Veterinary Summer Student Patient Care Associate

If you are a current associate, you will need to apply through our internal career site. Please log into Workday and click on the Career worklet on the landing page or search for Find Jobs.
BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA is seeking a dedicated Summer Student Patient Care Associate to join their team!
Pay: $17.00 - $35.00 / hour
This pay band is a starting point and is dependent on experience and advancement through CareerTrax leveling system.
We also offer competitive shift differential pay for eligible hours worked for nights and weekends.
*Shift differentials are based on a 4-hour minimum.
For example:

• Mon - Fri: 6pm to 8am = $3.50 Shift Differential
• Sat & Sun: 6pm to 8am = $5.00 Shift Differential
• Sat & Sun: 8am to 6pm = $3.50 Shift Differential

The Summer Student Patient Care Associate is a student enrolled full-time in an AVMA accredited Doctor of Veterinary Medicine/veterinary medical doctor training program or veterinary technician/technologist/nursing training program. Students will be employed as temporary associates for 8-12 weeks. Students will be immersed in specialty and emergency medicine to augment the medical knowledge and technical skill that they have acquired thus far in school. The Summer Student Patient Care Associate will assist the doctors, technicians, and advanced Patient Care Associates with all aspects of Patient Care and client communication.
As a Summer Student Patient Care Associate, you will:

• Possess knowledge of basic veterinary terminology and abbreviations
• Able to appropriately and safely restrain canine and feline patients
• Able to perform a basic physical examination to collect patient vital signs
• Triage patients over the phone and in-person
• Collect a basic history from a client
• Ability to input patient data into the medical record system. Document treatments administered, treatment adjustments per the attending doctor, and communication with the doctor, client, or primary care veterinarian.
• Assist clinician and technicians through the exam and diagnostic workup process
• Effectively communicate discharge instructions to a client
• Support clinician and client through the euthanasia process
• Participate in the delivery of basic and advanced life support as directed by the clinician
• Perform phlebotomy
• Place intravenous catheter
• Accurately perform basic medical math
• Administer subcutaneous fluids
• Administer SQ, IM, or IV injections
• Operate basic equipment including fluid pumps, syringe pumps, SpO2 monitor, ETCO2 monitor, indirect blood pressure monitors (Doppler and oscillometric)
• Run basic in-house diagnostic tests including CBC, chemistry panel, urinalysis, coagulation profiles, blood gases, and process slides for cytologic interpretation
• Obtain diagnostic quality radiographs using proper techniques and personal protective equipment

Students with prior veterinary medical experience or in advanced stages of their curriculum may be able to complete:

• Placement of the indwelling urinary catheter
• Bandage application
• Endotracheal intubation
• Anesthesia monitoring
• Assist clinician in advanced procedures such as endoscopy or surgical assist

QUALIFICATIONS

• Must be a full-time student enrolled in an AVMA accredited DVM/VMD or veterinary technician/technologist/nursing program.
• Must be available for a minimum of 8 weeks and a maximum of 12 weeks.
• No prior emergency or specialty medicine experience is required. However, animal experience is preferred.

Why BluePearl?

• We encourage you to grow with us. Our technicians are leveled by their skillset and move up in level as they gain more skills and experience. We are focused on developing our associates into leaders through talent development programs and leadership workshops. As a member of Mars Veterinary Health, our associates have endless opportunities to advance in his/her career.
• To transform and lead the industry through innovative quality medicine and care, we understand the importance of continuous learning. We offer annual continuing education allowance, free continuing education sessions, our own BluePearl University for training, and our clinicians have access to over 2,000 medical journals.
• A regional licensed social worker who can provide guidance, advice, and tips/tricks on how to maintain a healthy lifestyle while working in a fast-paced emergency and specialty care environment.
• We promote a family-like culture in our hospitals. We are all in this together. We believe in working together to lead the industry by enriching lives through remarkable care for pets.

BluePearl is committed to a diverse work environment in which all individuals are treated with respect and dignity. We are an equal opportunity employer and you will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, creed, sex, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, citizenship status, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. If you need assistance or accommodation during the application process because of a disability, it is available upon request. The company is pleased to provide such assistance, and no applicant will be penalized as a result of such a request. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and a Drug-Free Workplace.