Posted: 08-Jan-26
Location: Oldwick, New Jersey
Type: Full Time
Salary: $25 to $32/hour
Categories:
Occupation:
Species:
Salary Details:
Preferred Education:
The Surgery Technician works under the supervision of the Surgeon (BWF), as well as the Hospital Manager. The Surgery Technician is expected to perform with the highest level of accuracy in a fast-paced environment, and functions as the Surgeon’s primary technician for all surgery related procedures, including, but not limited to exams, diagnostics, and radiographs. The Surgery Technician will be expected to anticipate the needs of surgical patients and provide invaluable assistance to the hospital team to include other veterinarians, technicians, and assistants. The incumbent demonstrates strong technical skills with a broad knowledge base of all aspects of hospital operations and enjoys educating and leading others. Responsibilities broadly include ensuring that patient care standards are maintained using B.W Furlong & Associates Core Values as a guide and acts as a resource for the hospital and lab team. This position carries all the job duties of a Senior Hospital Technician with additional responsibilities for anesthesia coverage, sterilization of instruments and operating room preparation. It is full time (minimum 40 hours/week) and requires flexibility to manage the surgical patient caseload, on-call obligations, and ambulatory requirements of the role.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The essential functions describe the general nature and level of work being performed by this position. This is not intended to be a comprehensive listing of all duties and responsibilities required, nor are all duties listed necessarily performed by any one employee so classified. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.
Surgery
- Assist with pre-surgical workups.
- Perform diagnostics including but not limited to, handling, lunging, and jogging horses, prepping joints, obtaining and downloading radiographs, monitoring patient vitals, etc.
- Assist with scheduling surgical procedures and communicating with clients.
- Admit and discharge surgical patients in compliance with clinic protocols.
- Maintain accurate and complete medical records.
- Ensure the surgical suite is stocked with appropriate inventory and consumables and care for all surgical equipment, including ordering all supplies, rotating all supplies, prepping, cleaning/sterilizing, as well as performing or scheduling routine maintenance and keeping the Hospital Team Leader informed.
- Maintain surgical facilities to meet or exceed regulatory standards for sterilization, radiation, safety, OSHA, and environmental impact requirements.
- Support the surgery team (Surgeon, Assisting Veterinarians, Interns, and Hospital Technicians)
- Assist with training interns with respect to standard procedures associated with each facility (in-clinic and Sterlingbrook), including anesthesia.
- Assist with training Hospital Technicians for surgery clearance, including but not limited to, maintaining a sterile surgical field, learning where supplies and equipment reside, required set-up based on surgery type, understanding their role in the room, and knowing where to stand.
- Develop, implement, and oversee training protocols for surgery in consultation with the Hospital Team Leader.
- For surgical and other procedures, as needed, induce and maintain horses under appropriate sedation, position/ reposition patients, maintain a sterile field.
- Provide and oversee pre-operative and post-operative patient care, including but not limited to monitoring (ECG, blood pressure, etc.), catheter placement, medication administration (IV, IM, SQ, Oral), preparing and performing physical exams, running fluids, and changing bandages.
- Participate in the anesthesia on call rotation as required.
Hospital
- When not providing surgical services, setup and assist with in-patient and out-patient procedures, including, but not limited to, lameness exams, pre-purchase examinations, internal medicine cases, and diagnostic imaging. This would include proficiently handling, lunging, jogging, and restraining horses, preparing patients for procedures, and creating or updating medical records or treatment plans.
- Provide treatments for patients, including, but not limited to, isolation cases, to include adherence to all necessary biosecurity protocols and treatment plans, preparing and administering sedation and other medications, passing nasogastric tubes, performing physical exams, placing IV and urinary catheters, running fluids, and assisting with diagnostics.
- Animal care, including, but not limited to, grooming, feeding, mucking out, cleaning feed and water buckets, and turning out.
- As needed, run in-house labs or prepare reference lab samples to be sent out.
- Admit and discharge hospital patients, ensure accurate medical records and billing.
- Operate as primary ambulatory technician for the surgeon, responsible for stocking equipment and supplies as required for appointments.
- Demonstrate professionalism at all times when communicating in writing (text, email, etc) or verbally (telephone, voicemail, video, etc) with affiliated staff, vendors, clients, and referring veterinarians whenever providing or receiving information. The same applies to client communication on behalf of, or as directed by, a Veterinarian.
- Help guide Technicians and Assistants to understand expectations and responsibilities within different areas of responsibility.
The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required.
- Minimum six years working as a Veterinary Technician in an equine hospital.
- Minimum three years surgical experience in a veterinary setting A strong preference is given to those with anesthesia experience and/or a licensed vet tech (LVT/CVT).
- Working knowledge of anesthesia, sterile and aseptic technique, patient skin preparation
- Familiarity with veterinary equipment usage and troubleshooting in addition to basic surgical instruments and equipment.
- Strong people skills and willingness to teach others.
- Technologically proficient using clinic equipment and software as applicable
- Exceptional horse handling skills including maneuvering sedated or fractious animals
- Excellent time management, multitasking skills, and strong attention to detail
- Quick-thinker, self-motivated, and a fast learner
- Accurately calculate and understand the implications of medication dosages
- Ability to work with or around sick animals, potentially hazardous materials, cleaning chemicals, zoonotic diseases, hay/grasses and unpleasant odors
- Ability to lift approximately 50 pounds (hay bales, feed bags, water and muck buckets) in order to complete job responsibilities
- Ability to communicate professionally and effectively at all times
- An outstanding team attitude, work ethic and an active participant in problem-solving and team advancement.
- Capable of handling patient emergency situations.
OTHER FUNCTIONS
Regular attendance and punctuality is an essential job requirement.
Additional responsibilities as assigned.
Physical Demands
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential duties of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Maintain effective audio-visual discrimination and perception needed for making observations, operating assigned equipment, and communicating with others; must have visual abilities including close vision, distance vision, depth perception, peripheral vision, and the ability to adjust focus. Effectively handle a work environment and conditions which involve: Working with animals and exposure to animal waste and bodily fluids, exposure to loud noise, exposure to various weather conditions, working closely with others, working outside normal business hours and in hours of darkness; exposure to dust, dirt, fumes, grasses, weeds, and other vegetation, and exposure to airborne particles; maintain physical condition needed to accomplish the performance of assigned duties and responsibilities, which may include: working around, securing, and restraining horses of all ages and temperaments; walking, sitting, bending or standing for long periods of time; lifting and carrying heavy materials in excess of 50 pounds; climbing, crawling, squatting, kneeling, and running; working on uneven and/or slippery surfaces. Maintain a safe driving record. Maintain professional demeanor sufficient to accomplish the performance of assigned duties and responsibilities, which may include: effective interaction and communication with others; preparing clear and concise reports; making sound decisions in a manner consistent with the essential job functions.ise reports; Making sound decisions in a manner consistent with the essential job functions.