Pet Care Practitioner

Job Description:

The Pet Care Practitioner role focuses on supervising the veterinary team at our Vetco Total Care hospital and ensuring efficient healthcare for all animal patients. Additionally, the leader must provide exceptional service to animal owners while representing our commitments to clients, veterinarians, and hospital and store partners.

Ensuring Patient Confidentiality:

• In healthcare, the patient's requirements must take precedence over everything else, as their health and well-being is of paramount importance
• All team members understand that they can contribute to providing an exceptional customer and patient experience by taking the necessary actions
• When dealing with contentious issues, it is crucial to achieve quick resolution to prevent negative ramifications that may affect the entire organization
• When team members work exceptionally well together to achieve shared goals, the entire organization can benefit from their efforts.

Manifest a Healthier, More Joyous, and More Compassionate Future for Pets and Their Owners!

Petco is ready to provide individuals with an opportunity to make a meaningful contribution, boost their careers, feel at home with their genuine selves, and prioritize their physical and mental health.

Our foundational principles epitomize our dedication to enhancing the welfare of animals, humans, and the ecosystem.

• Every pet is treated with the same caring attitude as if they were our very own
• We'll bring a new perspective to the pet industry
• We aim to promote a better standard of living for people across the globe
• Outstanding results are achieved through joint contributions
• Our individual idiosyncrasies are accepted

Petco is a company that consistently promotes a healthy way of living for pets and pet owners. With over 29,000 employees, the company has established over 1,500 pet care centers, 250+ Vetco Total Care hospitals, and hundreds of preventive care clinics across the United States. It also has eight distribution centers and two support centers, which help to further Petco's commitment to promoting the health and wellness lifestyle.

We work diligently to encourage healthy lifestyles for pets, pet parents, and Petco employees, striving to foster a culture of wellness throughout our organization.

Our Commitments:

• At our company, we firmly believe that pets come first and that this mindset has been instrumental in our success thus far.
• Driving progress in pet care - Our devotion to innovation and excellence in pet care is transforming the pet industry and bringing about positive change.
• Our community is built on the foundation of compassion, respect, and a shared love for pets, creating a welcoming and inclusive space for all to come together.
• As a constant companion to pets and their owners, we are committed to delivering a top-tier and interconnected solution. With our all-inclusive approach, we offer a one-stop-shop for all pet-related needs.
• We believe that every pet deserves the best possible care, and we will not rest until we achieve this mission.

Essential Job Functions:

The listed duties and responsibilities are vital for this position and must be fulfilled by the candidate, even without reasonable accommodation:

Leadership/Management duties:

• The chief animal health officer of the hospital.
• Collaborate with the Hospital's Office Manager to identify potential roadblocks to team performance and develop effective strategies to overcome them.
• Empower hospital veterinarians to strengthen their clinical competencies, team collaboration, client engagement, and quality of care through continuous mentoring and coaching.
• Hold the hospital accountable for maintaining a high level of medical quality, in accordance with Petco Medical procedures and relevant laws and regulations.
• It is crucial to have a comprehensive understanding of state practice act regulations in order to operate a successful and compliant veterinary hospital.
• Encourage feedback from new hires as they progress through the onboarding process to understand their needs and provide support and resources where necessary.
• Engage in conversations with potential hospital collaborators to evaluate compatibility.
• Create veterinarian schedule, identify potential gaps and partner with Hospital Office Manager and field leadership to correct.
• Keep a watchful eye on hospital performance and collaborate with HOM and field leadership to identify areas that offer potential for driving business results with a focus on maintaining high standards of care quality and client engagement.
• Work strategically with the HOM and field executives to establish an efficient and high-quality P&L reporting process that accelerates revenue growth and meets or exceeds financial targets.
• Frequently analyze the electronic medical records of hospital patients in relation to their decisions, and provide hospital veterinarians with constructive feedback and directions to improve the quality of patient care.
• Swiftly handle all reportable accidents and client disputes by working alongside the Hospital Office Manager and field leadership in finding a solution that meets the client's needs.
• Ensure that state and federal DEA regulations are met by taking charge of the ordering, inventorying, recording, and reporting of all controlled substances in the hospital.
• Unwavering commitment to safety is key to the foundation of our work environment, ensuring the well-being of team, client, and patients.
• Work alongside the Hospital Office Manager to provide staff with specialized radiation safety training and continuous professional development opportunities.

