients before leaving the building.
• Generate and send complete medical record summaries for the referring veterinarian.
• Participate in comprehensive case rounds with the veterinarian taking over the patient care. Whenever possible, this should occur within one hour of his or her arrival.
• Ensure compliance with all AAHA logs such as: anesthesia/surgery, radiology, controlled substances
• Sign all sympathy cards created during their shift in a timely manner

This job description is a living document and may be altered by the Leadership team at any time. In addition to the above duties position will perform any other duties requested and adhered to the team member guidebook and any other governing policies at AERC.

Physical Requirements

• Able to lift a minimum of 40 pounds from floor to table height
• Able to perform duties that may require excessive walking and standing; frequent squatting
• Able to work at all clinic locations
• Incur risk of injury from animals
• Able to work well under pressure and high levels of stress
• Understands the risks of incurring injury from animals, radiation and drug exposure (chemotherapeutic, teratogenic, and mutagenic possibilities)

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Hold a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine
• Be in good standing with the Board of Veterinary Medicine
• Hold a valid MN veterinary license
• Qualify for a DEA license
• USDA Certification encouraged but not required
• Competent in small animal medicine and basic ER surgery, including non-tradit ional pets
• Complete AAHA required 50 hours of annual CE, a portion of which must be non-medical