Clinical Care duties:

• Offer top-notch patient care by conducting thorough physical assessments, skillful disease diagnosis and management, and preventive healthcare measures customized for each patient's signalment, lifestyle, and surrounding conditions.
• Practice a methodological framework for diagnosing and treating patients that centers around compiling a thorough problem list for every individual, a complete list of potential differential diagnoses for each problem, an effective diagnostic plan, and the determination of appropriate treatments based on diagnostic tests that confirm or suggest potential diagnoses.
• Follow established documentation standards and guidelines when recording patient observations, findings, treatments, and diagnoses in the medical file.
• Provide diverse surgical interventions that incorporate spay/neuter procedures, exploratory laparotomies, and mass removals, among other techniques, to deliver high-quality care to patients of all backgrounds.
• Knowledgeable in the execution of regular and complex dental procedures such as thorough dental check-up, interpretation of dental radiographs, as well as simple and intricate teeth extractions and oral surgical treatments.
• Develop customized treatment plans for patients receiving daytime hospitalization, based on a thorough problem-based assessment. Ensure smooth transfer of patients to overnight care and collaborate proficiently with referral hospitals and clients to guarantee that patient care is uninterrupted.

Additional Responsibilities and Tasks:

• It is an essential part of your job as a healthcare provider to join in the rounds and handover process when starting or ending your shift as a doctor.
• Encourage the circulation of information among colleagues to improve the level of care and communication in the hospital.
• Take on more duties as needed.
• Maintain possession and renewal of all essential state premise licenses or vendor accounts for healthcare facilities.

Nature of Supervision:

The Hospital Medical Leader will receive direct supervision from the Area Medical Director in all matters regarding patients. Adherence to the Petco Veterinary SOPs is essential for the Hospital Medical Leader who can make decisions on patient care. The Area Medical Director will provide guidance and feedback through electronic medical record reviews, which the Hospital Medical Leader should embrace to improve patient care and client interactions in the hospital.

Collegial and professional behavior among hospital veterinarians is crucial to the overall functionality and success of the department.

Good problem-solving requires both critical thinking and creativity. Planning plays an essential role in encouraging creative thinking necessary for developing innovative solutions:

Excellent problem-solving is central to veterinary medicine, and a potential candidate must have a flair for critical thinking to diagnose animal problems rapidly and accurately.

Impact:

Employees who feel valued are more likely to perform better, which is why the organization prioritizes employee retention. High staff turnover can negatively impact employee morale, slow operations, and disrupt patient care. Therefore, the goal of this position is to prioritize recruitment processes that attract top talent and motivate staff members to stay within the organization to facilitate its consistent success.

Supervisory Responsibility:

In this role, you will be responsible for supervising the entire veterinary staff at the hospital, including those who work full-time, part-time, or provide temporary relief.

Education/Experience:

• To become a veterinarian, it is essential to earn a degree equivalent to Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from a recognized veterinary school accredited by the AVMA.
• A minimum of one to three years of clinical veterinary experience is a prerequisite for this position.
• The preferred candidate will have prior experience in mentoring or coaching veterinarians.
• Having an unrestricted veterinarian license to work in the state where the hospital is located or being capable of obtaining it before the job starting date.
• Current DEA license.
• To be eligible for employment, individuals must possess a valid Controlled Substance License in the state where the hospital is situated or be able to obtain one before starting.
• The attainment of USDA Category I (minimum) Accreditation within two months of the joining date is required.
• Proficient in administering anesthesia and performing regular surgical procedures for companion animals like feline and canine spays, neuters, mass resections, and dental prophylaxis.
• Effective communication skills in both written and verbal forms are a must.
• Possessing the ability to exude empathy and a professional attitude during high-pressure situations is a highly valuable trait.
• Telephone and computer aptitude is a must.
• We are looking for an individual who is team-oriented, can adapt to changes, is open to acquiring new techniques and treatments, and contributes creative ideas.

Work Environment:

The primary workspace for this job is the Vetco Total Care veterinary full-service hospital. The partner will have to perform tasks that require bending, kneeling, lifting (up to 30 pounds, if necessary), and standing for an extended period. As well, the partner will have numerous interactions with clients and their pets.